To paraphrase Kevin Costner: Build a quality car, and they will come.
That’s the story of the Nissan Altima, a midsize sedan taking on big heavies like the Camry, Accord, Fusion and more and coming out ahead of many of its rivals in this popular segment among carbuyers.
Why is this such a popular ride lately? I recently got into a 2014 Altima 2.5 SL and I’m back with a full report.
LOOKS
First let’s go to the outside -- this is a clearly attractive ride. Not luxurious or fancypants by any means (visit the Infiniti line from Nissan if you want that), but it’s got a quality look to it still and isn’t boring like some midsize sedans can be.
I was impressed with the overall roominess inside. Beyond design, the vehicle is very comfortable to sit in and drive. Materials do not look or feel cheap; quite the contrary in fact, as you’ll get to thinking of this as a higher-end vehicle the more you drive it (especially if you go with the top-level SL trim).
The design and placement of controls is also well-done and makes things easy to access.
ENGINE, RIDE QUALITY
You can choose between a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine (182 horsepower) , and a 3.5 -liter V6 engine. (270 horsepower).
I just had the 4-cylinder engine in my Altima 2.5 SL, and was still very impressed. The drive is smooth and quiet; you get up to speed faster than most sedans in this class, to the point where you’ll be looking down and saying, “was I going that fast?”
Handling comes through, too, and does not disappoint.
MPG
One reason the Altima may be winning some buyers is its impressive fuel mileage. During my time with the car, I got about 28 mpg on average. The official numbers are: 27 city/38 highway/31 combined)
MODELS, TECH/SAFETY FEATURES
Altima models start with the base offering, and go up through S, SV and SL as features are added. All models have power doors and windows, keyless entry and ignition (very rare to see this be standard), and Bluetooth connectivity for streaming audio and phone calls.
The S model is the next step up -- and will get you cruise control, power seat controls and automatic headlights.
By the time you get up to the top level, you’ll get upgraded headlights and taillights, a sunroof, leather seating, heated seats and heated steering wheel and a premium sound system from Bose (nine speakers) that will keep audiophiles happy.
Overall, the touchscreen on the Altima is easy to use, and many commands can be made by voice if your hands are on the wheel and need to focus.
Some app integration is included with the Altima via NissanConnect Apps -- specifically Pandora and Facebook.
Perhaps the best technology in the Altima, though, is its safety record. The 2014 model was one of the top-rated midsize sedans in crash tests, so you can feel secure when carrying your family around town in this vehicle. Adding to that safety level is the option for features like blind spot monitoring and land departure warning, which I found very helpful.
PRICE
Pricing on the higher-end SL trim level with the four-cylinder engine starts at $27,760. Addition of some extra features (moonroof, tech package with Navigation/blind spot warning, lane departure warning, moving objection detection) to my test vehicle pushed it just north of $30K. The V6 version would be a couple grand more.
Lower trim levels can be had for much closer to $20,000, but you’ll lose some of the bells and whistles.
Also, keep in mind that the 2015 version of the Altima has been unveiled, so there may be some fire sales going on to clear out the old stock and bring in the new.
BOTTOM LINE
Like its predecessors, the 2014 Nissan Altima is a sharp vehicle inside and out that you’ll definitely enjoy driving, and is already putting up a strong fight against the other big names in the midsize vehicle marketplace. Nissan’s made strides in recent years and the traditional leaders in this segment, and pretty much all the credit for that can go to the car itself.
