2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid

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Interior - What the Auto Press Says

Reviewers say the cabin of the 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid can be one of the most upscale and comfortable cabins in the midsize class -- but only for an extravagant price.  The base model is quite bare. Most of the desirable equipment is folded into option packages that can push the price high.

• The interior "is entirely a case of pay to play. For the base-level model the cabin is cleanly designed with good-looking materials and appointments, but from a tech perspective it is stripped down, with the only noteworthy features being a smart key and a single-disc CD player." -- CNET
• "I liked the Nissan accoutrements in the Altima Hybrid," the reviewer states. "These included supportive seats, an easy-to-operate and colorful navigation system that can be tilted to reduce washout in bright sun ... and a spacious interior." -- MSN
• Fully equipped, the cabin boasts "supremely comfortable leather seats, plenty of rear legroom and a luxury-car array of accessories." -- USA Today

Seating

The seats of the 2009 Nissan Altima are generally considered comfortable, and the cabin offers plenty of usable space.

• "It's pretty roomy inside the Altima, with nice amounts of leg room, shoulder room and head room. Seats offer satisfactory support: nice, firm bolsters and a wide seat bottom for, um, larger loads." --Autosite
•  +"More front-seat legroom and headroom than a Camry." -- MSN
•  +"Contoured reclining leather-appointed heated seats for perfect drive positioning fit both of us to a T." -- About.com
• "Three big bodies in the back might be a bit cramped, but I found the back-seat space to be fairly generous, even for my 6'4" frame." -- Sacramento Bee

Interior Features

Reviewers find the 2009 Nissan Altima's controls placed in an ergonomically appropriate layout, and constructed of quality materials. Standard features include dual-zone climate control, power windows and a trip computer.  Most of the desirable features, however, are optional. These include a well-regarded Bose sound system, and the same navigation system found on more expensive cars from Nissan's Infiniti brand.

• "As far as the Nissan Altima Hybrid is concerned, there are few -- if any -- flaws in its control layout, and that includes secondary controls like the steering wheel and window controls." -- Autosite
• "The quality of materials used is a bigger surprise; the dash is draped in rubbery, hide-like polymers, while the hard plastics elsewhere are low-gloss are tight fitting. Sure, the switchgear and bin lids feel a bit more brittle than a Toyota's, but unlike the last Altima's cabin, this one can't be described as 'toylike.'" -- The Truth About Cars
• "Unlike the Camry Hybrid, the base-level Altima is stripped down in terms of cabin tech, and those wanting gadgetry will find themselves paying dearly for the option. Those who do make the investment will not be disappointed, as the Altima Hybrid borrows some of the high-end technologies from Nissan's luxury Infiniti marquee, including an outstanding voice-recognition system, a great Bluetooth hands-free calling interface, and an excellent Bose stereo." -- CNET
• "The sounds from the Bose audio system were impressively clear and strong." -- MSN

Cargo

Nissan places the hybrid's large battery in the trunk, resulting in a cargo volume well below the class standard. While the conventional Altima offers 15.3 cubic feet in the trunk, the hybrid model only has 10.1 cubic feet of available space. To make matters worse, the rear seats don't fold down as they do in the gasoline-powered Altima.