Review: 2003 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE
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SEE ALSO: Nissan Buyer's Guide
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS
Face it. Mid-sized, middle-class family sedans are not known for
excitement. Sure, there are mid-sized sports sedans that can dust
just about any street-legal sports car ever made, but they're out of
most budgets, and a suspension tuned for serious corner carving is
probably not going to make the occupant of the child safety seat
happy. And you probably don't want to be in the car when that
happens....
There is the visual excitement angle, too. Although the popular
mid-size sedans are getting a little more daring in style, they're still
pretty conservative. But there is an alternative that combines
distinctive style, a spacious, comfortable interior, and good
performance. It's the 2003 Nissan Altima.
The newest Altima has been a success for Nissan since its debut
in the 2002 model year, and no wonder. It's much larger and
roomier than the original Altima, produced from 1992 to 2001
(with revisions in 1998), and, unlike its ancestor, is available with a
V6 engine as well as a four-cylinder. The four, at 2.5 liters and 175
horsepower, is in no way an entry-level powerplant. The 3.5-liter
V6 gets a power boost this year, from 240 horsepower to 245.
Very unusually, both engines can be matched to a five-speed
manual transmission.
I've just spent a week with a near top-of-the-line 2003 Altima SE
V6. I drove a four-cylinder Altima 2.5 S about a year ago and was
impressed by its space, power, and comfort. The SE only adds to
the comfort and power specification, and is a near-luxury car at a
far from luxury price.
APPEARANCE: Stylistic resemblances between the current Altima
and the original? Both have Nissan badges and four wheels. The
new Altima is considerably larger, with an aerodynamically-rounded
shape that has more than a hint of its upscale cousin, the Infiniti
Q45. Are the passengers important? Look at the length of the
greenhouse. The base of the windshield comes nearly to the rear of
the front wheels, and the rear edge of the highly-sloped backlight
goes almost to the rear of the trunk lid. Multi-element faired
headlights cut back into the front fascia and a well-defined
character line cut into the hood and continuing under the
trapezoidal grille balance any possible excessive roundness in front.
A strong shoulder line that rises toward the rear does the same for
the sides, and suggests a sporty wedge shape. Contemporary clear-
covered taillights are featured at the rear.
COMFORT: The interior space promised by the exterior styling is
delivered. The original Altima was at the small end of the mid-size
class. With its longer wheelbase and wider stance, the new Altima is
at the large end of the class, especially inside. And it makes the
most of that room with an efficient design that makes time spent
inside a pleasant experience. A choice of interior ``environments''
that includes color schemes and materials allows personalization.
For the driver, visibility is good and the sloped instrument panel top
gives a feeling of spaciousness and reduces glare. Instruments are
easily visible in a shaded pod, with headlight and wiper controls on
stalks and the main audio and climate controls in the center stack.
Auxiliary controls are on the tilt-and-telescope-adjustable steering
wheel. Rear passengers are treated to a very spacious seat, and the
central tunnel is small enough that three-abreast seating is not
uncomfortable. Leather seating surfaces and heated front seats and
mirrors are among the contents of the `` Leather Sport Package'' on
my test car; the ``Premium Leather Package replaces the standard
``titanium''-colored plastic trim, new this year, with simulated
wood. Don't be fooled by the short rear deck - it covers a huge
trunk, and the rear seat folds with a 60/40 split when it's necessary
to carry long items.
SAFETY: The 2003 Nissan Altima has dual-stage front airbags that
sense seatbelt use and collision severity and deploy accordingly.
Front seat side-impact airbags and ceiling-mounted side-curtain
airbags are available.
ROADABILITY: The Altima's long wheelbase and wide track not
only add to passenger space, they add to ride comfort and handling
ability as well. A rigid chassis structure and fully independent
suspension with struts in front and a multilink design in the rear
ensures comfort on the road, and handling that is at the top of its
class.
PERFORMANCE: The Altima's 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is an
impressive powerplant, and the 3.5-liter V6 is even more so. It gets
an increase of five horsepower for 2003, to 245 at 5800 rpm, with
246 lb-ft of torque at 4400 rpm. As with the four, the V6's dual
overhead cam, four valve per cylinder design and variable valve
timing and variable induction system give it excellent power
characteristics at all engine speeds and quick throttle response. The
four-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission that is
the most popular choice suits either engine's excellent torque
characteristics very well, but manually-oriented drivers can have
their Altimas outfitted with a five-speed manual transmission.
CONCLUSIONS: Dare to be different in the mid-size family sedan
class and accept no compromises with the 2003 Nissan Altima.
SPECIFICATIONS
2003 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE
Base Price $ 23,149
Price As Tested $ 28,687
Engine Type dual overhead cam 24-valve
aluminum alloy V6
Engine Size 3.5 liters / 213 cu. in.
Horsepower 245 @ 5800 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) 246 @ 4400 rpm
Transmission 4-speed automatic
Wheelbase / Length 110.2 in. / 191.5 in.
Curb Weight 3,246 lbs.
Pounds Per Horsepower 13.2
Fuel Capacity 20 gal.
Fuel Requirement 91 octane unleaded premium gasoline
recommended
Tires P215/55 HR17 Bridgestone Turanza EL42
Brakes, front/rear vented disc / solid disc,
antilock optional
Suspension, front/rear independent strut /
independent multilink
Drivetrain front engine, front-wheel drive
PERFORMANCE
EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon
city / highway / observed 19 / 26 / 22
0 to 60 mph est. 7.2 sec
Coefficient of Drag (cd) 0.32
OPTIONS AND CHARGES
Leather Sport Package - includes:
Bose(r) audio system, power glass sunroof, leather
appointed seats, Homelink(tm), automatic
temperature control, heated seats and outside
mirrors, rear spoiler, high-intensity discharge
headlamps $ 3,899
ABS/Airbag/TCS package - includes:
Side airbags, antilock brakes, traction control
system $ 1,099
Destination charges $ 540