Nissan will end the Nissan Altima after the 2027 model year, giving the sedan one more year before it disappears completely. The move closes a six-generation run that began when the first Altima rolled off the line on June 11, 1992, at Nissan's Smyrna, Tennessee assembly plant.
Smyrna, Tennessee assembly plant
The first Altima was designed in California for the American market and replaced the imported Stanza. It arrived with a 150-horsepower 2.4-liter inline-4, a digital speedometer read-out, automatic climate control and a better stereo system, a clear sign Nissan was building a sedan for US buyers rather than adapting one for Japan.
By its second generation, the Altima added 5 extra horsepower, standardized airbags and offered a standard leather interior on the higher GLE trim. Nissan then reset the car again in 2002 with a redesigned Altima that was described as a chic, crisp approach to the family sedan.
SE and SE-R
The performance versions pushed the model further from the ordinary sedan formula. The SE used a VQ 3.5-liter V6 that made 240 horsepower and could be paired with a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission.
In 2004, the SE-R carried a base price of $29,930. The 2005 and 2006 SE-R models made 10 more horsepower than the base 250-horsepower SE models, used a 6-speed manual gearbox and could reach 60 mph in under 6 seconds.
Altima after 2027
The discontinuation leaves Nissan without a long-running sedan nameplate that has been part of the US market since 1992. Buyers who still want an Altima have one model year left before the line ends, and the final 2027 cars now mark the end point for the model's six-generation run.
Why Nissan is ending Altima production after the 2027 model year is not explained, but the timeline is fixed: one more model year, then no more Altima.
