The Nissan Altima has been a best selling vehicle for as long as many of us can remember. With it's reasonable price point (starting at $21,500), sleek design, and a fuel efficiency rating of 27 mpg city and 38 highway, this car is a can't miss. One thing you may not know about the Nissan Altima is that it also takes inspiration from an unlikely source - the competition. 

When you test drive the updated Altima at Firkins Nissan, don't be alarmed if it seems like an automobile you might expect from the competition. While the new Altima may look and feel slightly different that in years past, don't let that fool you, the quality is still super apparent.

It may have been a surprise to some when WardsAuto made the discovery of this design "share" but in all actuality its not uncommon for car companies to trade designs, especially if they sell.

"Clearly, we referenced the [another auto maker] when we were going through the design process," Nissan executive VP of marketing Andy Palmer said recently. "We even delayed development by a short amount just to check that the [new Altima's] proportions were right, the [package] was right, [and that] the product overall was right."¹

That being said its clear Nissan has one goal in mind, to beat all other leading mid-size sedans. 2012's Altima was the second best-selling midsize in the US last year. Nissan is the third best-selling Japanese car in the US. Looks as if this company is on the right track.

Source: ¹http://rumors.automobilemag.com/styling-of-2013-nissan-altima-influenced-by-hyundai-sonata-129697.html