New Car: 2010 Nissan Altima

The Altima, Nissan’s bread, butter, and jam model, is getting a bevy of visual and equipment changes for 2010. The tweaks start with new hoods, sexier grilles and front fascias, and also include new wheels and paint colors. The rest of the body, including the rear end, is pretty much carried over, no bad thing as we’ve never complained about the styling of the current-generation Altima that’s been with us since 2007. Indeed, the Altima as a whole has warranted so few complaints that it placed second out of seven in our last large-scale comparison test of mid-size sedans.

Some things we have taken issue with, however, were the interior fabrics and materials, many of which have been upgraded for the new model year. The option packages have also been reconstituted, and all Altima models now come with standard stability control.

Compared with its more conservative competitors from Honda and Toyota, the Altima has appealed to many a techie, and for them, the new optional audio system should be welcome news, as it now bundles a 4.3-inch color display; iPod, Bluetooth, and XM satellite radio connectivity; and Nissan’s RearView Monitor. Equally appealing to anyone that can be described as perpetually hungry, directionally challenged, and/or a weather enthusiast, 2010 also brings a revised 6.5-inch touch-screen navigation system featuring Zagat restaurant ratings, XM traffic and weather information, Bluetooth connectivity, a DVD player, and a 9.3-gig “Music Box” hard drive for music storage.

Under the skin, nothing has changed. Both gasoline engines—a 175-hp, 2.5 four-cylinder and a 270-hp, 3.5-liter V-6—carry on with a choice of six-speed manual or continuously variable automatic transmissions, and the miserly and limited-availability hybrid powertrain returns with its own version of the CVT. The Altima 2.5S and Altima HEV, by the way, retain their nomenclature, but the 3.5SE trim has been rebranded “3.5SR.”

Altima prices don’t drastically increase over 2009 levels; the sedan’s base price remains $20,620, while higher trims, the coupe, and the hybrid see slight bumps for 2010. The primped Altima line hits Nissan dealerships today, October 5.

Thanks to: Car and Driver