United Nissan

Nissan 2010 Altima
Nissan continues to improve its likeable mid-sizer.  By Jim McCraw

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 Introduction    Interior/Walkaround  2010 Nissan Altima Dealer Las Vegas Drive

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New Car Inventory Las Vegas 2010 Nissan Altima  Dealer  Used Nissan Altima

Overview

Although much of our affinity and enthusiasm for Nissan is directed toward its extroverted-and very talented-370Z sports car, the model that makes most of Nissan's U.S. endeavors possible is the popular Altima line. And after a brief first drive of the freshened 2010 Nissan Altima sedan, we can say that it doesn't quite take on the two-seater's hard-core character, but it does approach the latest Z's newfound levels of refinement inside and out.

Nose Jobs

Outwardly, Nissan's bread-butter-and-jam model gets a bevy of visual and equipment changes for 2010, starting with a new hood and sexier grille and front fascia, as well as new wheels and paint colors. The rest of the body, including the rear end, is mostly carried over from last year's car, which isn't a bad thing considering we've never complained about the styling of the current-generation Altima, which has been with us since 2007. Compared with the serious refreshes given to certain competitors, such as the Ford Fusion, these are token updates. Then again, the Altima didn't have as much to fix; indeed, the Altima as a whole has warranted so few complaints that it placed second out of seven in our last large-scale mid-size-sedan comparison test in 2008, behind the Honda Accord. The pre-refresh Fusion came in sixth.

Improved Innards

Some things we have complained about, however, include substandard interior fabrics and materials, many of which have been upgraded for the new model year. Option packages have also been reconstituted, and every Altima now comes with standard stability control. In all, the interiors feel considerably more upscale than before, while retaining their relatively sporting flavor.

Compared with its more conservative competitors from Honda and Toyota, the Altima has appealed to many a techie, and for them, the new optional audio system should be welcome news, as it now bundles a 4.3-inch color display; iPod, Bluetooth, and XM satellite radio connectivity; and Nissan's rearview monitor. Equally appealing to them, as well as to anyone who can be described as perpetually hungry, directionally challenged, and/or a weather enthusiast, should be the revised-for-2010 6.5-inch touch-screen navigation system featuring Zagat restaurant ratings, XM traffic and weather information, Bluetooth connectivity, a DVD player, and a 9.3-gig Music Box hard drive for music storage.

Same on the Road and on the Sticker

Since nothing has changed under the skin, it's no surprise that driving dynamics appear to remain largely stet-which is to say, on the crisp side of comfortable. Whereas the sportier Altima coupe features the same smooth 175-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder and robust 270-hp, 3.5-liter V-6, along with the choice of a six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission with six manually selectable ratios, the Altima sedan drops the available manual for 2010 and soldiers on armed only with the CVT. (Nissan cites a low-single-digit-percentage take rate for the decision, which we lament but understand in this economic climate.) Even with the CVT, however, the Altima is blessed with a willing chassis and taut ride and thus remains one of the better drivers within the mid-size-sedan class-certainly more fun than the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata. We'll have to arrange another comparison, however, to see how the Altima stacks up against the refreshed Ford Fusion.

The miserly hybrid powertrain returns to the limited-availability Altima hybrid sedan with its own version of the CVT. The 2.5S and the hybrid, by the way, retain their nomenclature, but the 3.5SE trim has been renamed the 3.5SR. Not surprisingly, the hybrid is the least sporty of the range but feels the most luxurious as it wafts down the road in near silence.

Prices don't change much versus 2009 levels, with sedan figures holding fast and increasing just $130 for the hybrid. That means window stickers start at $20,620 for the base sedan and $27,500 for the hybrid. All 2010 Altima models are in showrooms now.

The 2009 Nissan Altima Wins Consumer Guide Best Buy Award as well as JD Powers Inital Quality Award and is the driver's car In Henerdon and Las Vegas NV among midsize sedans. This fourth-generation Altima was all-new for 2007. It set record sales records, won the AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award for Premium Mid-Size Cars, and ranked highest among mid-size sedans in the J.D. Power and Associates APPEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout) study.

For 2008, anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) is standard equipment. Indeed, the 2008 Altima comes loaded with safety features.

A gas-electric Hybrid version is available boasting an EPA-rated 35 miles per gallon City, extending its range past 600 miles between fill-ups. Rated as an Advanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV), the Altima Hybrid is sold in states that have adopted California emissions regulations: California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Whether four-cylinder, V6, or hybrid, the 2009 Nissan Altima offers performance, comfort, safety, economy, and looks. It feels powerful and luxurious. It's a couple of inches shorter than the Maxima on the outside, and gives up a little room in the rear seat; but offers comparable room up front, and very nearly as much luggage space. Fold-down rear seats allow the Altima's trunk to expand into the cabin for carrying big long things.

A well-optioned 2.5 SL offers the leather upholstery and other features of the luxurious 3.5 SL but with the improved fuel economy of the four-cylinder engine, and we found it delivers plenty of power.

The 175-hp four-cylinder rates 23/31 mpg City/Highway on Regular octane. The 3.5-liter V6 makes 270 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque and rates . The price for that power, however, is an EPA-rated 19/26 mpg appetite for Premium fuel. Best is the Hybrid, which rates 35/33 mpg along with better performance than the standard four-cylinder. Hybrid technology isn't cheap, however, and the Altima uses the best: from Toyota.

For drivers who appreciate sharp handling, the Altima excels. This is a car that inspires driver confidence, a car that a driver can really connect with. It's steady and predictable in extreme situations, including rough pavement. Its suspension is quite firm but isn't harsh.

A sporty new Altima coupe has joined the lineup. The coupe is a little smaller than the sedan, sprung a little tighter, and different enough in character that we have dealt with it in a separate New Car Test Drive review.

Nissan Dealer Model Lineup 2009 Altima

The 2008 Nissan Altima sedan is available with four-cylinder or V6 power, manual or CVT automatic transmission, four different trim levels, and a bewildering array of option packages.

Altima 2.5 ($18,230) is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine rated 175 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque (170 and 175, respectively, in California). Standard equipment includes cloth upholstery, 60/40 split fold-down rear seats, power windows and door locks, cruise control, tilt/telescope steering wheel, metallic-look interior trim, pre-wiring for an audio system, an intelligent key with push-button starting, and 16-inch steel wheels. ABS and EBD are standard. Air conditioning does not come standard. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, an automatic is not available.

Altima 2.5 S ($20,080) and 2.5 S automatic ($20,580) add air conditioning, six-speaker AM/FM/CD, trip computer, and a greatly expanded option list. The 2.5 S Convenience Package ($1,050) adds an eight-way power driver's seat, audio controls in a leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic headlamps, and other appointments from the higher-line models; Convenience Plus ($2,150) includes a power glass sunroof, alloy wheels, and the Convenience Package. The 2.5 SL Package ($3,850) includes leather upholstery and most of the 3.5 SL features except the V6 engine. Bluetooth and the premium stereo can be added with the Connection Package ($1000).

Altima 3.5 SE comes with a six-speed manual ($24,080) or automatic transmission ($24,580) and a 3.5-liter V6 rated 270 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The SE also adds 17-inch alloy wheels, power-adjustable driver's seat, steering-wheel mounted controls for audio and trip computer, a combination of wood and metallic interior trim, automatic headlamps, heated side view mirrors and other features, including power windows that can be raised or lowered with the key. Vehicle Dynamic Control ($900) is optional and is packaged with a full-size spare tire. The Sport Package ($1300) adds sunroof, fog lights, and a rear spoiler; the Premium Package ($4200) adds the Sport Package and the Connection Package with HID xenon headlamps, heated leather seats, and other interior features.

Altima 3.5 SL ($28,280) comes with a CVT automatic and most of the SE features, though it comes with 16-inch alloy wheels. The SL adds leather upholstery; dual-zone automatic climate control; heated front seats (with power lumbar support for the driver); power glass sunroof; fog lights; Bluetooth hands-free phone system; Homelink universal transceiver; and a nine-speaker Bose 6CD/MP3/WMA sound system with RDS, speed-sensitive volume control, and XM Satellite Radio.

A navigation system, a rearview camera, and XM Satellite Radio are available in various packages. A rear spoiler ($370), fog lights ($310), and splash guards ($135) are available as standalone options.

Altima Hybrid ($25,070) comes with cloth upholstery and uses a mix of base, midgrade and upgrade trim levels. The Hybrid features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and Toyota's proven electric hybrid drive, with a CVT transmission, Vehicle Dynamic Control, traction control, dual-zone automatic climate control, and 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. The electrically powered air conditioning works even when the engine is stopped. It can be loaded with the Hybrid Connection Package ($4,400) with leather upholstery and every available Altima feature except the navigation system, which is included in the Technology Package ($6,400), making a Hybrid Technology Package the ultimate Altima.

Safety features that come on all models include ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, an advanced air bag system, with frontal and side-impact airbags in front, full side curtain bags, active head restraints in front, and a tire pressure monitoring system. VDC electronic stability control is available on V6 models.

At United Nissan we sell Nissan Transmission's and do complete Brake Service in Las Vegas Nevada.