2005 Majestic Blue Altima 3.5 SE Automatic

Author's Rating:

Pros: Styling, Power, Roomy, Reliability.

Cons: Pricey, Traction w/factory tires.

The Bottom Line: 
Having 2 Altima's and having virtually no problems mechanically, I'd say there's no reason NOT to recommend the Altima.

Author's Review
This 2005 Altima is actually my second Altima. I traded in my 2004 Super Black Altima 3.5SE for this one. I bought both brand new and have similar complaints with both. I do have to say that the minor redesign for 2005 took care of most of my complaints with the cheap looking interior. I put over 35,000 trouble-free miles on my 2004 in less than a year. That's the reason I bought another.

This time I chose the new Majestic Blue Altima. I got the same Sports package which included the rear spoiler, side sill extensions and power sunroof. It has black cloth, which I must say was an improvement over the cloth I had in the 2004. I also had an auto-dimming rearview mirror installed at time of delivery.

As far as styling goes, I'd have to say I like the looks of the redesigned 2005 much better than the 2004 model. With more aggressive headlights and hood, 5 spoke 17" alloys and side sill extensions, the car has a mean stance to it. With 250 ponies, it certainly can hold it's own.

The interior, redesigned for 2005 is a much needed improvement. With my 2004 I felt I was driving a Kia, the quality of the materials was bottom of the barrel. That was corrected with the 2005. The dash was redesigned and now has a silver-metallic looking material on parts of the console. I still hate the fact that when optioned with the sunroof you lose your dual map lights and get a single light. Looks tacky, I think. The black cloth is much better looking and the seats are comfortable. The split-folding backseat is very roomy and has lot's of legroom.
A nice touch is the automatic up/down windows for both front windows. Another neat trick is using the keyless remote fob to put down the 2 front windows. A necessity? No. Cool? Yeah.

On the safety side, you have your standard dual airbags as does any new car sold in the US. My Altima lacked the available side curtain airbags and traction control. It did however have anti-lock brakes (ABS). The Active Head Restraints were a nice new feature for 2005. Crash Test ratings have proved to be "Good" for the Altima. Side Impact Tests however were "Poor".

When it came to performance, there's no way I was going to settle for the 2.5L 4-cylinder. While the 3.5L made 245 ponies in my 2004, it now makes 250 horsepower and has a 5-speed (vs. 4speed) automatic w/clutchless manual settings so I can shift for myself. The transmission shifts smoothly in my opinion and has a great band of power. Torque steer has long been a problem and it's still evident in my 2005. It's not to the extreme, but it makes itself known. The original tires seem to have been made for a sports car and not a family sedan. During the winter months in the Midwest I found it difficult to get any traction which got scary at moments but never left me stranded. As for fuel economy, I feel it could be better. I average around 26mpg on the highway. I'm sure it would be better if I wasn't such a lead foot.

For an as-tested price of just over $ 26,000, I feel it was quite pricey for the features the car was lacking. I didn't have traction control, no 6-disc cd player or side airbags.

CONCLUSION:

Now that I have owned the car for almost 2 years, I only have one additional gripe with my Altima. During sub-zero temperatures the so-called Automatic On/Off Headlamps refused to work. In a couple of instances I found myself with a dead battery due to the lights not turning off as they should. I know it's just a flip of a switch to turn them off, but if they are auto on/off, they should work! I have close to 26,000 miles on it and have had no additional problems with the car. With a totally new 2007 Altima available now, I will definitely be looking into getting my 3rd Nissan.