The Bottom Line
- Very, very fast
- Sporty interior with 350Z-derived cues
- Very, very fast
- Comfortable seats front and rear
- Did I mention that it's fast?
- V6 (3.5) models suffer from torque steer (car pulls to one side under hard acceleration)
- Antilock brakes not available on base model (2.5 S)
- Electronic stability control not available on any models
Description
- Available as a mid-size sedan
- $24.205 base (SE), $31,515 as tested
- 3.5 liter V6, 250 hp @ 5800 RPM, 249 lb-ft @ 4400 RPM, 5-speed automatic,
- Front wheel drive
- Also available with 5-speed manual and 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine (manual or automatic)
- EPA fuel economy estimates: 20 MPG city, 30 MPG highway
- Built in USA
- Warranty: 3 yr/36,000 mi bumper to bumper with roadside assistance, 5 yr/60,000 mi powertrain
- Best rivals: Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata
Guide Review - 2006 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE
Uncle Ben is gone. He was addicted to fast cars and cigarettes; the cigarettes got him first. A week with the Altima 3.5 SE had me thinking about him constantly. This was his kind of Nissan: It has all the bells and whistles and it's very, very fast.
Unc would have loved the Nissan's comfortable leather seats and the round Z-car inspired gauges. I know he would have made liberal use of the 3.5 SE's 250 horsepower. He pushed his cars pretty hard, and sometimes the laws of physics won -- so I bet he'd appreciate the optional side- and side-curtain airbags in my test car. But electronic stability control, which probably would have kept him out of trouble, is not available on the 2006 Nissan Altima. The car's biggest vice: Torque steer. With 250 hp directed throgh the front wheels, the Altima pulls to one side under hard acceleration.
2006 is the last year for the current version of the Altima; the redesigned 2007 Nissan Altima will bow with more agressive styling, more power, and a hybrid version. After driving the 2006 it's hard to believe this is the outgoing model -- it looks and feels totally up to date. If you're looking for a sports sedan thinly veiled as a sensible family car, check out the Altima. I'm sure my uncle would.
