Breaking my rule of "anything but an Altima," I recently had a 2016 Nissan Altima 2.5 S at OGG (Maui, Hawaii). No, it's not the 3.5 SL model that's a welcome change from the typical base model Nissans in the fleet, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I'd even move it from "avoid" to "acceptable" when picking off the aisle.

This Altima 2.5 S in Brilliant Silver with beige cloth interior had the power driver's seat and carpet floor and trunk mats options. MSRP was $24,275, including destination.

The Good:

• Now has a backup camera and 5" screen, even on the S model
• Standard smart-key with push-button start
• Equipped with the power driver's seat option

The Bad:

• Non-folding side mirrors
• 5" screen, while definitely a welcome addition, is on the small side compared to competitors

The Altima went through a mid-cycle refresh in 2016. In addition to a refreshed front and rear treatment, the S model added Nissan's 5" infotainment screen and a backup camera. The dash retains the 4" display between the gauges, but better integrates the gear shift and odometer than the 2013-15 models.

Maybe it was the combination beige and black interior (a nice change from the typical all-black scheme) or the new infotainment screen, but the interior had a premium feel that I thought was better than the Camry and at least as good as the last Sonata and Optima that I drove.



One thing the S model didn't receive was folding side mirrors. I didn't realize this until I was parallel parked and I attempted to fold the driver's mirror. The upper trim levels have upgraded mirrors that fold and have integrated turn signal repeaters.

The rest of my time with the Altima was uneventful -- which is a good thing when all you want is competent and reliable transportation from point A to Z. Would I purposely seek out an Altima on the Aisle? Probably not. Would I take one over a base Sonata, Optima, or Camry? Probably, if only because I enjoy the convenience of the Smart Key.