Altima
Driven: 2013 Nissan Altima
Over the next 15 months, Nissan will be rolling out 5 all-new models. As the brand strives to take over 10 percent of the total market share in the next few years, it has got a lot riding on these new cars, which will make up the bulk of Nissan’s sales. First up is the new 2013 Altima, which we were invited to drive in Nashville, where the company’s North American headquarters are located. For us, this opportunity to drive the new sedan is like a small glimpse into the future, so we headed down to Music City to try out this automotive crystal ball.
First Look: 2013 Nissan Altima
Nissan has debuted the redesigned 2013 Altima at the New York International Auto Show.
Secondhand Gems: $25K Hybrids That Don’t Suck
As much as it pains us to say it, petrol north of $3.00 per gallon is looking more and more like the new norm, never mind the $4.00 per gallon prices most of us are paying right now. The good news is that, unlike the 1970s when manufacturers abandoned virtually all bastions of horsepower and performance in the name of emissions and fuel economy, today we live in what could well become the golden age of performance—a time when even family sedans and V-6 pony cars make 300 horsepower.
Quick Drive: 2011 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5 S
Almost every comparable measure would make me opt for Honda’s Accord Coupe over this Altima, with the noticeable exception of exterior styling. The Honda competition has got better gearboxes, more characterful and tuneful engines, better throttle response, and nicer interior fitment. With that said, I think that looks count for a lot in the four-cylinder coupe category, and many buyers will simply be happy with something that looks this good. Styling is huge.
Secondhand Gems: Sneaky Sleepers For $25,000
Unsuspecting speed. It’s as American as a Kid Rock concert and more fun than a super-sized waterslide. Drop a big motor in a pedestrian machine, then go humiliate the local horsepower bully with your grandma’s Sunday cruiser. To anyone who has never enjoyed this sort of automotive hilarity, go buy an Oldsmobile 98 Regency and a 250 shot of giggle gas. Beating the guy in the flashy muscle car isn’t even the best part; it’s when you meet at the next light and say, “Didn’t you know? All Oldsmobile 98s are this fast.”
List: Top Ten Longest Range Vehicles
With the departure of our BMW X5 xDrive35d, we began talking about vehicles that not only offered decent-to-good fuel economy, but also packed massive gas tanks to allow outrageous distances between fill ups. We set a minimum of 600 miles per tank, and got our numbers by multiplying the gas tank size by the EPA estimated highway mileage. Here are the results.
Secondhand Gems: $17K Front-Drive Heroes
Front-wheel drive gets a bad rap. Not every performance machine on the planet needs a buffet of horsepower and torque driving the rear wheels. And yeah, torque steer can sometimes be a handful, but then again, reining in a Corvette ZR1 on an aggressive launch isn’t exactly a simple case of point and shoot. Like it or not, plenty of really great cars tend to be overlooked just because they’re labeled as wrong-wheel drive, and folks, that’s just a shame.
Driven: 2010 Nissan Altima 3.5 SR
Earlier this year, we had the chance to get behind the wheel of part of Nissan’s refreshed 2010 lineup. We admitted that taking the 2.5-liter Altima Coupe for a spin didn’t exactly leave us impressed with the performance. Now, we have just gotten out of the 2010 Nissan Altima sedan, this one housing the 3.5-liter V-6, and we’d be lying if we said it didn’t make up for most of the shortcomings of the smaller-displacement, four-cylinder engine. And this time around, the Altima came to our turf—the wintry roads of Michigan.
Driven: 2010 Nissan Altima Coupe, Sentra, and Versa Hatchback
We drive the 2010 Altima Coupe, Sentra Sedan, and Versa Hatchback back-to-back-to-back to see what the refreshed line is made of.
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