Unfortunately, that isn't all we've spent. We suffered a pair of financial hits due to damage. The first and by far the biggest is something that has become an issue for the entire auto industry: the cost of replacing a windshield. Today's windscreens are far more than large hunks of laminated safety glass.
They are designed to enable the windshield-mounted sensors and cameras required by active-safety systems, such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, to function properly. This makes windshields much more expensive than they used to be because a replacement requires recalibrating the sensors and cameras. Our pockmarked Michigan roads also damaged one of the Nissan's front tires, the second since we took delivery of the car.
While their thin sidewalls look great, they apparently can't withstand the bite of a nasty pothole. Windshield-busting stones and tire-eating potholes aside, the Altima continues to serve us well. It's good-looking, comfortable, nimble, and, most important, reliable. It's just not that quick. We've now spent six months and 13, miles with Nissan's new-for Altima and have come to this almost-unanimous conclusion: It's likable.
But is that a blessing or a curse? That depends. If you're a serious car enthusiast, you'll appreciate and maybe even respect the new Altima's strengths—its chiseled good looks; its roomy, well-dressed interior; and its nimble handling. But we've found it just doesn't bring the heat. Our long-term's hp 2.
We spec'd that engine rather than the optional hp turbo four so we could also equip our car with all-wheel drive, which is only available with the base engine. The 2. Exciting this version of the Altima will never be. Then again, judging from our car's logbook comments, that's probably no issue for most of the family-car-buying public.
Our Altima Platinum, the top model in the lineup, has revealed its pleasant character on drives long and short. It's served as a workaday commuter and weekend errand runner and averaged an impressive 28 mpg to date. But the Accord was equipped with its optional hp turbocharged 2. For longer drives, we found the Altima a low-stress place to be. It's quiet on the highway, and the ride is adequately supple. The front seats are extremely comfortable, with a plush layer of foam under their leather covering.
Staff editor Drew Dorian wrote, "I quite like this car. It's handsome and drives nicely. Not that the Altima's niceness extended to every aspect of its personality. The Intelligent Lane Intervention feature, which attempts to keep the car centered in its lane when the adaptive cruise control is engaged, is obnoxious. If the driver allows the car to drift just a little too close to a lane marker, the system stabs a front brake and causes the car to jerk back into line.
It's as subtle as a smack upside the head. Luckily, the system can be turned off. The rear automated-braking system has a habit of jamming on the brakes as we back into our office parking spots, apparently mistaking the approaching curb for a much taller object.
Nor is the Bose sound system up to that firm's normal standards. Entire towns were missing, and at one point, we were on a two-lane road in the Cheesehead state that the map said didn't exist. More important, though, is that the Altima has proved dead reliable.
We've had only one minor service, which the onboard diagnostic system asked for at the mile mark. The only significant problem we've encountered was one of Mother Nature's making: production designer Jeff Xu had an unfortunate meeting with a deer near Michigan's picturesque Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Beyond that it's been easy sailing—emphasis on "easy. White underscored that by adding, "I took this car to Chicago a while ago, and it was so unremarkable that I forgot to take notes. Unremarkable is not always bad, though. The sedan is dead, or so it has been written. In , about 70 percent of all new vehicles sold in the United States were anything but passenger cars—SUVs, crossovers, pickup trucks, and for all we know, flying saucers.
And yet, in the midst of this buyer exodus from low-to-the-ground vehicles, the mid-size family sedan lives on: Americans bought 1. Those three aren't half-hearted efforts, either; the Accord punched its way onto our 10Best Cars list for the 33rd time, and both the Camry and the new-for Altima earned Editors' Choice awards.
That's one reason we've welcomed the Nissan into our long-term fleet. Another is that we can gauge just how good it is on a daily basis against the gold-standard Accord, one of which is also racking up miles in our long-term lineup.
This new Nissan had us at first drive. It kept the good from the last generation—low mass, decent fuel economy, and a roomy interior—and left many of the negatives behind.
Sleek, crisply folded sheetmetal replaces the old car's anonymous, softly rounded lines, which made it look as if it were slouching and wanted to avoid being driven. Given the old car's uninvolving road manners and sleepy performance, its appearance did not set up any false expectations. The new model looks, well, almost sexy. Did we just say that about an Altima? Its interior has been spruced up significantly and modernized with nicer materials and a good-looking infotainment system.
The suspension has enough sinew now to actually make driving interesting. And the Altima offers one powertrain option that neither of its competitors from Honda and Toyota can boast of: all-wheel drive. Given our location in the heart of the country's snow-and-ice belt, we wanted to take advantage of the added winter traction that all-wheel drive affords. Altimas can be powered by either of two engines, both of which couple with a standard continuously variable automatic transmission CVT : a hp naturally aspirated 2.
We already have an Infiniti QX50 fitted with that engine in our long-term test fleet, and its rubber-band-like throttle response and throbbing engine note have not endeared it to us. So we played against type and didn't opt for the more powerful engine in the Altima, choosing instead to equip our test vehicle with the base 2.
We knew from previous drives that the base engine would deliver a more refined—if significantly less exciting—driving experience. Our initial track test confirmed that it is definitely not going to set anyone's hair on fire with its straight-line performance, but it should be adequate for most family-sedan buyers. After doing our best to respect the mile break-in period, we took the Nissan to the track, where it jogged to 60 mph in 7. A Honda Odyssey minivan will outdrag it to 60 mph by a full second—our long-term Accord smokes it by two—but the Altima acquits itself well elsewhere.
Reliability is one of the most important factors to consider when looking for a practical everyday car. ConsumerReports rates the reliability of the Nissan Altima as average nearing above average , while RepairPal gives the Nissan Altima a reliability rating of 4.
Of course, as standard, owners must also do their part in maintenance to make sure their car stays healthy over the years. CarComplaints keeps an extensive database of different issues the Nissan Altima has faced since it started production in The model has the highest number of complaints by a large margin, with complaints, followed by the model with complaints. Also make sure to stay away from the entire 3rd generation of the Altima, as the rusting problems were severe enough to warrant a class action lawsuit.
As with most cars, severe problems are less common in newer models. So we recommend opting for model years to present. Please read our article: Nissan Altima in snow and winter driving. A noticeable spike in recalls occurs in the infamous 3rd generation, as well as during other problemed years such as Nissan Altima brake pads typically last between 30, to 70, miles and can vary depending on driving habits.
Nissan Altima tires are designed to last up to 60, miles which translates into years. The Nissan Altima is known for being a reliable and inexpensive option for families, commuters, and new drivers alike.
The Nissan Altima is far from the most expensive new car on the market today, but how far can you actually take it? The Nissan has a long standing history of reliability, and the Altima is no exception. Looking over the past few decades of Altimas, you can easily find them on the used car market with incredibly high mileage, upwards of , miles or more and still in good, running condition.
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