The 2016 Nissan Altima strikes a good balance between plushy and sporty (pictures)

Nissan gave the Altima a serious mid-cycle refresh for the 2016 model year.

Nearly everything in front of the A-pillars is new.

A strong headlight design blends into equally muscular fenders, giving the car a much sportier appearance than before.

The wheels aren't so large as to make the ride uncomfortable, but it doesn't look like you're driving an elephant in comically small shoes, either.

I hope you like Nissan's new "V Motion" grille, because you're going to be seeing it on just about every new Nissan model from here on out.

In terms of ride, the Altima strikes a proper balance between sporty and soft.

The suspension tuning soaks up a good deal of highway bumps, but you don't feel like you're riding atop a cloud at any point.

The steering has been injected with a near-lethal dose of Novocaine. It's numb.

But there's very little on-center slop, so steering feels quick and direct.

If you can't decide between sporty or cushy, take a page from the Old El Paso taco girl and ask, "¿Porque no los dos?"