I came out of perhaps our most ostentatious vehicle--the Ford Transit Connect Taxi--into our most invisible: a 2012 Nissan Altima 2.5 S sedan. With cloth seats and a continuously variable transmission, it's pure bread-and-butter transportation.
It had been a few years since I'd driven an Altima, and I can see now why Nissan keeps selling these things in droves (other than incentives, that is): It's a good car. Comfortable, roomy, quiet and reasonably powerful--piloting the Altima was an exercise not so much in driving as in commuting, being transported home isolated from, noise, detritus and my fellow man.
Sporty? Not a chance. But the Altima did everything well. Nissan still has the best CVT integration in the business, and the Altima's 'box went about its business with minimal intrusion. Acceleration was decent, and the brakes had a ton of initial bite followed by good pedal modulation.
The overall impression was one of superb competence. The Nissan Altima will never be at the top of my must-drive lists, nor will it be my next vehicle. But this car is what a vast majority of American drivers are looking for in daily transportation, and Nissan has done an admirable job of keeping it near the top of its class.
So far, Nissans have not impressed me much. The Nissan 370Z and the GT-R are exceptions, because, let's face it, those cars are just plain fun. But I digress.
When grabbing the keys for this Altima, my expectations were low, really low. I hypothesized that this car would be chintzy, boring, loud and rough riding. Few of my thoughts were proved to be true; for the most part, I'll easily admit, I was way off.
While the Altima's exterior is far from exciting, it's also far from ugly. The optional moonroof wind deflector is incredibly distracting. But other than that, the Altima provides what a majority of car buyers need--a basic design that serves most purposes.
On the road, this car performs well. It provides a smooth, quiet ride. The CVT almost goes unnoticed, and I got up to speed without a hitch. The cabin provides a comfortable environment, and while the layout and materials are pretty cut and dried, Nissan still added a bit of flair with wood-grain accents, adding a bit of upscale style.
All in all, this Altima didn't completely turn me around on Nissans, but it did start the rotation.
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR CHERYL L. BLAHNIK: The first thought that popped into my mind when I got into this 2012 Nissan Altima 2.5 S sedan was rental car. It's not a bad-looking car, but it's a far cry from an exciting car.
However, this Altima is a solid all-around car. Ride quality on the expressway and around town is smooth, and the four-cylinder powertrain is up to task for daily running. The interior has comfortable seats but is basic in styling.
The as-tested price of this car makes me cringe because it's approaching $28,000, but this one is heavily optioned. For a commuter car, I have no problems with the Altima, but I definitely wouldn't want to own one. If I'm going to spend a couple of hours a day in a car, I want it to be a little entertaining. Unfortunately, this Nissan doesn't offer that.
