2009 Nissan Altima

Having driven this car on a very long road trip, I can say that there are better offerings available in this cars market segment; however its solid construction, exterior styling, and reliability make it a competent player.

The only quite memorable features were the push button ignition and the intelligent key. It was nice simply to step up to the car and press a button intuitively placed where your thumb would rest on the door handle, and have the car unlock for you—and just for you. No fumbling with keys or having to press buttons on a keyfob. Also starting the vehicle was a similarly refreshing experience. Pressing the button turns the car on and off. Hold the button down and the car starts. Again no need to dig for keys, just have it in your pocket. Then again, when the mystique of such innovation wears off, you’ve realized Nissan has done nothing more than turn their car into an appliance.

The exterior styling is attractive. The car exhibits fine lines, much improved from the previous generation Nissan Altima. It is bold, with handsome edges. The interior, however, is rather bland in comparison. You are greeting by huge swaths of monocolor plastic on the dash and the door panels, and virtually nothing aesthetically pleasing to soothe the eye. The dash lighting was also a strain on the eyes—the combination of bright white and orange didn’t make for a pleasing trip back home in the dark. The offerings in terms of amenities were scarce, but then again, I did have the 2.5S version of the vehicle with no added options. The 6-speaker audio system that was standard on the 2.5S did deliver good volume and clarity, and it had an auxiliary audio jack and the ability to play MP3’s, which made for a much more bearable trip when you weren’t in range of any decent radio stations.

The performance of the car was not spirited nor sporty, but still inspired confidence. The suspension was responsive but not overly firm—one feels very much in control of the vehicle, but the ride never wore you out. I didn’t have the opportunity to engage in any emergency maneuvers with the vehicle, but I felt confident in the cars ability to complete such a maneuver if the situation were to arise. Braking power was also bolstered this confidence, the car coming to a stop firmly and will little effort. The acceleration, at least for the 4 cylinder model which I had the opportunity to drive, was mediocre. The 6 cylinder offers much more power, 270 horse, which should be much more satisfying as you jump off from a stop or engage in passing and merging maneuvers on the highway.

Spending over sixteen hours on my road trip, the car is satisfactorily comfortable. The seats supported my back well, and I experienced little fatigue during the trip apart from the aforementioned eyestrain from the gauge cluster lighting. There was plenty of room for my and my passenger, both of us being over six feet tall. The trunk was spacious, having plenty of room for the mounds of luggage that were loaded up for the trip.

In an age were fuel economy is a major concern among car buyers, this car only delivered mediocre performance. I averaged 28 miles per gallon on my long trip, the vast majority highway driving, which was several miles per gallon lower than advertised (Nissan reports 23 city/31 highway/26 combined). This was rather disappointing, as I had expected better economy. Unfortunately, I didn’t possess the car long enough to judge its reliability, but Nissan shares a reputation with other Japanese car makers for reliability, so I am sure it would give owners a relatively trouble free life.

For a driver looking for a dash of unique exterior style, reliability, and competence in his vehicle, the Altima isn’t a bad option. There are other, similarly priced and perhaps better options on the market, however, such as the venerated Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, which offer better reliability and economy, and even the new Chevrolet Malibu, while being made by a domestic car company, has garnered high marks for not only exterior and interior styling, but quality and reliability as well.