Nissan Altima AWD: Smart All-Weather Driving Power

Photo Source/Copyright: NISSAN USA

The Nissan Altima still offers all-wheel drive (AWD), keeping it in a pretty small club of midsize family sedans. What has changed recently is where you’ll find it: Nissan has folded factory AWD into a single trim of the sedan, the SR.

Athletic Equipment Comes Standard

Fewer choices might narrow your options, but it guarantees that nobody ends up pairing all-weather grip with a stripped-down cabin. Every Altima AWD now leaves the line with the SR’s sportier equipment already on board:

• Wheels: 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels paired with 235/40R19 all-season tires.
• Infotainment: A 12.3-inch touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
• Convenience: A wireless phone charging pad, rear USB ports, and rear air vents to keep back-seat passengers cool on sticky August afternoons.
• Driver Controls: Paddle shifters alongside a wrapped, stitched steering wheel.
• Chassis Technology: Active Ride Control and Intelligent Trace Control.

How Intelligent All-Wheel Drive Actually Works

Nissan calls the mechanical setup Intelligent All-Wheel Drive. On dry pavement, it operates as a front-driver, directing power through the front wheels to maximize fuel efficiency. Sensors never stop watching, though.

The moment they catch a wheel slipping, whether from a storm cell that rolls in out of nowhere at 4 p.m., sand drifting across a coastal road, or wet grass in an overflow parking lot, torque starts flowing rearward, up to an even 50:50 split between the axles. There’s no dashboard button to hunt for and no dial you’ll forget mid-downpour.

Once grip returns, power drifts forward again. It functions as a full-time watcher rather than a part-time switch, stepping in automatically when you need traction most.

By the Numbers: FWD vs. AWD

Here’s how the front-wheel-drive (FWD) and all-wheel-drive SR configurations compare side by side:

*Excludes destination fee.

That six-horsepower and two-pound-foot dip is so small you would honestly need a dyno to find it. While the fuel economy drops slightly, getting 33 miles per gallon (MPG) highway on a 16-gallon tank still works out, on paper, to better than 500 miles between fill-ups.

Moreover, you won’t spot the extra half-inch of ride height from the curb, allowing the sedan to keep the low, hunkered stance that makes it so engaging on back roads.

What AWD Adds to the Sticker Price

At $30,690 MSRP (excluding destination fee), the SR AWD represents a $1,500 step up from the front-drive SR setup. Stretched across a five-year loan, that gap comes out to roughly $25 a month before interest, essentially the price of one takeout lunch.

That extra investment earns its keep during sudden afternoon downpours, across sandy beach-access roads, over unpaved shell-rock driveways, and through wet storm debris.

The SV Trim Alternative

If you prefer a softer ride, earlier-production SV AWD units remain on our dealer lot right now. The SV delivers the same 182 horsepower and 25/33/28 MPG rating, but rides on 17-inch wheels with taller-sidewall tires to take the sting out of rough pavement.

It includes an 8-inch touchscreen standard (with the 12.3-inch screen available) and provides all-weather grip at a lower price point. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

AWD: Not Just for Snow

Do you need AWD without snow? Absolutely. Rain creates slick road surfaces, and AWD provides much steadier launches from wet intersections. Keep good rubber on the tires, ease off when roads shine, and this sedan handles foul weather with genuine composure.

To feel the difference yourself, test-drive an Altima AWD on a summer afternoon right when the clouds start stacking up. Browse our inventory or contact our team today.