Glendale Nissan Official Blog
How does the Nissan Altima behave in snow?
By Product Expert | Posted in Nissan Altima on Monday, December 12th, 2016 at 9:53 pm
How does the Nissan Altima handle snow?
When Old Man Winter and Mother Nature join forces, it can be a beautiful winter wonderland to look at but an absolute nightmare to drive in. Whether the weathermen are right or off by a couple of inches, when it snows, it’s important to have a vehicle that can combat the elements.
Those of us in the Snowbelt especially know this to be true, and when you’re shopping for a vehicle, a daily-driver in particular, it’s important that it can handle all of the seasons. So how does the Nissan Altima handle snow? Let’s find out…
Is the Nissan Altima All-wheel Drive?
While the Nissan Altima is offered in a large number of trim levels, seven to be exact, an all-wheel drive model is not an option. The Nissan Altima is strictly a front-wheel drive vehicle and that goes for both coupe and sedan body styles.
The Nissan Altima still performs well according to previous and current owners. Even compared to other cars, the Altima has passed the driver confidence test and has handled well in winter conditions. Having good tires is a key aspect to taking on winter driving. We would highly suggest investing in a set of good all-season tires; if you aren’t sure what to buy or what tread depths are best for where you live, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our service team.
Another option, for those of you who have summer or performance tires, would be to consider winter tires. These would have to be rotated off before summer because they are specifically designed with softer rubber for cold weather driving. (If you were to drive on them all year long, they would wear down quickly and need to be replaced much sooner than normally necessary.)
Do keep in mind that compared to a truck with four-wheel drive, like the Titan XD or an all-wheel drive crossover like the Rogue or Pathfinder, the Altima isn’t going to be able to trudge through the snow like them. If you’re looking for something with all-terrain and all-weather capability, even when the roads are bad, we would suggest something larger and more powerful like these options.
