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Nissan Altima - What the Auto Press Says

The 2010 Nissan Altima ranks 10 out of 21 Affordable Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 81 published reviews and test drives of the Nissan Altima, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The Nissan Altima is as practical and functional as the top midsize family sedans, but adds a dose of fun most of them lack. It’s no match for sports cars, but its crisp handling and lively acceleration make for entertaining commuting. However, Nissan's complex options lists might frustrate shoppers.

You’re never going to beat a V8 Mustang in a drag race driving the family car, or out-corner a Mazda Miata on a winding road in something that can keep the four adults in your carpool comfortable in a traffic jam. Family sedan buyers understand that.

Still, some would like a daily driver that they can occasionally enjoy driving -- not necessarily something that’s capable of illegal things, but something that makes the sort of legal, around-town driving that must of us have to do every day a little more fun.

Nissan builds the Altima with those people in mind. Sure, it’s a reliable transportation device. But, Popular Mechanics notes, "More important, at least to enthusiasts, is that the Altima is in some ways the sportier choice compared to the best-selling Toyota [Camry] and Honda [Accord]. Nissan estimates that 65 percent of Altima buyers are male (as opposed to roughly the same proportion of female buyers for the Toyota Camry), and its bolder styling and more subdued interior reflects an adherence to its somewhat masculine personality."

Make no mistake, it’s no 370Z. But it offers one of the sportiest rides available in an affordable midsize car. Only a handful of rivals -- the Ford Fusion and Mazda6, for instance -- handle with the same confidence the Altima does. And while both of its available engines offer almost exactly the same amount of power as the powerplants in the Toyota Camry or Chevy Malibu, the Altima sends thrust through a Continuously Variable Transmission that puts down the power smoothly, giving it sprightly acceleration. It feels a little faster than those cars, even while putting up fairly similar performance measures in the sort of track testing that auto enthusiast magazines conduct.

The Altima is also available as a sporty-looking coupe. In the affordable midsize car class, only the Honda Accord and the Altima offer two-door options.

In previous years, some shabby interior materials might have kept buyers away from the Altima. But Nissan has upgraded the fabrics and plastics inside the car for 2010, and made changes to the sheetmetal that give it a more muscular look.

One knock against the Altima hasn’t changed, however. The base model is a fairly Spartan car with few features, so few buyers will want it. But it isn’t easy to add features to an Altima. Most are available only as part of expensive options packages that drive the price up quickly. It’s possible to buy a cheap, stripped down Altima or an expensive, full-featured one. If you want something in the middle, or something you can configure to meet your own needs without spending a fortune -- well, you should probably test drive that Fusion. 

Sedan buyers should note that the four-door Altima is no longer offered with a manual transmission. The CVT is now your only option. A manual is available on the coupe, but reviewers say it’s a rubbery one, and the CVT actually outperforms it.

The 2010 Nissan Altima sedan is available as a stripped-down base 2.5 model, a well-equipped 2.5S, or a V6-powered 3.5SR. Coupe editions are available only in 2.5S or 3.5SR trim -- and a 3.5SR edition runs nearly $30,000 before you start adding options. That price could send some buyers into the upscale small car class instead.

• “Altima is a sporty alternative to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, with sedans giving up little in terms of everyday usability. The coupes attempt to be even sportier, but they ride stiffly and have little trunk space. Both body styles have subpar rear-seat room and comfort, and any Altima trails our class benchmarks for overall refinement." -- Consumer Guide
• “Even with improved content and standard stability control, the Altima remains reasonably priced. The base 2.5 model, with a continuously variable transmission, lists for $19,900. That's a lot of car for the money.” -- Road and Track
• "The Nissan Altima bundles contemporary styling, athletic driving manners and a cozy cabin in either coupe or sedan varieties. The smart execution of the Altima places it among our top picks for sporty family car." -- Edmunds
• "While the sedan seems to go well with responsible adults who need to lug their family and friends around, the coupe feels like it just has more fun. And when you're driving the Altima coupe, you just smile a little bit more." -- Detroit News

Altima Performance - 8.5 (Very Good)

Many family sedans will reliably and comfortably get you from place to place, but only a few make it fun. The Nissan Altima is no sports car, but in the sort of neighborhood-speed stoplight-to-stoplight driving that makes up most of the time most people spend behind the wheel, it’s fun. “The Altima is athletic when driven well below its performance limits,” Popular Mechanics reports, “with feedback that suggests a strong inclination to be tossed into turns.” It’s not hard to drive like a sports car, however, as “the built-in understeer keeps the car out of trouble during most day-to-day driving conditions." Read More

Altima Exterior - 8.7 (Very Good)

For 2010, Nissan has made revisions to the Altima’s sheetmetal, particularly when viewed from the front. Some reviewers say the changes are subtle, while others call them quite noticeable. The Altima sedan looks a bit more aggressive than most family sedans, thanks to a prominent power bulge and sharp ridges in its hood. Coupe models have a fastback roofline that makes them look considerably sportier. Read More

Altima Interior - 7.6 (Good)

Nissan has significantly upgraded the quality of the materials found in the Altima’s cabin for 2010, and reviewers are happy with the changes. The Altima has always had a thoughtful ergonomic design, but Motor Trend says the new materials have been selected “to improve aesthetics and functionality, and to that end, they all succeed.” Reviewers note, however, that Nissan leaves buyers little choice between a fairly stripped-down model and an expensive near-luxury edition. Read More

Altima Safety - 9.2 (Excellent)

The 2010 Nissan Altima does well in federal government crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the car a more mixed review in its safety testing. For 2010, Nissan has made stability control standard equipment on the Altima -- answering critics who dinged the company for charging extra for the system in prior years. Read More

Altima Reliability - NA

Nissan protects Altima buyers with a three-year/36,000-mile limited vehicle warranty, as well as a new, ten-year warranty covering the vehicle’s Continuously Variable Transmission. Read More