2013 Nissan Altima Scarborough

Nissan was a CVT pioneer, so the automaker has had a few years to get things just right. For 2013, the Altima's standard CVT underwent a thorough reworking to become significantly smoother and more fuel efficient - and it had to, since Nissan made comparatively few changes to its 182-horsepower 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine.

	2013 Nissan Altima 2.5  Drive Type:  Front-wheel Drive  Cylinders:  4  Wheelbase:  109.3"  Doors:  4	Sedan	$25,393.00
	2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV  Drive Type:  Front-wheel Drive  Cylinders:  4  Wheelbase:  109.3"  Doors:  4	Sedan	$28,693.00
	2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL  Drive Type:  Front-wheel Drive  Cylinders:  4  Wheelbase:  109.3"  Doors:  4	Sedan	$31,293.00
	2013 Nissan Altima 3.5 SL  Drive Type:  Front-wheel Drive  Cylinders:  6  Wheelbase:  109.3"  Doors:  4	Sedan	$34,293.00
	2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 S  Drive Type:  Front-wheel Drive  Cylinders:  4  Wheelbase:  105.3"  Doors:  2	Sport	$30,693.00
	2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 S  Drive Type:  Front-wheel Drive  Cylinders:  4  Wheelbase:  109.3"  Doors:  4	Sedan	$26,593.00
	2013 Nissan Altima 3.5 SV  Drive Type:  Front-wheel Drive  Cylinders:  6  Wheelbase:  109.3"  Doors:  4	Sedan	$31,393.00

With a solid 180 lb-ft. of torque coming on at 4,000 rpm, the engine is decently, but not overwhelmingly, powerful on paper by class standards, which makes it even more impressive that the CVT magicians at Nissan have coaxed this lithe 3,100 lbs. midsizer to a 7.1-second 0-60 mph sprint.

Externally, the look is all new yet comfortably familiar, drawing heavily from the larger Maxima. We're not sure that occasionally awkwardly-proportioned four-door was the right inspiration, but the Altima does look pleasantly upmarket. Careful detailing around the fog lamps (standard on most models) and tail lamps looks elegant, although we didn't necessarily care for the wide, grinning grille up front. All models boast classy dual chrome-tipped tailpipes.

Inside, the Altima again breaks little ground but clearly moves forward. Passenger space is up slightly, giving this 191-inch long sedan a gigantic back seat and plenty of room for front row occupants. Those front thrones were engineered according to NASA's "zero gravity" specifications, but we found them to be a little too strong on lumbar for our preferences. Cloth-seated Altimas feature a love-it-or-hate-it upholstery that felt like a mix between appealing suede and kitschy Grandma's Grand Marquis. Leather is optional.

The dashboard is conventional but effectively organized, with a handful of satin silver accents on board to enliven the atmosphere. An optional seven-inch navigation display could serve as a model for most rivals thanks to both its bright screen and its fast, simple menus. Another high-res screen sits between the primary gauges to provide the driver with all the vehicle, audio and navigation information he or she could ever need.