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Nissan introduced the excellent all-new version of their mid-size Altima sedan last year; for 2008 they've followed up with a gorgeous two-door variant called, quite simply, the Altima coupe, available in 4-cylinder 2.5 S and V6-powered 3.5 SE form. Though it shares its mechanical bits with the sedan, all of the Altima coupe's sheet metal is unique save the hood. Yes, it's nice to look at -- but what's it like to live with? Read on. $21,195 base, $29,105 as tested, EPA fuel economy 19-23 city, 26-32 highway.
First Glance: On your feet
Let us begin with a standing ovation to Nissan for nailing the styling on the Altima coupe. Could this car look any more right? Nissan clearly understands that you don't buy a coupe for practicality. You buy it for looks. You buy it for style. You buy it because when it comes to sporty cars, back doors aren't simply unnecessary, they're just plain sick and wrong.
The Altima coupe is a showcase for everything that Nissan's designers do right. The front of the coupe bears a family resemblance to the Sentra and Altima sedan, while the back recalls the athletic haunches of the 350Z and Infiniti G coupe (Infiniti is a division of Nissan). And yet, when taken as a whole, the Altima doesn't look like a cut-and-paste job -- the design integrates and harmonizes to look like a proper sports car. Considering that just a few years ago many Nissan designs were about as attractive as Tammy Faye Baker (may she rest in peace) on a particularly tearful day, the Altima is an absolute triumph. My test car, finished in a color called Azure Blue, received plenty of stares and complements.
In the Driver's Seat: Useless back seat, but that's to be expected
Inside, the Altima coupe's dash is basically identical to the sedan's, with high-quality materials, simple controls (link goes to photo), and cool standard features like push-button keyless ignition. The front seats are comfy and the steering column adjusts for tilt and telescope (though the telescope adjuster is awkward to use).
Rear visibility is a problem, as it is with most coupes; the deeply sloped rear pillars block over-the-shoulder visibility, though big side-view mirrors compensate nicely. The Altima's optional navigation system, part of a $2,000 Technology Package, includes a rear-view camera to aid parking. The bad news: In order to get it, you also must buy the Premium Package ($3,200 on the 3.5SE, $5,100 on 2.5S).
The Altima's weakest point is its back seat: access is awkward and space is tight. I'm only 5'6" and had virtually no leg- or head-room. When a friend came to visit, we tried putting his toddler's child seat back there. It fit - barely - but the angle of the rear window meant the California sun would have been beating down on the back of his head. We decided to take a different car. If you frequently haul more than one passenger, the Altima coupe isn't for you. Ditto if you love to shop, as the trunk is tiny.
The Altima coupe comes standard with front-seat-mounted side airbags, two-row side curtain airbags, and antilock brakes, but electronic stability control is optional on the priceier 3.5 SE model and not available at all on the 2.5 S. Come on, Nissan -- this critical safety feature should be available across the board.
On the Road: Great potential, but only 3.5 SE lives up to it
The Altima coupe is available with either a four-cylinder (2.5S) or six-cylinder (3.5SE) engine. The former offers lots of power and outstanding fuel economy; the latter turns the Altima into a serious speed demon. Both engines are available with either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT), a type of automatic that uses pulleys and belts instead of gears, allowing the engine to spin as quickly (or slowly) as needed regardless of how fast the car is moving. CVTs deliver better fuel economy and power than traditional automatics, though the constantly-changing engine note takes some getting used to, especially if you opt for the noisier 4-cylinder engine. (Read more: CVT -- What it is, how it works.) The CVT has a manual mode that emulates a 6-speed transmission, but only V6 models get a "sport" range that allows the transmission to do its continuously-variable thing while keeping the engine at higher RPMs.
The 2.5S' handling in the curves is stymied by the comfort-and-economy-minded tires, which seem to prioritize squealing and sliding over actually gripping the road. Shame, because the car has great potential; the steering is wonderful and the handling feels well balanced for a front-wheel-drive car. The 3.5SE is the car of choice for demanding drivers; it gets bigger wheels and low-profile tires that do a much better job of sticking to the pavement. And torque steer -- the tendancy of a powerful front-wheel-drive car to pull to one side, a problem that plagued the previous-generation V6 Altima -- has been exorcised from the new Altima.
Journey's End: Despite its shortcomings, I love it
I know I've found a lot of nits to pick, but I really am crazy about the Altima coupe. It takes nearly everything I love about the Altima sedan -- my favorite mid-size car -- and wraps it in a beautiful two-door body. What more could you want?
Well, you could want more passenger space and a better commitment to safety. The Honda Accord coupe offers both, with a back seat big enough for adults and standard electronic stability control. You could want useful features such as the rear-view camera and Bluetooth hands-free phone compatibility to be available independently and not tied to expensive option packages. And you could want a better wheel and tire combination for the 2.5S, which would turn it into quite an economical sportster.
The Altima coupe faces a handful of worthy competitors. Pontiac's G6 coupe is the only one that can touch the Altima's jaw-dropping looks, though I didn't find it as enjoyable to drive. The Toyota Solara and Honda Accord are both more practical -- and the Accord coupe is a much better handler -- but both lack the Altima's visual excitement.
Me? I'd go for the Altima 2.5S, then dump the stock wheels and tires for something that would bring out the car's handling potential. I'd have a car that was reasonably priced, enjoyable to drive, and absolutely gorgeous. Granted, I'd have to leave the kids at home whenever I drove it -- but hey, that's the price you pay for lookin' this good. -- Aaron Gold
