Auto Car Sport News: 2010 Nissan Altima Coupe

The 2010 Nissan Altima has a narrower choice of transmissions but a wider span of active safety features. Altima returns with two conventional gas engines and a gas-electric hybrid model. The lineup begins with the 2.5 sedan and continues with the 2.5 S sedan and 2.5 S coupe. These models are named for their 2.5-liter 175-horsepower four-cylinder engine. Similarly, V-6 Altimas are named for their 3.5-liter 270-horsepower V-6. The V-6 versions undergo a bit of rebadging for 2010. The sporty Altima 3.5 SE sedan and coupe become the 2010 Nissan Altima 3.5 SR sedan and 3.5 SR coupe. Gone for 2010 is the luxury-oriented 3.5 SL sedan; its $30,000 pricing was encroaching on Maxima territory. The 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid teams a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor for 198 total horsepower.

The Hybrid can be driven at low speed on electricity alone and doesn’t require plug-in charging. However, its availability is limited to California, Oregon, and the New England states that share stringent exhaust-emissions standards. For 2010, Altima’s six-speed manual transmission is available only on the coupes. Available at extra cost on the coupes and standard on all 2010 Altima sedans is a continuously variable transmission. A CVT performs the duties of an automatic transmission but transmits power like a rheostat instead of with preset gear ratios. The idea is to precisely match engine output with power requirements for greater efficiency.

The front seats don’t feel quite as good as they look. They’re comfortable, but those in the Genesis Coupe are even more comfortable and provide better lateral support—the bolsters are spaced for larger people in the Altima. The view forward is open, while the view rearward is more constricted—which is where the new-for-2010 rearview camera pays off. Typical of a coupe, in back there’s not enough space for the heads or legs of adults. If you need to put adults in the back seat, then Nissan will sell you an Altima sedan. The Altima Coupe similarly gives up much of the sedan’s trunk space—there are only 8.2 cubic feet of it, and the opening is tight. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a smaller trunk in a car with a non-folding roof. Adding insult to injury, Nissan didn’t include a handle inside the lid, so you’ll dirty your fingers closing it.

Altimas put some muscle-tone into midsize-car handling. Even Altima 2.5 and 2.5 S sedans with the modestly-sized 16-inch tires answer steering inputs quickly and accurately. Fast turns can be taken with minimal nose plow and body lean. Altima 3.5 SR models feel especially sharp thanks to their stiffer suspension settings and larger wheels and tires. The Altima coupe is indeed more agile than the longer, heavier sedan.