Editor's Rating
With a price tag at par with its midsize rivals from Japanese marques, the Nissan Altima needs more defining features to stand out from the crowd. But with the 3.5 V6 engine plus Xtronic CVT combination ensuring a comfortable ride and delivering power when needed, you won't go wrong with the Altima as a daily driver.
Specifications
The Nissan Altima slots above the Sylphy in this market, making it Nissan’s most premium sedan in terms of specification and price, except where the flagship Maxima is available. With this update in the Philippine domestic market, however, the top-spec Altima loses some of the luxury features that were standard in the model it has replaced, such as the Lazy-Boy recliner-type passenger seat, dual-panel sunroof/moonroof, touch-screen interface with GPS navigation and mobile phone integration.
Specs for our review model are as follows:
- Layout: Front-engine, front wheel drive (FF)
- Engine: VQ35DE 3.5 liter V6
- Transmission: Xtronic 7-speed CVT (with paddle shift)
- Power: 270 PS @ 6,400 RPM
- Torque: 340 Nm @ 4,400
- Seating Capacity: 5
- Front Suspension: Independent strut with coil springs
- Rear Suspension: Independent multi-link
- Wheels: 17-inch alloy with 215/55/R17
- Dimensions (L/W/H/Wheelbase): 4770 mm / 1765 mm / 1475 mm / 2775 mm
- Curb weight: 1,502–1,530 kg
Safety features:
- 6 airbags (front and side curtain)
- Anti-lock brake system with electronic brakeforce distribution
- Active understeer control
Some premium features:
- Intelligent key with push-button start
- Xenon projector headlamps
- Bose premium audio with 9 speakers
- All-leather seats with 8-way power driver’s seat
- Automatic air-conditioning with dual-climate control
- Cruise control (something utterly useless in Manila’s oft congested streets and highways)
- Heated front seats (with separate, dual controls, although not really necessary in tropical climes)
Design, comfort and amenities
The Nissan Altima supposedly follows the Coke-bottle styling that Nissan designers employed in the 1970s, and the Altima’s general look can be described as a stretched-out version of its recently-launched B17 Sylphy. Whereas the Teana had more heft and roundness, this generation Altima has more flowing curves, plus sharper lamp designs with more character.
Being a premium sedan, the quality of the Altima’s interiors also evokes refinement. The beige perforated leather is common in seats in this class of Nissan cars, and it goes well with the car’s beige interior in general. Of course, the downside is that it’s easier to dirty up compared with black or dark interiors.
The Altima is built for comfort, both for the driver and passengers. Nissan says that the seats, especially the driver’s, are inspired by NASA engineering for extreme seating comfort. Only the driver’s seat is power-adjusted, however. And as earlier mentioned, the front passenger seat loses the recliner feature found in the last-model Teana.
Other features include a power sunroof and dual-climate air-conditioning system with rear passenger vents. The Altima also has an electronically actuated trunk, which can be opened using the remote control fob, dashboard button and an unlock button on the trunk lid itself, which only works with the car unlocked or if the fob is in close proximity. There’s also an escape lever that opens the trunk from within — useful in the rare event you find yourself in a situation wherein you’re locked within. Trunk space is at 436.08 liters, or enough to fit about four to five golf bags. If this is not enough, then the rear seats can fold 60:40 to extend trunk space for longer items.
