2011 Nissan Altima sedan tries to combine the Ford Fusion’s performance with the Toyota Camry’s spacious cabin, but reviewers don’t think it tops either of these affordable midsize cars. Perhaps the Altima’s biggest drawback is its price. Kelley Blue Book, however, thinks the Altima Coupe can hold its ground. "Offering only one less pony than Honda's new Accord Coupe, but falling far short of the Hyundai Genesis Coupe's 306-horsepower, the Altima Coupe nevertheless has the goods to compete in an increasingly competitive market segment."
The Nissan Altima runs in the middle of the pack. If you’re looking for a better performer, test drive the Ford Fusion and Mazda6. Like the Altima, the Ford Fusion has an optional 3.5-liter V6 engine that is great for city and highway driving. The Fusion pairs a comfortable interior with good performance. The Mazda6 also ranks at the top of affordable midsize sedans in terms of performance. It averages about 22/31 mpg city/highway – about as much as the Altima – with a 2.5-liter engine and automatic transmission. In comparison, an Altima with equivalent features would list for $26,485.
Nissan Altima: The Details
The 2011 Nissan Altima is available as a sedan and a coupe. The Nissan Altima is largely unchanged for the 2011 model year
The Altima Sedan competes in the very competitive mid-size sedan segment, going head-to-head with the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu.
The Altima Sedan's navigation system sees the biggest upgrade for latest model, moving from a 4.3-inch display to a 6.5-inch touch-screen unit. A new Bose audio system is also available on the Altima Sedan, featuring a standard 4.3 inch color display, 9-speakers, USB port and iPod connectivity, Bluetooth hands-free calling and Nissan's RearView Monitor system.
Other than a slight shuffling of option packages, the Nissan Altima is unchanged for 2011.
Well, the 2011 Nissan Altima is one of those exceptions. The Altima's fun factor depends largely on which engine you choose. The V6 version -- known as the 3.5 SR -- comes standard with a sport-tuned suspension that trades some ride comfort for sharper handling, making this Altima feel more like a sport sedan than a family sedan.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Nissan Altima is available in sedan and coupe body styles. The hybrid-powered Altima sedan is reviewed separately. The 2.5 S trim is available on both the sedan and coupe. The 2.5 S coupe adds 17-inch alloy wheels.
A number of option packages are available for the 2.5S. The Special Edition package includes alloy wheels, foglights, a rear spoiler, auto on/off headlights and a leather-wrapped steering wheel (with audio controls). The Convenience Plus package (sedan only) adds manual folding sideview mirrors with integrated turn signals, a sunroof and dual-zone automatic climate control. On the coupe, the SL package is essentially called the Leather package; it lacks rear A/C vents but gains xenon headlights.
The 3.5 SR adds a V6 engine, 17-inch alloy wheels (18s for the coupe), a sport-tuned suspension, heated side mirrors and the contents of the 2.5 S Convenience package. The 3.5 SR Sport package available on the sedan adds a sunroof, xenon headlights, foglights and dual-zone climate control. The 3.5 SR Premium package (available on the coupe and sedan) essentially includes all the 2.5 S coupe Premium package, SL package and Premium Audio package items.
The Technology package is available on the coupe and sedan versions of both the 2.5 S and 3.5 SR trims. It includes a hard-drive navigation system, real-time traffic and weather updates, Bluetooth streaming audio and digital music storage.
The 2011 Nissan Altima features two engine choices. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is mandatory on the sedan. The coupe gets a standard six-speed manual transmission with the CVT as an option. EPA estimated fuel economy is 23 mpg city/32 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined with the CVT and 23/31/26 mpg with the manual.
In Edmunds performance testing, a 3.5 sedan went from zero to 60 mph in 7 seconds.
Safety
Every Altima comes standard with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. The Nissan Altima has not been rated using the government's new, more strenuous 2011 crash testing procedures. The Altima coupe earned four stars for frontal impacts and five stars for side impacts. All coupes come with sportier seats that feature more side bolstering than the sedan's relatively flat chairs. The sedan offers a decent 15.3-cubic-foot trunk, while the coupe is significantly smaller at 8.2 cubic feet.
Driving Impressions
The 2011 Nissan Altima 2.5 should be just fine for most folks. The CVT is well suited to the more powerful V6, and the sport-tuned suspension paired with precise steering makes the Altima a credible sport sedan.
