2009 Nissan Altima

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
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Interior - What the Auto Press Says

The 2009 Altima's passenger cabin is competitive within a huge class of cars, but trails what the leaders in the segment have to offer. The cabin is attractive and functional, but built with some hard plastics, and its back seat is smaller than the class average.

• "Altima's interior ambiance isn't quite as rich as its use of soft-touch, textured materials would lead you to believe. The use of budget-grade plastics in the center console area is also a disappointment. It's still pleasant inside, though." -- Consumer Guide
• "Nissan doesn't expect Altima coupe buyers to sacrifice much in the way of creature comforts or style." -- Automobile Magazine
• "The coupe differs from the sedan by having a hand-operated emergency brake for all trim levels (CVT-equipped sedans come with a foot brake) and more aggressively bolstered front seats." -- Edmunds
• +"Whichever model you choose, you'll find deep and nicely supportive seats, a reasonably quiet cabin, clearly readable analog gauges, generally well-located and simple-to-operate controls and -- for a coupe -- pretty good visibility over your shoulders for safe lane-changing and for backing out of parking stalls." -- Newsday

Seating

The Altima's cabin is a comfortable place to spend time, with class-competitive space and supportive seats. The rear, however, is cramped. It offers some of the smallest dimensions in this class, even in sedan form.  The Coupe's back seat is no place for adults.

• "Seats have very good thigh and lumbar support, though some testers complain that the seats lack a supportive contour. ... the rear bench is reasonably comfortable for those under six feet." -- Consumer Guide
• "The front seats in both the sedan and coupe are excellent, offering a vast range of adjustment -- particularly in models with power seats -- and a good mix of comfort and support."-- Edmunds
• "Seats are good. Squirming space is adequate." -- USA Today
• "The 2008 Altima is roomy on the inside. I was able to install and uninstall my son's rear-facing car seat easily enough in the backseat with space left over for two moderately sized adults (OK, maybe one should be on the small side)." -- Mother Proof
• "The rear seat is a bit tight for a car in this class, with marginal headroom for six-footers." -- Motor Week
• "With two adults in the front, the cab is very comfortable. Put those same adults in the back and there is bound to be a fight. The space is very limited back there, with headroom lacking because of that sloping roof line." -- Detroit News

Interior Features

The Nissan Altima can be purchased with all of the amenities buyers have come to expect in the midsize class -- but that will cost you. Reviewers say that base Altimas are sparsely appointed, and though the optional equipment is up to the standards of the price range, adding it increases the price dramatically.

• "The sporty theme is profitably blended with a tech-y one. Dials and buttons glow in a racy orange, and the cabin is swathed in techno-looking plastics that actually feel good to the touch. You almost get the sense that interior designers studied the cabins of much-higher-end Audis when putting this together." -- Business Week
• " From a usability perspective, the Nissan Altima's radio controls are top notch. Sure, we'd like a rubber grip on the large center power/volume dial and a knob instead of buttons for tuning, but at least they're big and easy to reach. As are the buttons for the clock, presets, and all other functions." -- Autobytel
• "Both the coupe and sedan come with a long list of available luxury and technology features, but they are put into large, expensive packages that often must be lumped together with other packages. ... If you want to keep the price low, we'd normally suggest going light on options, but unfortunately, Nissan makes it just about impossible to do this. It's like going to a salad bar and being offered a choice of either dry lettuce or a 4-gallon bucket of Ranch." -- Edmunds
• "The redesigned interior has a lot of upscale touches, like a soft-touch dashboard surface and chrome detailing on the air vents. ... One of our test car's dashboard speaker covers and a right-side vent weren't perfectly aligned, but the quality of most materials is among the best in this class." -- Cars.com
• "The excellent Nissan-Infiniti GPS navigation system is an available option on more models now. ... the navigation system now includes Real-Time Nav-Traffic. Nav-Traffic allows you to receive up-to-the-minute traffic information surperimposed right on the map display. It will also tell you where any traffic tie-ups are located due to accidents, construction, or just plain too many cars on the road." -- The Family Car

Cargo

The Altima's 15.3 cubic-foot trunk is similar to what other midsize cars offer, and its passenger cabin offers plenty of storage compartments. But reviewers say the Altima's 60/40 split seats are difficult to operate.

• "The sedan's trunk is generously sized and shaped. Lid hinges intrude deeply into the cargo area. Low liftover eases the loading of bulky items, though the split rear seatbacks on conventional models don't fold completely flat" -- Consumer Guide
• "The Altima's trunk measures 15.3 cubic feet, which is average for the class, but it shrinks to 13.1 cubic feet with the full-size spare tire that's included with the optional stability system." -- Cars.com
• "The rear split-bench seat is admirable in theory, but loses its luster when one has to reach deep into the trunk to reach the release straps, a feat which must be accomplished while simultaneously pushing the seat backs forward. In a word, it's awkward, and there are more convenient designs out there." -- Autobytel
• "This is one of the worst seat back release systems I've seen on an otherwise nicely designed car." -- The Auto Channel
• "The interior glove compartment, cupholders and middle console also had enough room for me and my traveling circus, and the trunk fit our bigger contraptions pretty easily." -- Mother Proof