Nissan Altima Coupe test drive
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-HOW IT LOOKS.
I have to say, I usually like coupe better than sedans. It has nothing to do about how they drive, but a two door car usually looks better to me…
Plus, they don’t make as many. The Altima sedan is a very popular car, and they are everywhere. Not so the coupe.
The car I had for a week had the larger 18 inch wheels. And I think it helps a lot. It just doesn’t look as good with the smaller 17 inch.
Maybe the 2010 model will bring new and more attractive wheel designs. It needs it.
Otherwise, I like the design. It’s not the best looking coupe out there, but it does look good.
-HOW IT IS INSIDE.
The interior is very similar to the sedan. The dashboard is exactly the same. Which is fine. It is attractive and uses nice soft plastics.
The console isn’t so lucky. It is made of hard and cheap looking plastics with visible edges .
Not great.
My car had a black interior with leather. The other choice is the beige/brown dash combo. Something out of the 90’s that most Japanese car makers still offer.
This car would look so much better with a cream/black interior. Like some German models…
The seats are great, the driving position is fine, and the Bose stereo sounded really good. It included an iPod plug. Which I hear will be replaced by a USB connection and streaming stereo Bluetooth for the 2010 model.
Like in most coupes, the back seats are OK. But not great.
If you really need more room back there, get the sedan.
-HOW IT DRIVES.
-Ride.
The ride is firm, but always comfortable.
I do have a problem with all the Nissan models based on the D platform, like the Murano.
These cars feel OK, but never super solid for some reason. Unlike the bank vault like feeling you get driving Infiniti models based on another platform.
The Nissan platform just feels a bit light. I guess most people wouldn’t notice it, but I do every time.
Small bumps seem to have trouble being absorbed. You feel most small ripples on the road at low speed.
Sure, it could be called “sporty”. But to me, it just feels a bit unrefined.
Plus it created a couple of small rattles inside the cabin.
One thing I need to mention is the horrible visibility problem from the driver’s seat when looking to your left.
Trying to see if someone is in the next lane.
The interior padding of the pillar behind the door is very thick. So you just “can’t see shit” when you turn your head.
You would think someone would have noticed that…
-Steering.
The steering is light, yet precise. But it is too light.
Especially for a car that is supposed to be a bit sportier than the sedan.
I wouldn’t mind a bit more effort dialed into it.
Especially considering I was driving the sportiest combo available, with the 3.5 Liter V6 and 6 speed manual.
-Engine.
Once again, the Nissan V6 is a pleasure to drive. This is one of the best engines out there.
It also makes for quite a luxurious feel on the highway. The car is very quiet.
My best mileage was 32MPG on the freeway. While my weekly average turned out to be 21.5 MPG with mostly city driving.
I thought it was really good for a car with plenty of power from a “big” 3.5 Liter V6.
-Transmission.
The 6 speed manual is one of the smoothest I have ever used.
It is very easy to get into any gear, and the clutch is pretty light and forgiving.
A pleasure to drive, every time.
-SO???
I really enjoyed my week with the Altima coupe.
The engine and smooth 6 speed make this car a joy to just pick up and go.
This version starts at $27 000 (Carsdirect has them for about $24 000)
My car’s premium package adds about $3000.
Sure, there are a few things like a few cheap interior bits, a couple of rattles. So it’s not perfect.
But it’s also a good looking coupe for $24 000 with one of the best engine in the business.
There is always a compromise somewhere.
A smile on your face every time I drive is worth a few of these compromises. At least to me…
Yeah, the chassis is too weak on these. The Malibu handle better even though I would never buy from anyone who stole from me.
Having seen all the new up and coming interiors in the pipeline, I'm afraid the Altima's interior is quickly becoming long in the tooth in appearance.
seems absurd to pay for leather in such a cheap car. –who are they kidding??
Compromises like that aren't worth it to me at all.
A couple RATTLES on a BRAND NEW CAR?!?! Imagine what it will be like with 100,000 miles.
That is completely inexcusable. Look at that flashing on the center console, that is terrible. People always say Nissan interiors are cheap and this is proof.
Vince, if you like the Alitma you should drive the Accord Coupe. Inside Line said the Accord Coupe blows the Altima Coupe out of the water.
The 18s look perfect, so I imagine the 17s do look a bit small. I'm glad you drove the manual car. I really didn't care for the CVT when I got stuck in an Altima rental for 6 weeks.
"never buy from anyone that stole from me." PALEEZE. just STFU. the USA would be SO much better off without a domestic car industry, right?it's only about 10-12 % of the total workforce. who needs a job anyway! screw you, you 'anonymous' fool. go find another bandwagon to jump on. you're not smart, you're not clever, you're not even right.
ANYWAY, all i WANTED to say in this comment, was how much better looking the Altima coupe is in red. i see a silver one and a white one pretty often, and they're quite bland. the red, with the larger wheels, looks quite better to me.
21.5mpg average? I can get that out of an F150.
Would rather have an Accord EX-L v6 instead of this.
I drove recently the 2.5 sedan for a week as a rental and I also was disappointed about the mileage (and matches the reported coupe mileage).
The TSX I drove earlier got much better mileage. Sure it's V4 but felt just as fast.
Wow, that interior looks terrible. That flashing on the center console is unacceptable, something I would expect to see in a Dodge.
The 3.5 is known to have oil consumption problems, so I would pass.
The Maxima's styling looks good and sporty but Nissan should do something about the dashboard of this thing it looks like it came out of a minivan.
I have an Altima 3.5SE sedan with 17" wheels and it has an extremely harsh ride. If you run over a pea, you'll feel it! I can't even imagine how harsh the coupe is with 18s..
"Anonymous said…
Would rather have an Accord EX-L v6 instead of this.
September 21, 2009 11:35 AM"
Same.
I'll take a white Accord Coupe EX-L and a six speed manual.
People are breaking into the 13's with those STOCK and they still outhandle this Nissan!!!
Doesn't pontiac use round circular vents like that too? If it was Hyundai/Kia using it people would have said that. I see they made the headlights look more like the Toyota Prius's too. Like how poeple say the new Sonata looks like a Solara yet none said the Camry's headlights looks like the Acura TL's.
"Anonymous said…
I have an Altima 3.5SE sedan with 17" wheels and it has an extremely harsh ride. If you run over a pea, you'll feel it! I can't even imagine how harsh the coupe is with 18s..
September 22, 2009 4:09 AM"
That's because Nissan is completely clueless on how to build a proper vehicle. One look at that vehicles interior and it seals the deal.
They don't know how to properly balance the ride and handling.
Drove one. More on par with civic coupe interior size wise. V6 manual was fun but not if I had to look at that interior all day. Accord coupe does it ALL much better!
I got an Altima sedan loaner for a day, and I liked it fine as a loaner. But to pay real money for one, no way! A friend bought a coupe to replace her twelve year old Grand Am that was leaking coolant. Of course it's an improvement, so the bar is set really low. She took me out to the parking lot, all excited because she knows I'm a car-guy. And when I saw it, it was like… crickets. This car stinks. And it's not fair that Nissan is selling them to shampoo girls and admin assistants who don't even know which wheels drive the car! I mean, it's an embarrassingly bad car.
"ne1butu said…
I got an Altima sedan loaner for a day, and I liked it fine as a loaner. But to pay real money for one, no way! A friend bought a coupe to replace her twelve year old Grand Am that was leaking coolant. Of course it's an improvement, so the bar is set really low. She took me out to the parking lot, all excited because she knows I'm a car-guy. And when I saw it, it was like… crickets. This car stinks. And it's not fair that Nissan is selling them to shampoo girls and admin assistants who don't even know which wheels drive the car! I mean, it's an embarrassingly bad car.
September 22, 2009 9:16 PM"
Agreed.
I had one as a loaner when I was in Sacramento about three months ago and it was a terrible vehicle all around.
Interior quality left a lot to be desired. I hated the CVT on the four cylinder and the engine sounded like one of the most unrefined four cylinders I had heard since a mid 80's K car. The suspension tuning was pretty poor on the SL model.
I have NO idea why Consumer Reports likes the Altima so much. I like the Accord MUCH more than the Altima and I am not even a Honda guy…
Slap a Honda badge on this exact car and these same commentators would see it as perfect, rattles and all.
I see Nissan's answer to Monte Carlo…not necessarily a bad thing. But I would have preferred this car were rear-drive.
"Ghetto said…
Slap a Honda badge on this exact car and these same commentators would see it as perfect, rattles and all.
I see Nissan's answer to Monte Carlo…not necessarily a bad thing. But I would have preferred this car were rear-drive.
September 23, 2009 2:03 PM"
Honda's don't have glaring build quality issues or rattles from day one. Honda is actually ranked very highly as far as reliability is concerned according to JD power and Consumer Reports named them the #1 manufacturer, not Nissan.
Why would this ever be RWD when they have the 350Z when it was released and now the 370Z?
It has the Chevy Monte Carlo's B Pillar.
https://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/22/nissan-recalling-26-000-2009-2010-altima-and-maxima-sedans-over/
Nissan quality = Nonexistant.
Just look at the interior and Vince's complaints of rattles in a brand new car.
Nissan in my book is at the very bottom, right next to Mitsubishi.