The Altima Sedan, now in its fourth generation, underwent a facelift last year and probably will continue as the best-selling vehicle in the 2011 Nissan lineup.
The 2011 Altima Sedan again offers a nice combination of a sporty design and a wide range of available features and technology. Enhancements for the new model year include revised package content and three new exterior colors.
The Altima Sedan again is available in three models designed to appeal to a broad range of buyers and budgets — the 2.5 CVT and 2.5 S CVT with a standard 175-hp 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine, and the 3.5 SR CVT with a 270-hp 3.5-liter V-6.
In 2010, the Altima Sedan was given a restyled hood, grille, front bumper and aluminum-alloy wheel designs. Those changes added a greater visual presence to the front end, especially the hood, and differentiated the Sedan from the Coupe.
The refreshed exterior styling continues with the T-shaped grille, powerful front fenders, strong wedge character line, forward A-pillars and Nissan roofline. High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights and front fog lights are optional with the Sport Package (3.5 SR), while Altima-style taillights and dual exhaust finishers are standard on all models. An aerodynamic rear spoiler is part of the new Special Edition Package, along with fog lights, auto on/off headlights and leather-wrapped steering wheels with audio controls.
Altima’s short front and rear overhangs enhance the car’s maneuverability and contribute to its sporty appearance. Altima’s chassis layout allows for a roomy front and rear cabin, ample interior headroom and legroom, and good cargo storage with 15.3 cubic feet of trunk space. Altima is available with 16-inch (optional on 2.5 S) or 17-inch (standard on 3.5 SR) aluminum-alloy wheels or 16-inch steel wheels with covers (2.5, 2.5 S).
The Altima interior continues to have soft materials, such as padded armrests, and stylish chrome accents, with complementing fabrics and finishers for all interior colors (both cloth and leather-appointed). The Altima instrument panel features a Fine Vision gauge display for precise readability and the L-shaped flow of the instrument panel to the center console adds to a driver-oriented cockpit.
The center console has a triple front cup holder and many other convenient cup and bottle areas (up to nine total, including 20-ounce bottle holders in the door panels) and storage compartments. Three interior colors are available — Charcoal, Blond and Frost — in both high quality soft-touch suede-like fabric and with optional leather-appointed seating.
Also available is a Premium Audio Package that includes a Bose AM/FM audio system with nine speakers, 4.3-inch color display, USB port with iPod connectivity, Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, MP3/WMA CD-ROM playback, XM Satellite Radio and RearView Monitor.
Pricing on the 2011 Nissan Altima Sedan ranges from $19,900 to $24,740.
Ron Beasley is the automotive editor for Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277, ext. 261, or by addressing email correspondence to LetsTalkCars@aol.com.
