2018 Nissan Altima: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

16 builds left the factory as a 2018 Altima, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 2 main configurations sell for $5,488–$17,998 today.

  • 2 main configurations
  • 76,438 vehicles built
  • 632 for sale right now
  • $5,488–$17,998 typical price range

Which Altima is yours?

Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.

Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.

Pick your Altima

What actually differs

2.5 35 SL
Engine 2.5L 4-cyl 3.5L
For sale right now 631 1
Vehicles built 75,850 268
Same on every 2018 Altima
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Body Sedan
  • Seats 5
  • Doors 4-door
  • Typical price today $10,995

What people actually pay

651 price observations · updated Sep 6, 2026
2.5
$10,995
$5,323 $8,627 $11,931 $15,234 $18,538
Price trend

Median down $1,252 over the last 12 months.

2018 Altima price history →
Will it hold value?

A Altima typically keeps about 64% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $6,995 today.

Altima depreciation by year →
Cost to run

22/32 mpg city/highway. Roughly $1,790/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2018 Altima

Safety, in plain English

NHTSA overall crash rating

★★★★★ 5 / 5

2 recalls on file for this model year — check any specific VIN before you buy.

Driver assistance — varies by configuration
  • ✓ Warns you before a crash
  • ✓ Brakes for you in an emergency
Decoded from NHTSA build records.

What 1N4AL3AP-J means

1N4 AL3AP · J
1N4
the World Manufacturer Identifier Nissan registered — assembled in the United States
AL3AP
together encode the Altima line — Sedan, 2.5L 4cyl — as Nissan filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
J
in position 10 — model year 2018
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
Real VINs from this run 1N4AL3AP XJC124226 1N4AL3AP 9JC128557 1N4AL3AP 9JC127523
14 rare configurations — mostly fleet, export or irregular VIN patterns. Fewer than 20 known vehicles each.

Already looking at a specific Altima?

Paste its VIN — we’ll open that exact car’s page: its configuration, market position and every listing we’ve tracked.

2018 Nissan Altima prices →