Nissan Altima turns 30 years old in the Middle East

It was the year 1992, Nissan took the wraps of the 1993 model of Nissan Altima set to replace the Stanza, also known as the Nissan Bluebird in certain markets. Yes, it’s been thirty years since the Altima set its foot in the Middle East.

Talking further about the first-generation Nissan Altima, it was lauded for its contemporary design and 150-horsepower inline 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine. The design plaudits shouldn’t come as a surprise as it was designed at Nissan’s Southern California design studio.

The second generation Altima came with a refreshed design and side airbags. Mind you, the latter was a very big thing back in those days. The third generation is the one that has a special place in the hearts of people who love their sedans to have big engines as it was the first one to come with a V6 engine.

Built on the brand’s then-new FF-L platform (Front engine, Front-wheel drive, Long), the third-gen Altima had a 6.9-inch longer wheelbase than its predecessor and came with the option of an award-winning VQ-series 240 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine. A 175-horsepower 4-cylinder engine was also available. 

The fourth-generation Altima came with a coupe-like body while the fifth-gen had ‘zero-gravity’ seats as its party trick. Nissan said that the Zero-Gravity front seats offered “enhanced comfort.”

The sixth-generation, newest of the lot, made its global debut at the New York International Auto Show in 2018. In 2021, the Altima landed in the Middle East with Nissan’s advanced ProPILOT driver assistance system. The 3.5-liter V6 engine was replaced with the world’s first variable compression turbo engine to the fore.

Available in four trims - S, Sport, SV and SL - customers can choose between a two 4-cylinder engine configurations, a 2.0-liter Variable Compression (VC) Turbo engine and a 2.5-liter Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG) engine. 

Thierry Sabbagh, President, Nissan Saudi Arabia, INFINITI Middle East and Managing Director, Nissan Middle East, said: “An essential model for Nissan globally and in the Middle East, the Nissan Altima serves as tangible evidence of our commitment to deliver vehicles that are technologically advanced, fun to drive, and cater to the needs of our customers. Through six generations, the Altima has offered our customers the very best.”