Nissan Altima

Nissan Altima Models

Four Nissan Altima models are available, all powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine.

The GXE adds luxury touches to the basic XE including a folding rear seatback, a lifting adjustment for the driver's seat, cloth trim for the inner door panels, and fancier wheel covers. To get air conditioning, you still have to get the "value option package'' that includes larger tires, CD stereo, cruise control, power locks, remote entry, lighted vanity mirrors, variable wipers, and an overhead console with map lights and sunglasses holder. The GXE Limited Edition package includes all of the above plus a power driver's seat, remote keyless entry with vehicle security system, floor mats, and special LE badging.

Traditional with Nissan is an SE sport model, which gives you the largest wheels and tires, a firmer suspension, rear disc brakes, a monster six-speaker CD stereo, and a driver's seat lumbar support.

The top-line GLE has a softer, more luxurious ride than the sporty SE. And it comes with an eight-way power driver's seat, side-impact airbags, leather upholstery, and automatic transmission.

The SE can be ordered with leather, but then Nissan requires that you also buy the power moonroof. Automatic transmission is a stand-alone option on XE, GXE, and SE.

Driving the Nissan Altima

The Nissan Altima has always been a highly refined sedan, with smooth steering and good behavior over bumps. The latest version is even better, especially on rough pavement. When you push the Altima around a corner, the steering feels light, yet it retains a good feel of the road surface. This is a tight and nimble sedan. It corners with confidence, feels lighter on its feet than the larger mid-sized cars.

There are four different suspensions on the various Altimas. The base XE gets firmer anti-roll bars front and rear -- a rare feature for any entry-level sedan. The GXE gets its own separate shock absorber tuning to take advantage of its stiffer body, made so by the addition of bracing in the floor; it also gets larger and slightly lower-profile tires than the XE. The SE gets the sportiest pieces, including the stiffest springs, stiffest shocks and thickest anti-roll bars. The SE's tires ride a bit harsher than the GLE's, but promise more grip. Both the SE and GLE get new blow-off-valve shock technology, which softens big bumps; they also get an upper front strut brace.

Displacing 2.4-liters, Altima's engine is large for a four-cylinder. By not offering a V6, Nissan was able to keep Altima's hood low and its lines lean. Still, this engine won't win any drag races against V6-powered sedans. But it's a very smooth engine, even when you rev it up to its 6600 rpm redline; that's where many four-cylinders scream and rattle and where the best ones, like this one, shine. It pumps out adequate torque at lower revs, but fails to make the nearly 3000-pound Altima a speed machine, especially when attached to the automatic transmission.

SE models get four-wheel-disc brakes, and you can feel the improvement over the standard rear drums when you hustle the Altima down hilly curves. The brake pedal feels tight, like the rest of the Altima's controls, and it makes you feel confident that you can slow the car down in any unexpected circumstance.