Beautiful car, VERY reliable!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Manual transmission performance, brakes, handling, reliability, fuel efficiency, stance on road.

Cons: Cut-rate interior, audio, ABS??

The Bottom Line: 
Love the performance and the handling, great for families or teen drivers, but opt for the ABS.

Author's Review
NOTE: This review was written in July of 2005.


I purchased this vehicle in early March of 2004. Since then I have used it mainly for commuting to and from my university (approx. 18 miles one way). When originally deciding what vehicle to purchase, I had narrowed my options down to the Toyota Camry, the Scion xB, or the Altima. Due to numerous issues with my local Toyota dealers, the Camry was eliminated. On closer inspection and testing of the xB, I found that while it was nicely equipped, it was also EXTREMELY underpowered. I settled on the Altima and am very glad that I did!

First of all, the outward appearance of this car is striking. The curves are very well designed and aerodynamic. The front end has been redesigned from 2004 to have a more agressive stance on the road. The rear lights also have changed to red signal indicators as well as brake lights, instead of the older amber. Besides that, however, there are not that many other changes.

The interior is one of the flaws on this car. This car's interior just feels....cheap. The materials used in the cabin are not exactly first class, and the seats and material are nothing special. The brushed aluminum does give the cabin a nice futuristic look, but is also borderline tacky. However, the backseat room is incredibly spacious and the seats themselves are not uncomfortable. Overall, the interior could constitute higher quality materials.

In terms of driving, I have to say that this is one of the most fun-to-drive cars I have ever driven. I am not saying that the Altima is on par with a Benz S500 or an Infiniti G35 (both of which I have driven), but for its cost it gives you your money's worth. I also have to say that I have seen a lot of people complain about the four cylinder being underpowered, and I have to disagree. I have the manual transmission 4 cylinder 2.5S and it performs beautifully for me. On a side note, I find that especially with the manual transmission, if you don't really know HOW to drive it you're not really going to get the response that the vehicle is capable of. I have had a 3.5SE Altima attempt to outperform me on a 7 mile straight stretch of nearly empty road and not be able to because the 3.5 was automatic and I was stick. The driver of the 3.5 was in awe because he expected to be able to bully the 2.5 version of his car and could not even pass it. I personally love the handling, response, and acceleration of the 2.5 and would rather have it than the 3.5 because of the fuel efficiency.

This car is rated as safe in crash tests and has great crash protection. Airbags and crumple zones are a very effective protection measure that come standard on the Altima. I HATE the fact that ABS is not standard on the vehicle, and especially for you manual transmission people out there, it is extremely difficult to get ABS. I was actually considering trading in my current Altima for the same year, make, model, color, transmission, and features just to add the ABS-but found out that it is not readily availiable. My dealer said it COULD be done, but would have to be a special order from the Nissan factory and would take about 3 months to build and deliver. In other words, ABS is a difficult thing to come by on a manual Altima. On the other hand, I LOOOOOVE the 4 wheel disc. This car stops on a dime-if only it had ABS!!

As far as security goes, the factory alarm system isn't TOO bad, though I do not personally have it. It is slightly expensive, however, and I would recommend taking it to a shop to have an aftermarket alarm installed. My favorite alarm is the Audiovoxx pageback system, because the transmitter pages you back whenever someone triggers one of the zones. The installation and parts total for this ran me $200, so it can be a better solution for some.

Maintenance is a very easy thing on the Altima. The in-cabin microfilter, which is recommended to be changed yearly, is very easy to access and change. The air filter and oil filter/pan are also easily accessible. The brakes are easy to change and maintain. Besides that, what else would I need to access for the next 50,000 miles??

I am very big on audio, especially in my car, and the NDSS audio system is not really that impressive. The Bose package does not really do it for me either. The NDSS speakers are Clarion 6X9's in the rear wells, and the stock radio is capable of easily DESTROYING them. I have switched my 6X9 Clarions with 6X9 Pioneers, and even though the resistance is not the same they STILL sound better than the Clarions.
I wish I had opted for the in-dash 6 CD changer though...


Overall, I love my vehicle, the performance and handling, the space, and the style associated with it. Highly recommended for small families for the space and teen drivers for the great safety and brakes-but opt for the ABS please!