Although the Nissan Altima was available with a 3.5-liter V6 engine from 2002 to 2018, it was never available on the base trim. Every entry-level Altima has had a standard inline-four engine.
Just because an engine has more cylinders, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a better fit in a car. In recent years, plenty of vehicles—the Nissan Altima included—have been taking the V6 engines out of their powertrain options and replacing them with turbocharged four-cylinder engines.
Unfortunately, if you’re sold on the rev of this particular six-cylinder engine, you won’t get it from an entry-level Nissan Altima. Here’s everything you need to know about the Nissan Altima base trim’s powertrain, as well as some worthwhile V6 alternatives.
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No—a V6 engine has never been available on the base-trim Altima.
Base-trim Nissan Altimas have always either had a 2.4-liter or 2.5-liter inline-four engine. While many an Altima has been equipped with a V6 engine, this engine upgrade was only ever available on higher trim levels, never on the base trim.
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Start earning nowPopular alternatives to the Nissan Altima Base with a V6
If you want a Nissan Altima with a V6 engine, you’re going to have to get a higher-trim model, if not the highest, from the years 2002 to 2018.
A base-level compact coupe or midsize sedan in the Nissan Altima’s price range is rarely equipped with a V6 engine. If you’re looking for a new vehicle, here are some current car models that automatically come equipped with V6 engines on their base trim configurations:
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