Originally Posted by
dstan
Handling: Good acceleration and cornering. I think the noise mentioned above during hard acceleration is due to the fact that the auto transmission does not seem to up-shift past a certain gear until you release the gas pedal.
All Altima sedans have a CVT, which only has fixed gear ratios in manual mode. Otherwise the ratio is continuously variable (hence CVT). Nissan's CVT seems to keep the RPMs relatively constant under strong acceleration, meaning it is always up-shifting when you accelerate (
see Nissan's description). On the 2010 Altima that I often drive the main annoyance is that it keeps the RPMs just a bit too low when the engine is not under load. Otherwise it's one of the better automatic transmissions.
Originally Posted by
dstan
Features: Again, this was a no-frills model.
I hope National doesn't carry the no-frills "2.5" model. It lacks a radio.
Originally Posted by
dstan
Electronic key (don't forget to leave it for the attendant when you return he car!) I tried pressing the button to unlock the driver's side door with the key in my pocket and it worked, but then the car alarm went off...not sure what the point is if you have to click the unlock button anyways.
That's odd. It has worked as expected for all the Nissans that I've driven. The base model (not yours) lacks the button on the handle.
Originally Posted by
dstan
No computer, just a trip odometer.
I believe you are mistaken. Even the base model has one. It's easy to miss; the two buttons are not obvious.
Originally Posted by
dstan
Listed at 23/32, I got 25 mpg highway where the speed limit is 70 mph.
How fast were you driving
? Unless the traffic was stop-and-go, that number seems way too low.
Originally Posted by
OverThereTooMuch
I also had a problem with the electronic key. On my Prius, I just walk up to the car and pull the handle and the door will unlock and open. That wasn't the way it worked on the Altima. Actually, I don't think I got it to lock or unlock, even after pressing the button on the door handle. I think the parking lights flashed when I pressed the button, which I interpreted as a sign that the alarm was enabled or something, but I didn't hear a door lock.
That's odd. Maybe Nissan is having so quality-control problems with the keyless entry systems?
Originally Posted by
OverThereTooMuch
I also didn't think it should be on the ES, mainly because it's the no-frills model. But there were about 8 of these in the ES section at LAX when I picked up a car last week.
^
At DAY the Altima sedans are randomly scattered in the EA and ES.