Nissan (22)
Compact sedans seem to be disappearing in recent years, with most Americans wanting a bit more roominess in their ride, and numbers continue to dwindle in terms of overall market share for this size of vehicle.
But there will always be certain groups of car buyers who will say that less is more — young buyers looking for that first new new car at a lower price, or people of any age with no family to cart around who want fuel efficiency.
With the number of buyers in this class being smaller, the automakers that have stuck it out in the compact sedan segment must bring their A-game to complete effectively.
Nissan remains active in this segment with its Sentra model. I recently spent some time driving a 2019 Nissan Sentra, and I’m back with a report on how it competes.
Sedans, especially the full-size variety, are a segment that automakers are fleeing in droves. Nissan, however, is bucking this trend and has stayed committed to sedans, and even continues to upgrade them.
The 2019 Nissan Maxima, their flagship sedan, gets a refresh and can now be called an excellent contender in this category, pushing itself to near-luxury territory.
I recently tested a 2019 Maxima and I’m back with a full report.
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The exterior of the 2019 Maxima features upgraded front and rear styling, plus 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.
Once you go inside you’ll find one of the sharpest non-luxury vehicles you can buy. The interior design features premium leather-appointed seats, with diamond-quilted leather inserts on the Platinum trim I tested. There’s an attractive tan insert on the steering wheel offering a two-tone appearance, plus satin bronze interior faceted finishers.
You also get creature comforts like heated front seats (and optional heated rear seats). This being a full-size sedan, it’s roomy and no matter where you sit you’ll be very, very comfortable — both due to the size of the vehicle and the overall quality materials used inside. The trunk is also roomy for the segment.
If I were handing out interior design awards, this Nissan would definitely be in the running to win something.
The future of sedans is very much a question mark right now. With SUV and truck fever having taken over most automakers, in addition to a focus on electronic and autonomous vehicles, your old-fashioned four-door sedan is usually lost in the shuffle when individuals and families are choosing a new vehicle.
Some automakers, particularly on the domestic side, are taking drastic steps and essentially eliminating their sedan offerings due to lack of sales and limited profitability. But there’s still some reason for hope among car buyers who like this type of vehicle: The foreign automakers are hanging in there.
Nissan is one of those automakers, and for 2019 the Nissan Altima — its midsize sedan offering — gets some major upgrades as it takes on heavy hitters like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in the battle for market share.
I recently spent some time in a 2019 Altima, and I’m back with a full report on how the improvements boost the Altima’s stature in the segment.
Subcompact SUVs seem to be growing on trees lately, and there’s yet another one in town. The Kicks is the latest vehicle in Nissan’s lineup, replacing the Juke at the low end of their SUV lineup.
I recently spent time in a Kicks and I’m back with a full report on what this little lifted subcompact has to offer.
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By the very nature of being a subcompact SUV, the Kicks is small and the back seat is tight. It’s best for people who don’t plan to have a lot of folks in the back seat regularly. Storage space is decent for the class if you put down the rear seats. The materials used inside were pretty basic, nothing fancy, and the comfort level of the driver’s seat was a bit disappointing.
Exterior design looks sharp on the Kicks, much better than the funky-looking design of the Juke. The Kicks comes with 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. Two-tone color schemes are offered to attract more buyers.
With a large (and growing) number of competitors in the compact SUV category, the Rogue has done something unexpected. It’s battling for the top spot, running neck-and-neck with the Toyota RAV4 in 2017 -- with more than 400,000 of both vehicles being sold.
That alone is an impressive feat; but Nissan is also pushing things in another area -- technology.
While truly automated vehicles are still down the road a bit, Nissan is starting to offer strong tech features in mass-produced vehicles that go beyond the normal safety equipment we are used to seeing offered, including ProPilot Assist, which I was able to sample on the Rogue vehicle I tested.
Full-size pickup trucks are not a one-size-fits-all prospect.
Some buyers seek out a vehicle that is high-end and full of all the latest gadgets and luxury trim.
Then on the other side of the coin, you have the basic work truck -- a tool meant for carrying payloads and towing whatever needs towed.
The second option is what I found myself driving recently when I spent some time in a 2018 Nissan Titan, which battles the larger domestic names in the truck segment. I’m back with a full report on what it offers compared to the rest of the pack.
For some people, bigger is always better.
Thankfully for them, several automakers have not given up on producing full-sized SUVs, the stunningly large vehicles which look like they could fit most of a traveling circus inside of them, and which you might hear an echo in if you yelled to the people in the back row..
One of those full-size SUV options -- the Nissan Armada -- recently went through a remodel, and I recently got to test out the 2018 version. I’m back with a full report on what it offers and how it compares to others in the class -- which also includes the Ford Expedition, GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe.
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The big change with the redesign is that the Armada is now based off the same underpinnings as its more upscale corporate sibling, the Infiniti QX80.
And just like the QX80, the Armada can be described as big -- as in very big, wow that’s big!
Nissan Titan (Price as tested: $39,505)
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While truck sales are dominated by the trio of Ford, Chevy and Ram, we shouldn’t forget that there are other capable options out there worth considering. And I’m not talking about getting a truck for a Sunday drive: I’m talking about the Nissan Titan, which comes ready to do some work, whether it be hauling or towing, as a pickup truck should do.
With a starting price under $30K, the Titan is a strong option -- especially if you opt for the 5.6-liter V8 engine and its 390 horsepower/394 lb.-ft. of torque.
I used a Titan to haul some large loads of metal and appliances to the scrap yard, and it held up well throughout. It gets the job done, which is the point of a truck like this. Towing capacity is over 9,000 pounds, and payload capacity is just over 1,900 pounds.
Official mpg numbers on the Titan are 15 city/21 highway and 18 combined.
Bottom line: I wouldn’t want this big machine as my daily driver, as it’s too slow and lumbering for that, but if I was in the hauling and towing business on a daily basis, i would have to give it serious consideration.
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2017 Infiniti QX60 (Price as tested: $60,045)
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When people have money to spend, they’re often going to spend in on cars. That’s why it’s so important for automakers to get their big luxury vehicles right, as brand loyalty is a key factor so you don’t want to screw that up from the start.
I’ve driven multiple versions of this next vehicle, the Infiniti QX60 (previously known as the JX35 upon its initial launch), and it only gets better with time. It remains one of my favorite luxury SUVs, inside and out.
Recent upgrades to the QX60 include boosted power from the engine, as well as a larger infotainment screen up front. Outside design is sharp, recognizable and smooth looking -- typically the case with Infiniti. Inside layout is created for comfort for driver and passengers, with quality leather plus wood grain touches to enhance look.
Its 3.5-liter V6 (295 horsepower, 270 lb.-ft. of torque) isn’t best in class but still doesn’t disappoint. The tech setup is a bit too button-laden; could be simplified. But that’s a minor quibble since the vehicle’s drive quality is smooth to the point I’d call it silky. Fuel mileage numbers are 19 city/26 highway/22 combined, and safety ratings are top-notch.
Bottom line: Unless you absolutely need the most powerful engine in class, the QX60 is one of your most comfortable, safest and family-friendliest options in the luxury SUV category.
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Matt Myftiu can be found on Twitter @MattMyftiu.
Making a good first impression is important. It sets the tone for everything that comes after. And unlike many crossover SUVs, which come across as just carbon copies of one another, the 2017 Nissan Murano makes a statement from the get-go.
Simply put, the Murano is one of the best-looking crossovers on the market, perhaps even the best. With its distinctive lines, its long and swooping shape, and a lower profile than most SUVs, the looks are wholly unique. That’s a big deal in a crowded SUV marketplace -- it catches your eye in a good way.
Now that crossovers are becoming the vehicle of choice for families, all the vehicles in this category constantly have to reinvent themselves to stay competitive.
Case in point: The Nissan Pathfinder. This is a fine vehicle, but was in need of a refresh for 2017 to catch up to the Joneses. I recently spent some time in a Pathfinder and have the scoop on how it competes.
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Sedans may not be the hippest kind of car you can buy, but boy do they sell.
Once you get past the pickup trucks and their dominant numbers, sedans make up most of the top selling cars out there, mainly due to their lower price point and the fact that, well, everyone’s gotta drive something and we don’t all need SUVs.
One of the models battling in the always busy midsize sedan segment is the Nissan Altima -- which has to find a way to compete against some of the biggest vehicle brands and models (think Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, etc.) and actually manages to do so quite well every year.
I recently spent a week in an Altima, and I’m back with a full report on how it fits into the sedan landscape.
What exactly is that thing? it’s a Nissan Juke, thank you very much for asking.
I got quite a bit of that recently, when I spent a week testing the supremely unique 2015 Nissan Juke NISMO RS, which makes no effort to blend in with the crowd.
The Juke has always been somewhat of an odd duck, and the NISMO package I tested only furthers that. Here’s my full report on the vehicle and how it measures up against other compact crossovers.
The history of Nissan’s Z-Car lineup is deep, going back nearly 50 years to the late 1960s, but the goal has always been the same -- to build fast, fun sporty cars.
While it’s a small piece of Nissan’s overall stamp on the market, it’s a piece worth maintaining, and I recently got a chance to take the wheel of a 2016 Nissan 370Z NISMO.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. executive vice president and North America chairman José Muñoz has pulled the wraps off the extensively redesigned 2016 Nissan Altima. It is scheduled to go on sale in November at Nissan dealers nationwide with a starting MSRP of $22,500 USD.
"The new 2016 Altima has been transformed in one of the most extensive mid-cycle product makeovers in Nissan history – outside, inside and under the skin," said Muñoz. "The new Altima offers class-leading standard fuel economy of 39 miles per gallon highway for Altima 2.5-liter engine equipped models. No other mid-size sedan has shown consistent fuel economy gains over the last decade like Altima has, including a 26 percent increase since 2006."
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