2018 Altima Interior
As a mid-size sedan, the Altima presents buyers with an interior that is quite spacious but falls short of segment rivals when it comes to quality and style. Hard plastics and average-quality fabrics detract from the comfortable seats, while the lackluster infotainment system is difficult to operate due to poor ergonomic design. Higher trim levels do improve on the appointments by introducing leather or faux-leather seats, and a leather-wrapped steering and shifter knob. The infotainment only gains any real appeal at the top-most trim levels, with a Bose audio system and NissanConnect touchscreen added as standard.
2018 Altima Interior Photos
Seating and Interior Space
Compared to newer sedans, the Altima supplies only adequate interior space. While it is technically capable of seating five, the rear seats, with 37.1 inches of headroom and 36.1 inches of legroom, can only accommodate adults of average size. Three smaller children would probably fill the back seat to maximum capacity. The front of the cabin offers a more breathable 40 inches of headroom and 45 inches of legroom, making it suitable for taller folk too. The seats are positioned a bit higher than usual to provide better visibility, but this may adversely affect taller drivers, especially considering how low the infotainment display is set. Ingress and egress are easy enough, but taller passengers may need to duck to enter the back seats. Two full sets of LATCH anchors are present on the back seats.
2018 Nissan Altima Interior Dimensions:
| Nissan Altima Trims | 2.5 S | 2.5 SR | 2.5 SV | 2.5 SL | 3.5 SL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seating | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Headroom Front Seat | 40 in. | 40 in. | 40 in. | 40 in. | 39.1 in. |
| Headroom Back Seat | 37.1 in. | 37.1 in. | 37.1 in. | 37.1 in. | 37.1 in. |
| Legroom Front Seat | 45 in. | 45 in. | 45 in. | 45 in. | 45 in. |
| Legroom Back Seat | 36.1 in. | 36.1 in. | 36.1 in. | 36.1 in. | 36.1 in. |
| Shoulder Room Front | 56.4 in. | 56.4 in. | 56.4 in. | 56.4 in. | 56.4 in. |
| Shoulder Room Rear | 56.4 in. | 56.4 in. | 56.4 in. | 56.4 in. | 56.4 in. |
| Hip Room, Front | 54 in. | 54 in. | 54 in. | 54 in. | 54 in. |
| Hip Room, Rear | 52.1 in. | 52.1 in. | 52.1 in. | 52.1 in. | 52.1 in. |
Interior Colors and Materials
Don't expect the Altima's interior to impress you. As an affordable mid-size sedan, it makes use of a lot of hard plastics inside the cabin, and the cloth upholstery on the lower-tier trims is low-quality. This cloth comes in Charcoal on the 2.5 S, with the 2.5 SV also offering Beige. The 2.5 SR boasts a sport-inspired interior, but even this trim offers cloth seats as standard, requiring you to upgrade to the Special Edition to get the faux-leather Prima-Tex seats; both come in Charcoal only. Leather seats, in Charcoal or Beige, are only available on the two upper SL trims.
2018 Altima Trunk and Cargo Space
Cargo space in this Nissan Altima is not as impressive as many rivals like the Ford Fusion and Honda Accord, but 15.4 cubic feet is still nothing to sniff at. When coupled with the very wide-opening trunk, you could easily fit the kid's school bags alongside the week's grocery shopping. And if you still need more room, the rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split to make space for larger items.
In-cabin storage space is a bit more generous. A standard glove compartment is installed, with a spacious center armrest console, and the doors feature slender pockets. The cupholders are about average in size, and there are several slots and trays around the dash and infotainment area to store smaller items.
2018 Nissan Altima Trunk and Cargo Space Photos
2018 Nissan Altima Cargo Dimensions:
| Nissan Altima Trims | 2.5 S | 2.5 SR | 2.5 SV | 2.5 SL | 3.5 SL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trunk Volume | 15.4 cu. ft. | 15.4 cu. ft. | 15.4 cu. ft. | 15.4 cu. ft. | 15.4 cu. ft. |
2018 Altima Infotainment and Features
Features
Along with its modest price, the Altima comes equipped with a humble array of features. Standard items on the base model include a rearview camera, basic air conditioning, power accessories, keyless entry and ignition, cruise control, an advanced drive-assist display, a six-way manual driver's seat, and two 12-volt power outlets. The 2.5 SR trim adds an eight-way power driver's seat with power lumbar, paddle shifters, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob. Moving up the trim levels, dual-zone climate control, remote engine start with intelligent climate control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert are added with the 2.5 SV. The 2.5 SL further provides for leather-appointed seats, a four-way power passenger seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, mood lighting, and rear passenger air conditioning vents. The final improvements come with the top-tier 3.5 SL and include adaptive cruise control, front and rear park sensors, and a power-sliding glass moonroof.
Infotainment
The Altima's infotainment suite is basic and a little dated, but standard features comprise a six-speaker sound system with AM/FM/CD audio and a five-inch color monitor, Siri Eyes Free, Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming, as well as a USB port. SiriusXM is added to the 2.5 SV, but the first real improvements only come with the 2.5 SL, or the Special Edition SR, and include an eight-inch NissanConnect touchscreen display that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The infotainment display is upgraded to seven inches, and SiriusXM and navigation are added to the infotainment suite. NissanConnect Services are only added with the top-tier 3.5 SL.