Is the 2019 Nissan Altima a good car?
An honest AI verdict — reliability, common problems, and real cost to own.
The 2019 Altima SV offers a comfortable driving experience and is fuel-efficient, making it a decent family sedan. However, be mindful of the common CVT issues, which can lead to costly repairs if not addressed. It's best suited for those who primarily drive in urban settings and don't demand high performance.
Pros
- Comfortable ride
- Good fuel economy
- Spacious interior
Cons
- CVT reliability concerns
- Average performance
- Mostly plastic interior materials
Ownership at a glance
Common problems to watch for
- CVT transmission shudder
- Electrical system glitches
- Occasional excessive oil consumption
CarsJudge exclusive data
Active recalls (7)
The 2019 Nissan Altima has 7 NHTSA recalls on record. Most recent: Engine And Engine Cooling — Engine — Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical (campaign 25V437000). All recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer.
- Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights — Switch — Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019 Nissan Altima vehicles. The brake switch bracket may be in the incorrect location, which may cause the brake switch to remain on.…
- Back Over Prevention — Sensing System — Camera — Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Vers…
- Back Over Prevention — Sensing System — Camera — Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these ve…
- Engine And Engine Cooling — Engine — Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical — Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression t…
Real owner data from the CarsJudge fleet
4 2019 Nissan Altima owners track this exact car in CarsJudge. Their real maintenance spend over the last 12 months averaged $0/year — logged from actual service records, not estimates.
Recall data: NHTSA. Owner costs & MPG: anonymized aggregates from CarsJudge users who track this vehicle. Updated 2026-07-05.
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This AI-generated assessment is general guidance only, not a substitute for a professional inspection. Always inspect a used vehicle before purchase.