The Nissan Altima’s future in North America is shakier than a CVT at full throttle. Sales are sliding, SUVs are eating its lunch, and the word “discontinuation” keeps hovering around like an unwelcome in-law. But while the Altima clings to life in the States, its Chinese twin—the Teana—isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s getting a makeover. Meet the Teana Plus, a facelifted sedan that’s determined to prove the mid-size four-door still has some fight left in it.
Face Off
The big news is up front, where the Teana has borrowed some design DNA from Nissan’s latest electrified sedans. Darker, sharper LED headlights now flank a chunkier grille with new DRLs baked in. Beneath that sits a wider lower intake, a styling cue lifted straight from the sleeker N6 and N7 models. It’s all meant to drag the Teana into the modern age without actually electrifying it. Think of it as a petrol-powered chameleon trying to look like its hybrid cousins.
From the side, you’d be hard-pressed to spot major changes unless you’re a wheel nerd. New alloy designs—stretching up to 19 inches—provide the only real update, although one trim gets a two-tone paint job with a contrasting roof, which is basically shorthand for “please look at me, I’m premium.” Out back, a full-width LED bar now spans the tail with illuminated Nissan lettering glowing proudly at its centre. Exhaust pipes? Gone. Because hiding the fact you burn petrol is the new cool.
Size Matters (Sort Of)
The nip-and-tuck job has added a smidge of length—14 millimetres, or just over half an inch—bringing the total to 4,920 mm. Width, height, and wheelbase remain unchanged, but the Teana Plus still sits on a healthy 2,825 mm wheelbase, enough to keep rear passengers comfortable while they wonder why they didn’t buy an SUV.
Inside Job
No official cabin shots yet, but expect a digital cockpit, larger screens, and tech updates designed to keep pace with the Camry and Accord. Given how hard Chinese buyers value in-car gadgets, Nissan can’t afford to skimp.
Engines: Same Wine, New Bottle
Under the bonnet, things are familiar. The Teana Plus sticks with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder good for 240 horsepower, feeding the front wheels through Nissan’s trusty Xtronic CVT with eight fake gears. It’s not exciting, but it’s predictable—like ordering fried rice at a hotel buffet.
Curiously, filings also mention a new entry-level engine rated at just 142 hp—actually weaker than the current naturally aspirated 2.0. Why? Nobody knows. Maybe emissions regs. Maybe cost-cutting. Maybe someone at Dongfeng just enjoys trolling spec sheets.
Launch and Legacy
The Teana Plus will hit Chinese roads in late 2025, priced somewhere between ¥179,800 ($25,000) and ¥239,800 ($33,400). The current model will likely soldier on alongside it for a while, because nothing dies in China until the last taxi fleet has finished wringing it dry.
Meanwhile, back in the States, the Altima soldiers on with a facelift from 2022 and endless rumours about the axe. Could it get a Teana-style glow-up? Possibly. But given the SUV-obsessed American market, don’t bet your lease payment on it.
For now, the Teana Plus stands as proof that, in at least one corner of the globe, the humble mid-size sedan still has some life—and some LEDs—left in it.
Source: Nissan