I am just a poor secretary working at a going-nowhere company, but that is another story for later. I always buy new cars, but keep them 10 to 11 years, now that I am "old" and not living at home with the parents anymore. My current car is a 1997 Chevy Cavalier and even though it only has 84,000 miles on it, whenever I travel 100 miles or more away from home, I rent a car as I don’t want an unexpected breakdown.

On my last 3 car rentals, I have had the pleasure of driving a 2007 Nissan Altima. In fact, since I now love this car so much, I request one, and since 80% of the full size cars in this rental company’s fleet are Altima’s I have a pretty good chance of getting one.

The model I rent is the 2.5 S – the engine is a 4 cylinder, with 175 HP, with automatic transmission.

Acceleration: Really quick acceleration for a 4 cylinder. I was so much in awe of the acceleration I had to check online and see if this car had a V-6. A V-6 is available, but this model is a 4 cylinder. Driving uphill with the air conditioning on did not bog the car down; it still had plenty of power to pass the slow moving trucks.

Transmission: I have driven a 5 speed manual for years, but I think I could really get used to this smooth-shifting CVT automatic transmission. It shifts effortlessly through the gears, and there is no “shift shock”.

Interior: Classy, refined and comfortable. Nothing is gaudy, the seats are comfortable after a long drive, and all dashboard gauges are easily read and figured out without reading the manual. You even get a warning inside if the windshield washer fluid is running low. Stereo/CD player has good sound from 6 speakers and is easy to operate. There is plenty of space in the compartment underneath the stereo to store your CDs. The back seat is easily folded down – 40% or 60% - or both to carry large bulky items. The glove box is HUGE – it looks like it extends almost all the way to the engine compartment. Plus there is extra storage and 3 cup holders in the center console.

Handling: Responsive like a smaller sporty car. Very little body lean when turning corners. Reminds me a little of my old Honda CRX. Fun to drive and I can’t believe it’s in the family-car class.

Gas Mileage: GREAT! I’ve checked the mileage on my 3 trips – each trip was between 200 and 350 miles total – 1/3 city driving and 2/3 highway driving with the cruise control set at 70 MPH – with some bursts up to 80-85 MPH to pass semi’s. My mileage ranged between 32 and 36 miles per gallon. Who needs a hybrid with this great gas mileage?

Brakes: Very touchy in my opinion, and they stop you on a dime. The first rental car had these type of brakes, which I thought needed adjustment, but it turns out all 3 rental cars and a Nissan Sentra I drove were all alike. I have newer brakes on my 10 year old Cavalier and they were never this good.

Trunk Space: A little more than my Cavalier – it would benefit from a cargo net which is available, but maybe it just wasn’t included in my rental cars.

Nifty Feature: This car has a push-start ignition – there is no key! You hold the brake pedal down and push the button which is located on the dashboard to the left of the radio. You do get the remote part that locks/unlocks the door and the Hold (trunk), and this part has to be “on” you somewhere – in your pocket, purse, etc. for the car to start and there is a docking station for it on the left side of the dashboard to keep the battery inside charged up. I was advised by the car rental agency to keep this piece away from any magnetics as it would need to be re-programmed.

Overall: This is a family-size car that I can see as appealing to both the younger generation and 70 year olds, too. My 21 year old nephew has one and I know senior citizens that drive them. I never liked 4 door cars, but I would buy an Altima if I could afford one. However, unless I win the lottery a car that costs $22,000+ is not in my budget.

Bottom Line: Last week I read that the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord were slightly ahead of the Altima in total sales. Toyota and Honda should start watching their butts. Here comes the Altima.


Amount Paid (US$): 26.00 rental
Model Year: 2007
Model and Options: Altima 2.5 S