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The Nissan
Altima was redesigned for 2007, but in some ways its predecessor was
superior. Though the new version features a much-improved powertrain, a
strong engine coupled to a well-designed continuously variable transmission
to achieve the best gas mileage in this group; improved ride and handling,
and a nicer interior, Nissan cut into the rear seat space for the benefit of
the car’s styling, and raised the price. It’s one of the more fun to drive
family sedans, but it’s not as practical nor as inexpensive as it once was
and as the competition is.
The
Altima rides comfortably. The ride is very well-controlled yet still
absorbent. It handles nimbly, and the steering is responsive and
communicative for a midsize sedan. However, the Altima is larger and not as
sharp as the Mazda6. It’s more powerful though, with a 4-cylinder strong
enough to beat many competing V6s. The CVT can be shifted manually between
set automatic gear ratios, or left to maintain maximum efficiency. The
4-cylinder is neither particularly smooth nor quiet, but wind and road noise
are well-suppressed. As noted, gas mileage is excellent, particularly
considering the car’s acceleration.
Inside,
the Altima’s front seats are reasonably spacious and comfortable, but the
rear is too low and lacking in leg and foot space. The previous-generation
Altima had a very roomy rear seat, a benefit that has been deleted in the
name of sleeker styling.
The interior is well-constructed, with well-fitting and high-quality
materials. The gauges are clear and the instruments are logically arrayed.
Drivers sit comfortably enough, but could have better rearward visibility.
The trunk is large and well-shaped.
The
Altima reviewed here came in at $20,872, not particularly well-equipped. It
does include standard features like a tire-pressure monitor, active head
restraints, a keyless starting system, and a trip computer, but traction and
stability control are only available on V6 versions, and adding other
options found on most of the others here would push the price over this
group’s limit.
Overall,
the Altima is a very nice car with too many flaws to command one of the
group’s highest prices. Most disappointing is that the biggest shortcoming,
a cramped rear seat, was easily avoidable by a subtle restyle, which also
could have improved visibility. Perhaps with the rear seat space of the
previous-generation Altima, this new model could have overcome its price
advantage to be one of the higher-ranked cars in this group. But when
fun-to-drive cars like the Mazda6 and Honda Accord offer an adult-friendly
back seat and sharper handling for less money, it is hard to bill the Altima
as more than a runner-up.
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