Ride Report - '11 Nissan Altima 2.5 S
Sep 24, 2012, 4:13 am
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Ride Report - '11 Nissan Altima 2.5 S
OKAY, you win! I finally got an Altima. Happy? Because I sure am 
The Corolla I had originally received on my reservation from a local HLE had bad brakes, so I swapped it for this high-mileage but fresh-out-of-the-shop 2011 Altima at the airport. As a die-hard preferrer of American brands, and having heard so much criticism of other FCARs like the Impala and Malibu (although for the latter it was deserved), I decided not to complain and see if even a highly-used model such as this one could possibly change my opinion. After a day and a half with it and taking it an extra 60+ miles further than I had to, I'd say it most certainly did.
www.nissanusa.com/altima
Car Description: 11 ALTIMA S (2011 Nissan Altima 2.5 S)
Class: F6
The S trim is the intermediate trim level for the Altima. This particular vehicle didn't have any of the optional features, and had a MSRP of $23,210. This is the highest-mileage vehicle I've ever driven (and upon browsing the highest mileage vehicles thread, I think I may have set a record with 56,941 miles on the odometer when I picked it up! I added 101 miles to that number, but I don't apologize
Powertrain: The 2011 Altima comes with the 2.5-liter "QR25DE" inline 4-cylinder engine, which produces up to 175 horsepower and 180 ft-lbs. or torque. This is average for a full-size car with a 4-cylinder engine; I would have liked a 6-cylinder engine, but you can't be too picky with Hertz -- and 4 cylinders was enough for this car. The continuously variable transmission, however, is less common in the class, and what's even more unusual is how well it performs. Sure, it does rev high occasionally, especially when going the distance from 60 to 80 mph on the highway, but does get you from 0 to 60 in 8.6 seconds.* The manual mode was also very responsive except for the first two gears; from a stop, it felt as if second gear was non-existent other than the number "2" on the screen. The EPA rates the fuel economy of the Altima at 23 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway; I pushed this car very hard (with mostly mountain driving!) and averaged 24, which is decent, but I did expect better.
*This isn't to say acceleration is bad -- it's actually surprisingly good, but only occasionally. It's weird: it seems to get you to 20 or 30 very quickly, then it almost pauses while the RPMs increase from the 2000-3000 range to the 4000-5000 range and then you go the rest of the way up to 60 and beyond. And this is when you're flooring it. If it could get that faster acceleration rate from the start, I think the Altima would benefit greatly.
Ride/Handling: The Altima truly surprised me in this category. It's a pretty tight car, with a stiff suspension, tight steering, and firm braking. The brakes squeaked a bit occasionally but that's because it has over 57,000 miles on it (although the brakes on my personal 2004 Malibu MAXX with over 80,000 miles never squealed
). I did a lot of driving on windy, steep roads in the Wasatch mountain range, and I was really impressed with how well it handled on the switchbacks and hills.
One thing I want to point out is that the brakes did save me at one point. I was cruising down a long, straight hill (3 lanes, and it must have been at least two miles long), when out of nowhere a deer walked into my lane. I was able to stop before hitting it; if I was in the Corolla, I may not have been able to write that ride report.
Interior: I'd say the interior of the Altima is slightly better-than-average compared to other FCARs. The Charcoal cloth trim suited the car fine. Four to five people can fit comfortably in the car. I'd like to point out that the front seat was one of the most comfortable ones I've sat in for an FCAR, even if it wasn't leather; I'd say it was one of the best, but even manually-adjustable lumbar support would have been welcome
Both of the front seats can be adjusted manually.
The radio cluster, consisting of decent-looking square buttons in two rows, was pretty intuitive and the screen easy to read. The climate controls mainly consisted of two large dials, but the fan had (I counted) 26 (!) power level notches. The AC also did a great job of cooling down the car quickly. I found two DC power outlets -- one below the radio cluster in the storage compartment, and one in the center console, next to a USB outlet. There was an auxiliary jack directly on the radio cluster in line with the buttons. The gauge cluster is also easy to read and gives you the information you need, including instant and average fuel economies, fuel range, and so on.
My favorite feature was the push-button engine start/stop control. I haven't had that in a rental car since my Corvette and I just think it's so cool
There was a charging slot for the proximity key below the steering wheel and to the left. Something that wasn't so nice though was the manual light controls. Perhaps Chevy and Ford spoil me but I feel like this should be standard on all FCARs.
There is a ton of storage space. The trunk is pretty big. The center console has a tray level in it, which was the perfect size for a rental contract. There are plenty of cup holders. And the Altima has the largest glove compartment I've seen in my entire life -- which actually isn't a great thing, because the manual slides around and you can hear it (I stashed the insurance paperwork in a narrow slot on the top portion of the compartment!). Speaking of hearing things, road noise is well muted in the Altima. The engine can be loud if you really push it (or if it pushes itself) but it's not too bad.
Exterior/Design:The Altima is pretty generic when it comes to its exterior design, but you can see they tried, especially with the tail lights. The Brilliant Metallic Silver paint suited it well, although for some reason I kept thinking I had a dark blue car. The dual exhaust pipes were cool, though.
One thing I wasn't so pleased about in terms of design was the windshield wipers -- although they covered the vast majority of the windshield, a good inch or two on the left was left untouched. This could have easily been fixed if the wiper just rotated further; instead you were left with a narrow pie-slice being missed.
Features: This car was the stripped down, basic version of the Altima. Its standard features include two DC outlets, and aux-in jack and USB port, steering wheel-mounted cruise control, push-button engine start/stop control and proximity key, a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel ^, a sunglasses holder (where I almost left mine!), and a ton of cup holders in various places. I would have liked automatic headlights, adjustable lumbar support, and Bluetooth connectivity, but I was able to cope without these luxuries.
Value: This was a swap from a Corolla I had received from a HLE that had bad brakes. I paid $25 all-in for 2 days and 2 hours for a compact car (Chevy Aveo or similar) using the USAA CDP and a $10/day-off PC, so this is an abnormally good value. If I received this on a FCAR reservation I would have been happy too, although a newer car with more features would be nicer of course.
Summary
PROS:
CONS:
Although it was high mileage and it was old, the Altima blew away nearly all of my preconceptions about Japanese automakers -- they do actually make cars that are comfortable and fun to drive, yet don't put a strain on your wallet. I was doing the SLC station manager a favor by taking this, but I was surprised how much I liked it.
Final Verdict: Nissan pretty much got the full-size car right with the 2011 Altima 2.5 S, and this was in 2011 and with a 4-cylinder! Some more power and a more responsive manual mode would definitely help, as well as some more features. Regardless of those shortcomings, this is really one of the better FCARs in the fleet.
-J.
P.S. I still prefer the Impala LTZ
The Corolla I had originally received on my reservation from a local HLE had bad brakes, so I swapped it for this high-mileage but fresh-out-of-the-shop 2011 Altima at the airport. As a die-hard preferrer of American brands, and having heard so much criticism of other FCARs like the Impala and Malibu (although for the latter it was deserved), I decided not to complain and see if even a highly-used model such as this one could possibly change my opinion. After a day and a half with it and taking it an extra 60+ miles further than I had to, I'd say it most certainly did.www.nissanusa.com/altima
Car Description: 11 ALTIMA S (2011 Nissan Altima 2.5 S)
Class: F6
The S trim is the intermediate trim level for the Altima. This particular vehicle didn't have any of the optional features, and had a MSRP of $23,210. This is the highest-mileage vehicle I've ever driven (and upon browsing the highest mileage vehicles thread, I think I may have set a record with 56,941 miles on the odometer when I picked it up! I added 101 miles to that number, but I don't apologize
Powertrain: The 2011 Altima comes with the 2.5-liter "QR25DE" inline 4-cylinder engine, which produces up to 175 horsepower and 180 ft-lbs. or torque. This is average for a full-size car with a 4-cylinder engine; I would have liked a 6-cylinder engine, but you can't be too picky with Hertz -- and 4 cylinders was enough for this car. The continuously variable transmission, however, is less common in the class, and what's even more unusual is how well it performs. Sure, it does rev high occasionally, especially when going the distance from 60 to 80 mph on the highway, but does get you from 0 to 60 in 8.6 seconds.* The manual mode was also very responsive except for the first two gears; from a stop, it felt as if second gear was non-existent other than the number "2" on the screen. The EPA rates the fuel economy of the Altima at 23 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway; I pushed this car very hard (with mostly mountain driving!) and averaged 24, which is decent, but I did expect better.
*This isn't to say acceleration is bad -- it's actually surprisingly good, but only occasionally. It's weird: it seems to get you to 20 or 30 very quickly, then it almost pauses while the RPMs increase from the 2000-3000 range to the 4000-5000 range and then you go the rest of the way up to 60 and beyond. And this is when you're flooring it. If it could get that faster acceleration rate from the start, I think the Altima would benefit greatly.
Ride/Handling: The Altima truly surprised me in this category. It's a pretty tight car, with a stiff suspension, tight steering, and firm braking. The brakes squeaked a bit occasionally but that's because it has over 57,000 miles on it (although the brakes on my personal 2004 Malibu MAXX with over 80,000 miles never squealed
). I did a lot of driving on windy, steep roads in the Wasatch mountain range, and I was really impressed with how well it handled on the switchbacks and hills.One thing I want to point out is that the brakes did save me at one point. I was cruising down a long, straight hill (3 lanes, and it must have been at least two miles long), when out of nowhere a deer walked into my lane. I was able to stop before hitting it; if I was in the Corolla, I may not have been able to write that ride report.
Interior: I'd say the interior of the Altima is slightly better-than-average compared to other FCARs. The Charcoal cloth trim suited the car fine. Four to five people can fit comfortably in the car. I'd like to point out that the front seat was one of the most comfortable ones I've sat in for an FCAR, even if it wasn't leather; I'd say it was one of the best, but even manually-adjustable lumbar support would have been welcome
Both of the front seats can be adjusted manually.The radio cluster, consisting of decent-looking square buttons in two rows, was pretty intuitive and the screen easy to read. The climate controls mainly consisted of two large dials, but the fan had (I counted) 26 (!) power level notches. The AC also did a great job of cooling down the car quickly. I found two DC power outlets -- one below the radio cluster in the storage compartment, and one in the center console, next to a USB outlet. There was an auxiliary jack directly on the radio cluster in line with the buttons. The gauge cluster is also easy to read and gives you the information you need, including instant and average fuel economies, fuel range, and so on.
My favorite feature was the push-button engine start/stop control. I haven't had that in a rental car since my Corvette and I just think it's so cool
There was a charging slot for the proximity key below the steering wheel and to the left. Something that wasn't so nice though was the manual light controls. Perhaps Chevy and Ford spoil me but I feel like this should be standard on all FCARs.There is a ton of storage space. The trunk is pretty big. The center console has a tray level in it, which was the perfect size for a rental contract. There are plenty of cup holders. And the Altima has the largest glove compartment I've seen in my entire life -- which actually isn't a great thing, because the manual slides around and you can hear it (I stashed the insurance paperwork in a narrow slot on the top portion of the compartment!). Speaking of hearing things, road noise is well muted in the Altima. The engine can be loud if you really push it (or if it pushes itself) but it's not too bad.
Exterior/Design:The Altima is pretty generic when it comes to its exterior design, but you can see they tried, especially with the tail lights. The Brilliant Metallic Silver paint suited it well, although for some reason I kept thinking I had a dark blue car. The dual exhaust pipes were cool, though.
One thing I wasn't so pleased about in terms of design was the windshield wipers -- although they covered the vast majority of the windshield, a good inch or two on the left was left untouched. This could have easily been fixed if the wiper just rotated further; instead you were left with a narrow pie-slice being missed.
Features: This car was the stripped down, basic version of the Altima. Its standard features include two DC outlets, and aux-in jack and USB port, steering wheel-mounted cruise control, push-button engine start/stop control and proximity key, a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel ^, a sunglasses holder (where I almost left mine!), and a ton of cup holders in various places. I would have liked automatic headlights, adjustable lumbar support, and Bluetooth connectivity, but I was able to cope without these luxuries.
Value: This was a swap from a Corolla I had received from a HLE that had bad brakes. I paid $25 all-in for 2 days and 2 hours for a compact car (Chevy Aveo or similar) using the USAA CDP and a $10/day-off PC, so this is an abnormally good value. If I received this on a FCAR reservation I would have been happy too, although a newer car with more features would be nicer of course.
Summary
- 2.5L inline 4-cylinder engine (175 hp, 180 ft-lbs. of torque)
- CVT with 6-speed manual mode
- 23/32 mpg
- Second trim level
PROS:
- Nice pickup from a stop
- Great handling all-around
- Comfortable seats
- Proximity key
- Push-button engine start/stop
CONS:
- Very stripped-down model
- No lumbar support
- No automatic headlights
- Manual mode not always very responsive
Although it was high mileage and it was old, the Altima blew away nearly all of my preconceptions about Japanese automakers -- they do actually make cars that are comfortable and fun to drive, yet don't put a strain on your wallet. I was doing the SLC station manager a favor by taking this, but I was surprised how much I liked it.
Final Verdict: Nissan pretty much got the full-size car right with the 2011 Altima 2.5 S, and this was in 2011 and with a 4-cylinder! Some more power and a more responsive manual mode would definitely help, as well as some more features. Regardless of those shortcomings, this is really one of the better FCARs in the fleet.
-J.
P.S. I still prefer the Impala LTZ
Last edited by GW McLintock; Sep 26, 2012 at 1:12 am Reason: Clarification
Sep 24, 2012, 4:14 am
#2
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And oh dear, I just noticed in a couple of my photos that the gas cap was open! 
I didn't do it, and it wasn't like that when I got the car. I guess the lock gets tired after 57,000 miles. The ones that you can open from the outside (i.e., that don't lock) look better than one that should be locked but isn't
-J.
I didn't do it, and it wasn't like that when I got the car. I guess the lock gets tired after 57,000 miles. The ones that you can open from the outside (i.e., that don't lock) look better than one that should be locked but isn't -J.
Sep 24, 2012, 4:49 am
#3
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I know you wrote about it before but I think you might set a record for getting last year's models so late in the year (the Corolla and now this). 
Having driven a few of these Altimas though, I'd pretty much agree with your assessments. I got myself really used to the proximity key, quite nice to not have to take it out of your pocket. I found it an adequate, inoffensive car generally. It has a familiar (to me) Japanese feel in riding and in the controls. None of the Altimas I had were optioned with anything notable, always felt very base. This made getting the car as YF kind of a joke because it used to be that a Specialty F would have some equipment in it, and these didn't even have a power seat or any other added comfort/convenience stuff.
Did you notice the CVT's engine brake effect going downhill? If you let off the gas on a significant enough downhill the CVT will choose lower ratios that simulate downshifting. This I found disconcerting sometimes when I had one at home (don't remember it when I had it in Vegas even though we drove out to the North Rim). It's much more aggressive than I would do in my own stick shift car. I find that to be a flaw in the CVT programming but otherwise I didn't find the CVT to be appreciably different than other automatics.
Anyway, like was said in the other thread, enjoy reading a good ride report and really appreciate your posting them. ^ I'd like to think I could contribute a few useful thoughts on the cars once in a while, but I'm really not much good at organizing them into a report like this. Or at least not good at finding the energy to do it.
PS Are you SURE you didn't accidentally trigger the fuel door? LOL I can't remember if it's right next to the trunk release in this car or not.
Having driven a few of these Altimas though, I'd pretty much agree with your assessments. I got myself really used to the proximity key, quite nice to not have to take it out of your pocket. I found it an adequate, inoffensive car generally. It has a familiar (to me) Japanese feel in riding and in the controls. None of the Altimas I had were optioned with anything notable, always felt very base. This made getting the car as YF kind of a joke because it used to be that a Specialty F would have some equipment in it, and these didn't even have a power seat or any other added comfort/convenience stuff.
Did you notice the CVT's engine brake effect going downhill? If you let off the gas on a significant enough downhill the CVT will choose lower ratios that simulate downshifting. This I found disconcerting sometimes when I had one at home (don't remember it when I had it in Vegas even though we drove out to the North Rim). It's much more aggressive than I would do in my own stick shift car. I find that to be a flaw in the CVT programming but otherwise I didn't find the CVT to be appreciably different than other automatics.
Anyway, like was said in the other thread, enjoy reading a good ride report and really appreciate your posting them. ^ I'd like to think I could contribute a few useful thoughts on the cars once in a while, but I'm really not much good at organizing them into a report like this. Or at least not good at finding the energy to do it.
PS Are you SURE you didn't accidentally trigger the fuel door?
LOL I can't remember if it's right next to the trunk release in this car or not.
Sep 24, 2012, 4:58 am
#4
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Thanks for your comments You think this is bad? Last October I had a 2010 Corolla! I'm hoping once I make 5* (which should be next month) that things get better, but from reports on here it looks like they might get worse Anyway on Tuesday I'm getting another car, but from my HLE; I'm bringing them cookies (I guess as a peace offering for swapping AND dumping this on them -- as much as I liked it, it's still a 2011 and has 57k) so I'm hoping I get something new-ish
Your explanation of the engine braking really explains a lot! I think that also had a lot to do with why when I was going downhill, downshifting didn't seem to do much unless I went two or three gears (having to go from 5 to, say, 3 to feel an effect). I still prefer real transmissions.
I don't remember if it's near the trunk release or not, but for some reason I think that was a button near the key charger (I could be making this up). The fuel door release was on the floor. I did open it on the lot to make sure it worked, but I did close it afterwards (or so I thought?).
-J.
You think this is bad? Last October I had a 2010 Corolla! I'm hoping once I make 5* (which should be next month) that things get better, but from reports on here it looks like they might get worse Anyway on Tuesday I'm getting another car, but from my HLE; I'm bringing them cookies (I guess as a peace offering for swapping AND dumping this on them -- as much as I liked it, it's still a 2011 and has 57k) so I'm hoping I get something new-ish Your explanation of the engine braking really explains a lot! I think that also had a lot to do with why when I was going downhill, downshifting didn't seem to do much unless I went two or three gears (having to go from 5 to, say, 3 to feel an effect). I still prefer real transmissions.
I don't remember if it's near the trunk release or not, but for some reason I think that was a button near the key charger (I could be making this up). The fuel door release was on the floor. I did open it on the lot to make sure it worked, but I did close it afterwards (or so I thought?).
-J.
Sep 24, 2012, 7:26 am
#5
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Thanks for your comments You think this is bad? Last October I had a 2010 Corolla! I'm hoping once I make 5* (which should be next month) that things get better, but from reports on here it looks like they might get worse Anyway on Tuesday I'm getting another car, but from my HLE; I'm bringing them cookies (I guess as a peace offering for swapping AND dumping this on them -- as much as I liked it, it's still a 2011 and has 57k) so I'm hoping I get something new-ish
Your explanation of the engine braking really explains a lot! I think that also had a lot to do with why when I was going downhill, downshifting didn't seem to do much unless I went two or three gears (having to go from 5 to, say, 3 to feel an effect). I still prefer real transmissions.
I don't remember if it's near the trunk release or not, but for some reason I think that was a button near the key charger (I could be making this up). The fuel door release was on the floor. I did open it on the lot to make sure it worked, but I did close it afterwards (or so I thought?).
-J.
You think this is bad? Last October I had a 2010 Corolla! I'm hoping once I make 5* (which should be next month) that things get better, but from reports on here it looks like they might get worse Anyway on Tuesday I'm getting another car, but from my HLE; I'm bringing them cookies (I guess as a peace offering for swapping AND dumping this on them -- as much as I liked it, it's still a 2011 and has 57k) so I'm hoping I get something new-ish Your explanation of the engine braking really explains a lot! I think that also had a lot to do with why when I was going downhill, downshifting didn't seem to do much unless I went two or three gears (having to go from 5 to, say, 3 to feel an effect). I still prefer real transmissions.
I don't remember if it's near the trunk release or not, but for some reason I think that was a button near the key charger (I could be making this up). The fuel door release was on the floor. I did open it on the lot to make sure it worked, but I did close it afterwards (or so I thought?).
-J.
Sep 24, 2012, 7:38 am
#6
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-J.
Sep 26, 2012, 2:56 pm
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One thing I just remembered that I really didn't like was how much of the windshield was covered by the blue tinted part that's supposed to inhibit sunlight -- it went down much farther than I was used to, to the point that I found it distracting.
-J.
-J.
Sep 27, 2012, 10:07 pm
#8
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Oh man. You sure liked the Altima eh? I got one out of OGG and went back to swap later that same night. The 2.5L I4 is not bad but the CVT is annoying. The engine feels like it's revving high so it's noisy. The headlights were dismal. I felt like I couldn't keep the car going in a straight line unless I tried. I really just didn't care for the car at all. I swapped it for a Forester and it was an excellent car and the AWD made me feel more secure in the rain and fog going up and down Haleakala. Hertz was really good about it and let me pick pretty much whatever I wanted (economy thru full, and SUVs) to replace the Altima with at no upcharge ^
Don't get me wrong - I'm not against Nissan or CVTs; I just think Nissan's CVT is better suited to something with more power. I had a '11 Maxima a few months ago with 5K on the clock and I LOVED it. Pedal to the metal baby! That 3.5L V6 is an animal, and the CVT paired up nicely with it. I averaged all of 18 MPG with a mix of city/highway driving so that was a little disappointing, but my lead foot is to blame, not the car.
Oh, and the Altima I had only had a tilt steering wheel. Seriously? And no steering wheel audio controls. Boo. I expected better.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not against Nissan or CVTs; I just think Nissan's CVT is better suited to something with more power. I had a '11 Maxima a few months ago with 5K on the clock and I LOVED it. Pedal to the metal baby! That 3.5L V6 is an animal, and the CVT paired up nicely with it. I averaged all of 18 MPG with a mix of city/highway driving so that was a little disappointing, but my lead foot is to blame, not the car.
Oh, and the Altima I had only had a tilt steering wheel. Seriously? And no steering wheel audio controls. Boo. I expected better.
Nov 15, 2013, 12:56 pm
#9
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Just rented one of these at HNL this past weekend. That car was in the worst shape I've ever experienced with a rental. Dents and scratches all over the exterior, huge red stains on the floor inside the vehicle, the right hand mirror wouldn't work and the headlights were absolutely abysmal (especially while driving in the rain on Oahu at night). I'm headed out to KOA this weekend now and rented from Hertz again so hopefully this time I can pick up a better vehicle.
Nov 15, 2013, 3:02 pm
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There was a 50k+ mileage Altima, and similar Galant, in the Gold Choice section at SFO last night. I stuck with my allocated 30k mileage 2012 Cruze.