The base price of a new Nissan Altima – an S model outfitted with front-wheel drive, specifically – is $24,450. But that's just the jumping-off point. With five different trim options from which to choose – S, SR, SV, SL and Platinum – the total cost of a new Nissan Altima can vary greatly.

With three out of the five variants – the SR, the SV and the SL – buyers of new Nissan Altimas have their choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the latter of which makes for better performance, handling and, in turn, overall safety ratings, too.

New Nissan Altimas with front-wheel drive offer a bit of savings; on average they're priced $1,500 or so less than their AWD-equipped counterparts. But given that all-wheel drive isn't too common of a feature on other comparable midsize sedans, it's definitely something that sets the Nissan Altima apart from the rest of the lot.

Next in line after the FWD Altima S base model comes the Altima SV, which starts at $25,550 for FWD or $26,950 for AWD. Then there's the Altima SR, which goes for $26,350 for FWD or $27,750 for AWD. Next comes the Altima SL, which starts at $29,990 for the FWD version and $31,390 for the AWD upgrade. At the top of the roster reigns the Altima Platinum edition, which is available only with AWD and is priced at $34,250.

Differences on each Nissan Altima variant include upgraded features such as larger wheels, an electronic parking brake, a forward collision warning system, a turbocharged engine on certain trims, paddle shifters for manual transmission models and Nissan's Safety Shield 360 feature, which consists of an automatic emergency braking system that detects pedestrians and warns of lane departure, blind spots and rear cross-traffic, too.

The price of used Nissan Altimas depends on the model year and specific trim package.

Generally speaking, the sticker price of sixth generation models – those manufactured after 2018 – is usually in the low $20,000s.

The fifth generation edition – Altimas made between 2012 and 2018 – ranges from the low to upper $10,000s.

The difference between fifth and sixth generation Nissan Altimas – which are the most commonly found used models these days – is fairly minimal. Altimas made between 2012 and 2018 are available with either a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine or a V-6 option, whereas the beefiest powertrain available in Altimas manufactured after 2018 is a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Altimas manufactured after 2019 also sport a slightly reimagined look and feel, with sharper lines, a roomier interior and updated functionality features such as Nissan's ProPilot Assist semi-autonomous drive function and an all-wheel drive option, too.

Most new and recent-year Nissan Altimas are built with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes for a total horsepower of 188, save for the SR's 2.0 VC-Turbo, which packs a more impressive 248 horsepower.

But if you're looking for a speedier experience from behind the wheel of your sedan, something worth keeping in mind is that Altima SR models manufactured between 2012 and 2018 are outfitted with a V-6 engine that makes for a rather astonishing horsepower of 270.

Nissan ultimately decided to do away with the V-6 option for the Altima SR in 2019, but plenty of used 2012-2018 models are still on the market today.

These days, depending on the engine and whether it's outfitted with FWD or AWD, Nissan Altimas weigh between 3,212 and 3,462 pounds.

That's significantly heavier than the first generation of Altimas from the early 1990s, which weigh in at 2,829 pounds. But since then the Altima's fuel economy has actually improved quite impressively despite the fact that they're just shy of 400 pounds heavier these days than they were 30 years ago.

New and recent-model Altimas get 26 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the freeway, whereas the first models to hit the road – when new – only banked 18 mpg and 26 mpg, respectively.

Of course, it goes without saying that the life expectancy of any car, regardless of the make and model, has a lot to do with the manner in which its owner – or owners – treat it – or mistreat it – over the years. Regular service checkups – changing the oil, brake pads, rotors and such – along with responsible, smart driving habits like sensible accelerating and braking are just two factors that are proven to significantly stretch any vehicle's roadworthy years.

Ever since the 1950s, when its autos first made their way out of Japan and later onto roadways around the world, Nissan has boasted a history of crafting cars and pickup trucks alike – and later SUVs and crossovers – that are built to last. The only catch once they leave the sales lot is for the owner to invest the time and money to properly care for them.

So it's of little surprise that the Altima falls in line with Nissan's legacy of long-lasting vehicles. The Nissan Altima, when well maintained and cared for, can last up to – or more than – 200,000 miles. Some have even been known to make it to nearly 300,000 miles.