Many of the cars I test drive I don’t see myself potentially owning. They’re either too expensive, or not my type of vehicle. The totally redesigned 2002 Altima is an exception. Since I first learned of this car a few months ago, I’ve been very interested in driving one because I sensed it could be my next car. As far as I could tell, it seemed to combine best-in-class power, room, and looks with a reasonable price. Much noise is being made in the press about how Nissan has once again returned to an independent rear suspension with the new Altima, such that it should ride and handle better than the more expensive Maxima. So as soon as I could, I escaped from the family and took one for a test drive. Did it fully meet my lofty expectations? No. Is it nevertheless the car to buy? That depends.

Note: For an updated review based on a test drive of a manual 3.5 SE, click here.

Nissan Altima Reliability

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For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

Styling and accommodations

When designing the new Altima, Nissan didn’t exactly seek an original look. To be blunt, they blatantly copied the VW Passat. On the plus side, the resulting exterior styling has a more aggressive edge to it than the Passat, courtesy of some design details lifted from the Lexus IS 300: a rising character line along the side and clear tail lamps. (I'm now seeing some Avalon in there as well, though I doubt that's what they were going for.)

On the down side, the Altima’s exterior styling is less well integrated. In a Lexus GS manner the window outline deviates from the door opening. I suspect this was how a conflict between the stylists and engineers was resolved. Thankfully, this quirk is less noticeable here than on the GS. More than anything it tells me that development speed was given priority over refinement.

A bit more troubling is the differing character between the front end and the rest of the car. The front is distinctly more massive, round, bulbous, and just plain boring relative to the chiseled styling of the rest of the car. As a result, I find the car considerably more attractive from the side and rear more than from the front. Overall, despite these faults and the plagiarism that went on, I find the exterior styling of the new Altima better than any of its competition.

The interior styling is more questionable. Once again the car looks a bit rushed. The mix of retro ovals and ultra-modern sharp lines does not blend. I suspect Nissan Design combined two strikingly different potential alternatives, one retro with a sports car character (i.e. the original Z)and one modern with an upscale character (i.e. the current Maxima), without then attending to the resulting incoherence. The effect is worst in the center stack. Sandwiched between the sharply rectilinear vents and climate controls is the oval stereo control panel. This panel would fit in much better if it was also rectilinear, as in the otherwise similar Maxima center stack. Why is it oval? Probably to match the oval instrument binnacle, which otherwise would be alone in looking out of place in this interior.

One especially strange set of decisions was made in styling the instruments. Fitting the retro theme of this part of the interior, there are three nacelles. The left one contains the tach, the center one the speedometer, and the right one everything else. The unnecessary artlessness of the last baffles me.

In the manual car I first drove, “everything else” is the fuel and temperature gauges. (In automatic cars the gear indicator is also in there.) These two gauges are arranged vertically, with each needle covering a 90 degree arc, such that together they form a semicircle. At least in theory. To the human eye, they look out of alignment because the letters and markings are italicized, lending the impression that each gauge covers a bit more than 90 degrees and also making it look as if the lower gauge is a bit to the right of the upper one.

It just looks funny, and this isn’t even the end of this especially weird styling detail. The two gauges are arranged vertically right in the center of the nacelle, such that the quasi-semicircle they form clashes with the shape of the nacelle. A horizontal arrangement, with the two needles pointing in opposite directions, either towards each other as in the Accord or away from each other towards the edge of the nacelle, as is commonly done, would look much better.

I guess I’ve driven this detail into the ground. Honestly, it’s that bad. Hopefully more thought went into the rest of the car. As for the person who designed the gauges this way, they should find a new job outside the field of design.

For other aspects of the interior, Nissan ripped one of my favorite pages from Audi’s book. With the current A6, Audi introduced the concept of “atmospheres,” each composed of a unique set of interior trims and leather textures. In Nissan-speak these are “environments.” The “environments” are not as comprehensive as Audi’s “atmospheres.” For instance, the fake looking plasti-wood comes in only one orangish shade, and is an $150 option with any of the leather interiors. (Has anyone ever changed for plastic wood before?) Basically, what “environments” means is that, as with the Audi leather, the charcoal seats are hard with a knobby texture while the tan seats are softer with a smooth texture. As with the Audi, the knobby texture is more interesting, while the smooth, softer leather is more comfortable. Sadly, but understandable given the price range, the Nissan leather has the look and feel of vinyl. Still, I admire the attempt in this instance.

The rest of the interior similarly suffers from cheap materials. The plastics tend to be very hard to the touch and look a bit cheap in many places, most notably the doors and center console. Somehow the Maxima interior, though using basically the same materials, comes across better. A final sign of cost cutting: The fuel door release simply sticks through an H-shaped cut in the carpet just ahead of the driver's seat. No plastic trim plate lends this hole a finished appearance. The carpet tabs in the H flop this way and that. Maybe such a piece was supposed to be there, but simply was left off the car I drove? But then I checked others, and it's this way in all of them. Not good.

The new Altima shares with past Nissans, including the Maxima, doors whose extreme lightness cheapens the whole car. The sensations that accompany opening and closing them scream cheapness and a general lack of substance.

Once past the styling and materials, the Altima’s interior has much going for it. I especially like the low cowl (base of the windshield), which provides great forward visibility. This is important to me, especially since many cars have a high dash that limits visibility. The beltline (base of the side windows) is not quite as low, because it is raked. It still provides very good visibility and lends the interior an airy feel. But the beltline is too high to comfortably hang your elbow out the window while driving.

Like the also totally redesigned 2002 Camry, the new Altima is a very roomy sedan for four people. Legroom is especially generous front and rear. The rear seat is mounted fairly high, affording good thigh support. In many sedans the rear seat is mounted too close to the floor to goose the headroom numbers. I hate that. Interior storage and trunk space is also near the top of the class. If you need to carry long objects the rear seats fold forward. The basic package is excellent.

On the road

Nissan is pitching the Altima as a great car to drive. The styling certainly suggests as much. So how does it actually perform? Nissan offers two engines in the new Altima, a 175 horse, 2.5 liter four and a 240 horse, 3.5 liter six. Both offer more power that the cars they compete against. Adjusting for options, Nissan appears to be charging $2750 for the larger engine and the larger wheels that come with it. Is it worth it?

To find out, I originally intended to drive both. Sadly, this proved impossible. Some people might remember the arrogance of Japanese car dealers in the early 1980s. Sometimes they were downright nasty. Imports were restricted, so waiting lists were months long. Since the dealers knew they could sell every car they could get for hundreds over sticker, they saw no reason to be nice, and rarely were.

Things have changed since then. The Japanese built plants here, so import restrictions ceased to constrain supply. In Nissan’s case, the cars became ugly, and overall less desirable, and sales declined. For a few years it looked like Nissan might go out of business.

Well, the old arrogance is back. Renault saved Nissan from bankruptcy. And the new Altima outspecs the competition in virtually every area. At least for now, Nissan dealers are selling every Altima they can get their hands on. Guess what? The old arrogance is back, at least at the two dealers I visited. The one that had a six parked it in the showroom so that it could not be driven. What if you didn’t want to buy a car you could not test drive? Don’t let the door hit you in the rear on the way out… I’ve test driven BMWs, Audis, and many other premium brands recently. Some of the cars I drove were in high demand. Yet nowhere did I encounter arrogance even approaching that in these Nissan dealers. Both dealers emphasized over and over how limited supply was, especially of the six cylinder cars. The implication was that I should expect to grovel a bit and generally accept whatever they deigned to offer.

Since the first dealer would not let me drive the six (which had an automatic anyway), and had no fours with a manual, I went to a second dealer and drove a four with a manual. (They had no sixes in stock.) The four cylinder Altima comes in three trim lines. I drove the top-end “SL,” which had leather and many other features standard. The sticker was $23,600. For the six, the price exceeds $26,000 with the same equipment. These cars give you quite a bit for the money, but we’re not talking Hyundai-class value here. A couple grand more will get you the VW they copied, with its higher-end materials.

Ah, but the Nissan offers a lot more power, right? Well, sort of. I only drove the four, but I suspect the situation is similar with the six. After all, I encountered a similar situation with the supposedly 340 horsepower Infiniti Q45. The situation being that the newer Nissans do not feel nearly as powerful as they’re supposed to be. Magazine test results that lag Nissan’s claims back up this impression. What this meant in the four is that it felt fairly weak at lower RPM. I usually drive a Ford Contour that weighs almost exactly the same and that has a 170 horsepower 2.5 liter engine. My Contour feels much more energetic than the four-cylinder Altima, especially below 4,000 RPM. On paper the Nissan engine produces nearly ten percent more torque, and this torque peaks at a slightly lower RPM. Something’s a bit fishy here. I’m not suggesting that Nissan is way off base in its specs, only stretching a bit. Also, the throttle could be tuned for sharper responses, no matter what the power output. At any RPM the engine feels soft because of the current throttle tuning.

The noises the engine makes don’t help. They’re the usual Japanese sedan four cylinder noises, much like those in the new Camry. They’re not objectionable, they just say “economy,” not performance. Overall, even if the 0-60 times of the four end up being pretty good the sound and feel do not befit a performance sedan. If that’s what you want, better find the money for the six, and be prepared to grovel.

The manual transmission isn’t doing this engine any favors. The artfully styled knob is very small, so it feels funny in your hand. Like a toy. I much prefer a meatier shifter knob—and a meatier shifter feel. The Altima’s shifter has an econo-box feel to it, with very light effort and fairly long, floppy travel. It feels like you’re driving a bad simulator, like in an arcade. Since I believe the same shifter accompanies the six, fans of manual transmissions in performance sedans may be out of luck here.

A couple months later, I have now driven the six as well, with the automatic. As I suspected, it feels powerful, but not as powerful as the numbers suggest. The perceived advantage over the competition is not large. The automatic doesn't help here. It avoids downshifting unless you take a serious stab at the throttle. When revved, the engine makes itself heard. It's not bad noise, but it doesn't quite get the blood boiling either. I would say that the manual might help here, but making the engine feel less distant and more responsive, but unless the shift quality is better than with the four...

Note: For an updated review based on a test drive of a manual 3.5 SE, click here.

The car’s steering similarly suffers. The responses are quick, especially right off center, and the Altima tracks fairly well, but the steering effort is too light and generally devoid of feel. As with the engine and transmission, the feel is much more economy sedan or maybe family sedan, not performance sedan. The driving position might also play a role here, since the very roominess of the interior makes the car feel distant (though I can't say I felt this way in the much larger big Benz). Try as I might, I never really felt connected to what the Altima was doing. The steering effort in the Maxima is also fairly light, but somehow it feels more connected and altogether more appropriate for a driver's car. So Nissan is capable of better. Maybe they wanted people who really wanted a performance sedan to buy the more expensive car?

Even with the four cylinder torque steer often rears its ugly head. When accelerating while turning it is especially intrusive. Thankfully, in the six it's not any worse.

This general pattern continues to the seats. The leather seats aren’t bad. They’re generally comfortable. Although the bolsters should be larger for aggressive driving, in moderately hard turns they hold you in place. Not so the cloth seats in the six I drove. Their bolsters are extremely soft. In even moderate turns I pushed right through them. Unless you plan to take turns slowly, or like to brace yourself against the door with an elbow, get the leather.

Other aspects of the car's performance are okay. Noise levels are fairly low, and the ride is fairly good, though neither approach those of a luxury sedan. A Camry does a bit better in these areas, but doesn't handle as well. To its credit, Nissan fitted even the four-cylinder Altima with decent Continental touring tires. In turns that make the Camry's tires roll over and squeal, the Altima's generally remain solidly planted and silent. The Altima, even in base form, also rolls less in turns than the Camry, a definite plus in my book. If only the steering provided more feedback...

I had hoped that the six would transform the feel of the car, as larger engines sometimes do. The six does come with lower profile tires and a stiffer suspension. Roll is further reduced, and responses are a bit sharper. The ride suffers noticeably, with some minor harshness over small road imperfections. Even so, I still could not feel connected to the car. This would require retuned steering and a modified driving environment.

Last words

If you’re seeking a lot of sharply styled car for the money, the Altima might be your best bet. Think of it as a better looking Camry, and you'll be happy. Just don’t expect it to feel like a Passat, even though it looks like one. If you’re seeking a lot of great-driving sedan for the money, you can at the very least forget about the four. It’s not really about the horsepower𤺇 should be enough to have fun in a car of this weight. Nissan simply did not tune any aspect of this car for true performance driving enjoyment—aside from the styling and the specs. The six could be better for enthusiasts, but I am skeptical.

Overall, the Altima reminds me of recent Chrysler sedans with performance ambitions. Cars such as the Stratus ES and 300M have been sharply styled and endowed with impressive horsepower numbers. The problem was, time and effort was not put into refining their driving feel or their interior design, interior materials suffered from cost cutting, and the engines haven’t performed as well, subjectively or objectively, as the stats have suggested they should. With the new Altima, Nissan has used a Chrysler strategy to knock-off a mix of VW and Lexus products. Similar strategies yield similar results. The final result pleases the eye and yields promising specs but fails to excite on the road.

I personally place the last criterion first, so I now think it much less likely that an Altima will be my next car. For enthusiasts even a used Maxima is a better bet. Aside from being more fun to drive (the Altima's more sophisticated rear suspension cannot compensate for inferior steering), the Maxima also has a higher quality interior. A new Maxima is probably only about a grand more than a comparably equipped Altima (once dealer's greater willingness and ability to deal on the Maxima is taken into account), but reviews have criticized the feel of its shifter (much like I have criticized that of the Altima). So despite its smaller engine the 2001 Maxima may be the better car.

To learn more about my reliability research and sign up to participate in it, or to perform thorough, up-to-date new car price comparisons, visit www.truedelta.com. A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.
Amount Paid (US$): 26000
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: 2.5 SL manual, 3.5 SE automatic