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2009 Nissan Altima Review
Sportier than the competition.
2009 Altima Review Summary & Specifications
The Nissan Altima offers a sporty alternative to the other midsize cars and is available in sedan and coupe body styles. Altima is available with a strong four-cylinder engine, a gas-sipping electric Hybrid powertrain, or a truly powerful, satisfying V6. The Altima sedan is roomy, comfortable and stylish, and overall we consider it the better choice versus the competition. The coupe makes a solid, appealing two-door, but it's not a great four-passenger car.NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent J.P. Vettraino reported from Detroit, with Sam Moses in San Francisco, Tom Lankard in Minneapolis, and John Katz in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
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| Vehicle Category | Midsize Cars |
| Editor | New Car Test Drive |
| Model Lineup | Nissan Altima sedan 2.5 ($19,900); sedan 2.5 S ($21,040); Coupe S ($21,750); sedan 3.5 SE ($25,180); Coupe SE ($26,390); sedan Hybrid ($26,650); sedan 3.5 SL ($28,280) |
| Engines (standard) | 2.5-liter dohc 16v inline 4 |
| Transmissions (standard) | continuously variable transmission (CVT) |
| Engines (optional) | 175-hp 2.5-liter I4; 270-hp 3.5-liter V6; 158-hp 2.5-liter I4 with 40-hp, 650-volt AC electric motor |
| Transmissions (optional) | 6-speed manual; continuously variable transmission |
| Safety Equipment (standard) | front-impact airbags, front passenger side-impact airbags, curtain-style head protection airbags front and rear, anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD); tire pressure monitor |
| Safety Equipment (optional) | VDC electronic stability control, rearview camera |
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Assembled In | Smyrna and Decherd, Tennessee |
| Manufacturer Phone | 800-647-7261 |
| Manufacturer URL | www.nissanusa.com |
| Base Price MSRP | 19900 |
| Model Tested MSRP | Nissan Altima Coupe S ($21,750) |
| Standard Equipment | cloth upholstery, air conditioning with cabin air filter; cruise control; power windows and outside mirrors, central locking with keyless start, AM/FM/CD stereo with six speakers and auxiliary input, manual six-way driver and four-way front passenger seat, tilt/telescope steering wheel, trip computer, 60/40 split fold-down rear seat, 16-inch steel wheels with plastic covers |
| Destination Charge | 720 |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) | Premium Package ($5,100) includes with leather-trimmed seats, door panels and shift knob, wood or metallic interior trim, heated front seats, power driver seat with manual lumbar adjustment, automatic dual-zone climate control, nine-speaker Bose audio system with MP3/WMA capability, XM Satellite Radio, speed-sensitive volume and RDS, tilt-and-slide power moonroof, leather-wrapped steering wheel with secondary audio controls, automatic headlights, auto-dimming inside rearview mirror, Bluetooth phone system, programmable garage-door opener, trunk cargo net, 16-inch alloy wheels; Technology Package ($2,000) includes navigation system with XM traffic information and rearview backup camera; CVT automatic transmission ($500); carpeted floor/trunk mats ($175) |
| Gas Guzzler Tax | |
| Price as Tested | 30245 |
| Layout | front-wheel drive |
| Horse Power | 175 @ 5600 |
| Torque | 180 @ 3900 |
| Fuel Economy | 23/31 |
| Wheelbase | 105.3 |
| Length/Width/Height | 182.5/70.7/55.3 |
| Track Front/Rear | |
| Turning Radius | 34.7 |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room | 37.2/54.2/42.5 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room | |
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room | 35.6/47.6/34.4 |
| Trunk Volume | 7.4 |
| Payload | |
| Towing Capacity | 1000 |
| Front Suspension | independent strut type, stabilizer bar |
| Rear Suspension | independent multi-link, coil springs, stabilizer bar |
| Ground Clearance | 5.1 |
| Curb Weight | 3118 |
| Stock Tires | P215/60R16 |
| Brakes Front/Rear | vented disc/solid disc with ABS, EBD |
| Fuel Capacity | 20.0 |
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