Automotive News has reported that the US-market Nissan Altima (that’s our Nissan Teana) is set to get a significant facelift for 2016, about three years after the D-segment sedan’s Stateside launch.
Nissan North America product planning VP Pierre Loing told the publication that the refresh will follow the substantial mid-cycle changes in the US-market 2015 Toyota Camry (separate from the global-market 2015 Toyota Camry facelift, which we should be getting this year), but it won’t be as drastic.
“Camry did something very huge. I believe they did that probably because they thought the car was not where they wanted it to be. I’m not sure we’re going to go to that extent. But we’re going to do something significant for the Altima for the mid-cycle,” Loing said, adding that styling updates and technology enhancements are planned.
Last year, the Altima found 335,644 Stateside buyers – five percent up on the year before. The Honda Accord sold 388,374, the Toyota Camry 428,606 and the Hyundai Sonata only 216,936 (believed to be due to the over-conservative styling, facelift to arrive in 2017 or 2018). In December, the Altima outsold both Accord and Camry.
“Mid-size (D-segment) is contracting a little, but it’s still a two-million-a-year segment. It’s extremely important,” Loing said. “It is very difficult to grow in the segment because our competitors do a very good job. But we’re a strong player and we intend to remain a strong player and grow.
“If you look at fuel economy, we’re very good. Altima is 38 miles per gallon (16.2 km per litre). It’s a light car. It’s already up there, and of course we will reinforce this when we do the mid-cycle.”
With Asia and America now sharing the same L33 dress, it’s reasonable to assume our Nissan Teana will also get some, if not all, of the upcoming updates further down the road. Anything in particular you would like to see changed?
