2009 Nissan Altima Review

[coolerdude44]

hey dan, i recently drove a 2009 altima 2.5s from penn state university park where i go to school to my home in central new jersey, and on the trip i averaged 28.2 mpg at speeds between 60-80 mph. is this a good average? i always struggle to get decent mpg no matter what car i'm driving, but what are some tips to getting better mpg from the altima?

[mpgomatic]

@coolerdude44 The easiest thing to do is set your cruise control for a reasonable speed and go with the flow of traffic. I test with the cruise control set at 68 MPH ... this is about as realistic as it can get here in Jersey with the state speed limit of 65 MPH on the Interstate. Minimize lane changes ... the more times you step on the throttle, more fuel you'll burn. A higher average speed will burn more fuel. All that said, I usually get better mileage *without* cruise control. Use inertia.

[coolerdude44]

@mpgomatic yeah, the altima gets really good fuel economy usually, one time i set the cruise control at 55 from the lincoln tunnel all the way to central nj, and it averaged over 41 mpg. i think the main reason the fuel economy wasn't over 30 mpg on that trip is because the drive through northern PA and northern NJ is very hilly, almost mountainous.

[gtvapsamtik]

Nissan is way better then both toyota and honda

[Annihilator1111]

the 2007-2012 Nissan Altima is assembled in

Smyrna, Tennessee, United States

Canton, Mississippi, United States

[IHeartMoney97]

@Annihilator1111 but the parts still come from japan..which is good lol

[LadyGaGaGeek]

Hey, DO altimas' have the key fob roll down window thing? where you hold down unlock and the windows roll down? t hanks

[wokeupthismorning100]

My aunt got a 2.5 S sedan after her 2010 Tundra got totaled. A steal for 23K!

[ericpinter29]

can someone help me, to beging with a cvt car, they mean a belt driven car like a snowmobile or fourwheeler, and also how does a CVT shift?????

[enemay]

Hey Dan if it was your 23k which would you go for? Accord, Camry, or Altima?

[mpgomatic]

@enemay Tough call ... they're all competent FWD four-doors. You really have to drive all three to see what fits you best (interior comfort, handling, style). The quality and distance to your local dealers are key factors, as well. Test drive 'em and check with your friends to see if they like the dealerships.

[enemay]

@mpgomatic Haha your staying neutral huh, dont want to upset any of the dealership who supplies your test cars? I'm not really looking to replace my 2007 Civic, I just thought it interesting what would you put your hard earned money on, if you had to pic from the three. Anyway if you dont want to give your answer, I'll respect that.

[mpgomatic]

@enemay We do try to stay neutral. An automotive purchase is an extremely personal decision.

Our test cars come from the manufacturer media fleets, not from dealers. If it were my 23K to spend, it would be on something other than one of these three ... most likely the Golf TDI. That said, we've had really good luck with many Hondas over the years (knock wood).

I need to drive an Altima with a manual transmission ... preferrably a 2011 Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 2dr Coupe ...

[kwtblack2]

@enemay all my friends have these cars

camry really nice for saving gas but not safety car

accord luxury look and for gas 4V or for much better V6 and refual in week

altima if you want to go for fast go for this , ps all these cars have Icey A/C and here where i live its important to have so these cars are very good

[Gabbo2010]

@enemay

The Accord beats out the other three easily, the Camry is underpowered and the double wishbone suspension of the Accord ensures a smooth ride on bumpy surfaces.

[rnorred86]

I'm gonna buy a 2007 2.5 S soon. Can't wait! I just need to sell my other car first.

[rnorred86]

@rnorred86 I have it now! Yay!

[lexilexi1215]

im getting a nissan altima for my 16th birthday in june :) so excited!

[BigMrJuarez]

@lexilexi1215 Damn. When i was 16 all i got was a cake and hug.

[lexilexi1215]

@BigMrJuarez lol sorry :(

[mucura1]

i like the coupe version. I am thinking of buying a daily car. Its either this or a 2d accord coupe.

[kingfarticus]

I got an Altima 2.5s as a rental last week and was surprisingly disappointed. Even though it only had like 8000 miles on it, it already felt like a 5 year old car from the inside. The black cloth was cheap and the whole interior just reeked of poverty. Wasn't a fan of the CVT either. If I were in the market for a family sedan, I would pick this only above a Mitsubishi Galant!

[640101vh]

@kingfarticus I rented a 2008 Maxima for a few days had the 255HP 3.5 V6 was shockingly disappointed with almost everything. The turning radius was terrible,had decent power but nothing special,handling was bad, interior looked real cheap, subpar exhaust note,CVT was annoying{imo},Bose system was only ok. I use to own a mid 90's Max that I found was alot more entertaining to drive then the 08.

I think anyone looking for a sporty car will find the Altima & and Maxima very disappointed.

[cannonballkid]

@kingfarticus lol there ya go you got a rental! Why would Hertz Enterprize whoever splurge on the interior? Better yet why would you expect a rental to be in pristine condition?

[kingfarticus]

@cannonballkid

The fact that it's a rental has absolutely NOTHING to do with the trim level. In fact, rental car companies these days get well-equipped models just as often as they get the cheapest one. The Altima I was in happened to be the 2.5 s, which is the mid-level Altima and also their most popular trim.

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "splurge" on the interior. It's not like there are many interior options on a Nissan Altima

[cannonballkid]

@kingfarticus Thats where you are mistaken that car actually has a lot of different option for the interior.

[kingfarticus]

@cannonballkid

omg, no it doesn't!

either tan cloth, tan leather, charcoal cloth, or charcoal leather

[cannonballkid]

@kingfarticus Thats just upholstery which also has a frost option, stereo options, backup camera, navigation lots of different options to customize the car.

[kingfarticus]

@cannonballkid

Fine, what's your point? Lots of cars have these options. Most people don't buy them. This has nothing to do with my original post anyway. Lol

[cannonballkid]

@kingfarticus well someone complaining about the quality of a car when they are in a rental is BS. Might as well complain about the quality of mattress when visiting a hotel. My point is basing an opinion about the interior of rental car is a little short sided. No one ever takes car of rentals. Also Choosing a Galant over an Altima is just silly, sorry.

[kingfarticus]

@cannonballkid

Well, I just explained to you how it isn't silly! Are you saying there's a difference in quality between a Nissan Altima 2.5 S that's bought by a rental car company and a Nissan altima 2.5 S that's bought by a private owner? Your analogy about hotel mattresses is also a dumb one. If I'm staying at a good hotel, or even a decent one, I expect a comfortable mattress. If the mattress is shit, I and most others will complain.

Keep trying new tactics to stubbornly prove me wrong!

[cannonballkid]

@kingfarticus Whatever saying the Altima is cheap the CVT is weird is really an ignorant thing to say. Car & Driver , Consumer Reports have all had nothing but exceptional things to say about it as it outperforms most cars in its class.

[kingfarticus]

@cannonballkid

So just because a magazine endorses a product, that means it's holy or something? Consumer Reports and Car and Driver also say good things about the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Chevrolet Malibu, why don't I just buy all five? In fact Car and Driver has consistently ranked the Accord ABOVE the Altima (although I personally hate Accords and would never even consider one).

Sorry, but I think you're the ignorant one

[cannonballkid]

@kingfarticus No but people (rightfully so) value the opinion of industry professionals. I'm not saying the Altima is the end all be all of automobiles. What I am saying is its kind of daft to knock a car based on a rental experience. Rental cars are seriously abused by customers who care little for an engine that isn't theirs And and get very dirty for the same reasons. In no way should that be the representation of how said car should look,drive or handle.

[kingfarticus]

@cannonballkid

@cannonballkid

Not really, a car should be built to handle abuse. I can say with relative certainty that not everyone who rents cars drives them like complete lunatics, they're unfamiliar with how the car drives and would be putting their life on the line for one, not to mention the costs associated with potentially damaging a rented vehicle.  The Altima I got, as I indicated in my 1st post, had 8000 miles on it. I seriously doubt that in 8000 miles anything significant could

[kingfarticus]

@cannonballkid

have possibly happened, even if everyone who drove it before me was, indeed, a lunatic. But you are right. In a perfect world, it would have been better if I had test-driven a fresh Altima off the dealership floor.

[kingfarticus]

@cannonballkid

Also, regarding the CVT, virtually EVERYONE I know how currently owns or has test-driven a car with a CVT, and I'm not just talking about Nissans, told me they disliked the experience.

[snobkat]

Can any Altima 2.5S tell us that are the fuel consumption figures a reality? What are the actual fuel consumption figures in the city and highway?

[mucura1]

@snobkat its sad that you have to ask this as the EPA is full of shit. I have always noticed i can get better gas mileage out a japanese car than whats on the sticker but my domestics are about right. Something is wrong with the way the epa rates cars.

[cannonballkid]

@snobkat I live in New York these are my averages: 29-30 city and by that I mean Manhattan. When I'm on the highway I can get the car up to 36 while going between 65-70mph.

[acitalianman13]

is this or a older version of altima 07-10 a good car for first ?? used of course

[TheLivingDeadOne]

Oh and I was trying to help you out via the long and detailed response but what i really meant was this response that so many give,.." Whatever dude, get a job" or some shit like that. Thats a much better response, short and sweet and meaningless. (Note to self,. stop helping people with advise)

[bossbower]

I'm about to turn 16, and I think this is a good first car (used). Does anyone have any recommendations?

[TheLivingDeadOne]

@bossbower Get a Pre Owned on a nissan lot, not used. last week I bought an 09 preowned (But not, was the dealerships used as a loaner and manager transport) with 10k miles, a 2.5S black on black and comes with a preowned warranty. Got it for 17,600. With tax and optional nissan gold warranty and 2 years maint came to 19,900. Thats the book value now. saved 5k for the one year older. I would have liked an SL and if I gone for all the bells and whistles with a '10 2.5SL would have been near 30k.

[bossbower]

I appreciate the long and detailed response, but I don't think my parents (and I) would be able to cough out that many dollars ;\

Maybe under something under 10-12k?

[TheLivingDeadOne]

@bossbower well your age says your 45 so I didnt think you asked your parents anymore for help. My mistake,. but for 10-12k,. youll get a 2000-2002, maybe 2004 of major use

[AKAL1lROB541]

@bossbower i actually just got an 07 2.5 s for 13500 with 12000 miles an clean car fax killer deal huh

[sydepipez]

@TheLivingDeadOne totally agree. i just bought an '06 with the extended warranty last friday. astoundingly low miles (20k) is what made me get it, that and i actually like the 02-06 styling a little better. with a little cash, negotiation and trade('02 sentra w/ 125k - bought brand new when i was 19.), i took it off the lot for 10,900... if i ever go pre-owned again, it will be certified nissan.

[MrJackanthony]

@bossbower dude your profile says your 45. Whom shall trust :P

[esca8652]

it looks kinda ugly.

[nadiavidya2005]

Hi, please can anybody help...what would have happen or what happens if you drive in gear 3 Drive as nromal Drive? I did not realize it till now....I know stupid huh please explain

[DA060288]

i have the 2007 and there's no deference between mine and this one at all its the exact same on the in said. so save your self some money and get the 2007.

[iPaintball2012]

i need some feedback here. Im looking into a new car, but im not sure if i should get the 2009 or 2010 model. thanks. i dont know what the difference is so any input is welcome.

[nj23dublin]

just got a 2009 last week, drove both of them. The 2010 and 09 are very similar in specs, looks, a little different , mainly the lights & new hood lines. CVT is really nice, good horse power and drives smooth. The 2010 has a nicer feeling from the inside (touch wise) but I honestlt thouight the 2009 was better for me! trip computer is cool, speakers etc are great too. but to be honest, the 2009 also got me 4 000 dollars off! I sued some of it to extend the warranty to 100 000 or 6 years.

[BlackChargerSRT]

@iPaintball2012 I drove a '09 2.5SL model similar to the one tested here. It is quite an impressive car, with a nice interior, unique looks and performance equal to or better than an '06 Fusion SE V6 I drove; Nissan's four cylinder has got some pep, and the smooth CVT renders effortless acceleration - I can only imagine what the 3.5 V6 performs. Interior and exterior styling seems to have been revised for '10, and pricing and performance should be about the same.

[BlackChargerSRT]

@iPaintball2012 Also, ESC (Electronic Stability Control) is now standard on 2010 Altimas. It is widely considered an important safety feature, and was lacking in all four cylinder Altimas until this year. Also, the CVT is the sole transmission offered in the 2.5 models starting this year. If you like the styling and CVT, I would suggest going for the '10 model with it's standard ESC. If you can live without it, and can find a good deal on a leftover '09, I think last year's car would be fine.

[puaalaaumoe]

The 2010 has a revised front end. I just got one last week and it looks so much nicer than the pre-2010 ones... if you care about that kinda thing! :) However, there are good deals on 2009's if there's still some on the lots!

[L4TIn0St4NdUp]

water bottle rolling 1:37

[coolerdude44]

i have a 2009 altima, and it does not handle well at all. it rolls at the slightest steering input, just because the tires grip does not make it a good handler. the steering is ridiculously light, good for pulling into your driveway, but doesn't give enough feedback.

the seating position is too high, and the cvt is way too noisy when trying to get up to speed.

the car is light-years improved over my old 2006 4 speed altima 2.5, but i wish i'd bought the honda accord or subaru legacy instead.

[BlackChargerSRT]

@coolerdude44 I did find the steering a bit on the light side myself, though I didn't drive it long enough to get a good feel for it's handling; most cars, and worse, pickups, today have unnecessarily light steering, and I don't think it's a good trend. My '04 Nissan Frontier has very hefty steering, and is quite secure at speed; I do wish it lightened up a bit at parking lot speeds, but overall I'm happy with it.

[BlackChargerSRT]

@coolerdude44 Supposedly, the V6 Altimas have heftier steering and better handling than the 2.5 models. The steering on the one I drove did seem to improve at speed, and overall it seemed like a secure handling vehicle. I'd definitely like to get behind the wheel of the new '10 models, to see how the V6 performs and if the ESC improves handling. I personally like the high seating position (being only 5'5" and coming out of a pickup) and didn't feel the CVT held the engine too high up in rpms

[hep5]

i see so many of these 2007 altimas on the road nowadays, as well as 2007 camry's. It goes to show americans will never be able to match the technology with their shit Malibus, Grand Prix, Taurus, etc. They may be able to copy the body styles of euro/japanese makers but they will never be able to copy the technology

[steve9509]

You achually have no idea what your saying so stop talking. Thanks.

[steve9509]

Yeah? I know that my 09 Accord is assembeled in America. Thanks for informing me agian!

[hep5]

And just because it's assembled in America, that makes it American? wow are you retarded or something? So if Ferrari decided to set up shop in USA and build one of their models, then they're no longer an Italian Supercar by your analogy? Thanks for being uninformative again!

[steve9509]

Achually i was implying that you said go buy your American cars so i said jokingly that my Accord is American. I'm sorry i didnt think you would be that stupid to not know that. Sorry.

[hep5]

haha, so you post something vague and expect others to guess what your statement means? Try making some sense that actually connects to the topic. This is amusing and yet it's boring at the same time because i already know that your next response will be some random un-related garbage. Thanks.

[coolerdude44]

@steve9509 the accord is american...

[steve9509]

Yes, I know that. In other words he was saying to go buy your American cars, such as Chrysler and being i own an Accord *Honda, it is not an American company.

[maheshcx]

lol the new taurus and malibu wipe the competition.. what have u been smoking?

[Alta626]

@maheshcx The Malibu is overrated brother, No head room/No room period- interior plastics The only thing good about it is the gas milage!!

[maheshcx]

@Alta626 Actually that's true.. I don't like them anymore.. I'd proly go with the camry or altima now.. I've tested the Malibu and it's junk

[Alta626]

@maheshcx I recently test drove the Nissan Altima and the Toyota Camry, I came away impressed with the driving of the Camry it was smooth, quiet, the steering wasn't that refined but it was much, much better than I expected while the nissan Altima was a good drive but didn't stick out at much as the camry, the handeling felt stiff, the altima is fast and the interior is way better than the camry, the camry has too many interior plastics

[coolerdude44]

the camry and altima are american. they're enormous 18 foot long cruisers built by americans for americans in america. none of the cars are japanese.

[tayelizren]

does it ride good? i have a mini cooper and cannot take the bumps anymore!

[workensmart]

I don't know about these cars they look great from every side but the back they made those tail lights too big.

[utubeyaw]

i love this review. i would love to see a video compering the altima, accord, camry, legacy and sonata

[powerfoxz]

Singapore version looks diff then this model. its cool.

[theemceemurdah]

The Nissan Altima sure has come a long way since it's inception in 1993, good work Nissan!

[crunkaintdead757]

1:35 wow lol

[mpgomatic]

Just a little something extra to see if folks are paying attention. :) I forgot to clean the passenger floormat before shooting that shot ...

[crunkaintdead757]

ha well that was a great review i plan on getting one of those in a few years.

[workensmart]

the water bottle rolling on the floor was not a big deal. At least you were not ripping the shifter out of the center console like they used to do in the old motor week reviews LMAO.

[apocgamer]

@mpgomatic hey thats my water bottle

[onixz100]

@crunkaintdead757 So funny, omfg. The little water bottle, hahahah *dies*.

[ScorpioFuror]

Okay, but why state your age? Like, it's weird, I dunno.

[joesoz310]

my mom has an 03 altima it got in 5 accidents (3 major) is great in safety thinking about gettin altima hybrid in a few years

[jvrdlc]

The Honda accord feels more sporty Dan the altima n it's also better engineer, bigger, and the coupe even roomier dan the altima coupe too.... The camry is way behind

[chrisiztheman1618]

the 3.5 se altima is deffinetly sportier then any accord

[Celebritystarbx69]

The Best Cvt I Drove Was The Murano this one feels Wierd...and the steering wheel is way to loose feeling

[rayj778]

I drove the new Accord, Camry & Altima (4cylinders) & the Altima is the best!!!!!! feels sportier than the Camry & Accord, & is really comfortable.

[madpistol]

Ugh.... everyone says they hate CVT's. Have you driven this car? The CVT is actually very intelligent and doesn't give you that "rubber band" feel of other CVT's. Once you're done saving gas, get on some back roads, throw it into manual mode, and have fun. It changes ratios instantly. Lets see a Camry/Accord do THAT! Also, this car gets better gas mileage than Camry or Accord 4-cyl models. It's a great car!

[VoyageofLaputa]

I want to get 2.5S with a sunroof. I love the sporty feeling. I'm waiting to get that Cash for Clunkers thing.

[shady4kings]

haha im w8ing for the same exact thing lol

[blacksceptre]

that's the right thing to do.

[SilverKnight]

I already did that this past weekend! My first car!

[rax2099]

it's a nice car, too bad it has a CVT, i hate CVT's...

[VoyageofLaputa]

why do you hate CVTs they are really good you never have to change the timing belt and its shiftless! so you'll never have squealing problems.

[rax2099]

you're right

it's the driving feeling that i don't like...

[VoyageofLaputa]

they made these paddle shifts i think so you can make it feel manual. i know the cvt scares me too because its like omg woaaah

[mercmilan06]

Wow, that's amazing mileage for a midsize sedan with a 2.5L engine. Too bad the options are sooooo expensive...otherwise this is a pretty darn good car

[bmtimv]

That'd be cool if you could get the hybrid in a 6 speed manual.. though they will never offer something like that

[mikeye9]

i don't even think that's possible. It would probably cost more than the auto.

[bmtimv]

you use to be able to get the civic hybrid in a 5 speed manual, I still prefer shifting the car myself. I feel as though I have more control over the power of the car.. for me it is not a cost thing.

[superfragger]

Owning an Altima Hybrid myself, I honestly don't see how a manual transmission would be possible in a hybrid car. I think the only reason you could get it in the Civic Hybrid is because it wasn't a true hybrid, per say... the engine was always on, unlike the Altima and the Prius/Camry.

[chrisiztheman1618]

hey dan, I was wondering if you could do a review on the g37 sedan? nice review btw, we have the V6 model, not fully loaded though

[mpgomatic]

Thanks, Chris! The Altima's great with the inline four ... would love to give it a spin with the V6. The G37's on the radar, but it might be a while ...

[DodgeRam224]

@mpgomatic who made MPGomatic???

[bg1379]

What was the total price? And, why don't you get ads for these videos? They're great.

[mpgomatic]

Thanks, BG! The retail base is $21,540 ... but this one was loaded with option packages (convenience, convenience plus, SL, connection) and other goodies (fog lights, rear spoiler), bringing it up to a total of $29,940, including destination charges. We're slowly adding ads to the videos... it's taken a while.