The Altima still sports standard 16-inch wheels on 205/65R16 tires, while 16 and 17-inch alloy rims on 215/55R17 tires are available. My test car was equipped with the latter, which made for spirited handling on the mountain curves near my home. When introduced last year its front suspension design incorporated a lot of aluminum parts, making it 8% lighter than a comparable steel design. Its cradle-type frame with offset coil springs and lower transverse link layout proves decisive when needed, turning in quickly without any nose plowing - probably because Nissan has reduced lateral forces acting on the front suspension by 30%.

Its multi-link independent rear suspension (IRS), which is similar to Infiniti's Q45 sedan, is derived from the race winning Japanese-market Skyline supercar. Nissan separates the rear shocks and springs to limit friction. The shocks are also aligned with the center of the rear wheels, allowing improved damping and reduced harshness. What's more the rear suspension components are about 6% lighter than that of the 2001 Altima. Nissan also increased torsional rigidity by 70 percent over the old model, which improves NVH levels while inspiring superior driving dynamics.