Nissan Altima

Available as either a coupe or sedan, the Altima delivers plenty of behind-the-wheel stimulation as well as enough comfort and tranquility to satisfy all five occupants. Altima is still a prime choice for a midsize sedan or coupe with its affordability and style. The sedan or coupe is the perfect car for taking those long roadtrips through Marland or the Annapolis area.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The Altima 2.5 comes with 16-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, air-conditioning, cruise control and a trip This base model is only available as a sedan and by customer order.

The 2.5 S trim levels is available in either coupe or sedan. Additions include a six-speaker audio system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack, keyless ignition/entry and various interior trim bits. The 3.5 SE offers a 3.5-liter V6. The 3.5 SE also comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, sideview mirrors with integrated signals, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated audio controls, and wood-tone interior accents. The 3.5 SE coupe gets further adorned with 18-inch alloy wheels with performance tires, a sunroof and foglights.

The Altima 3.5 SL is only available as a sedan. Standard equipment includes 16-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, leather seats (heated for the driver and front passenger), metallic interior trim, dual-zone automatic climate control with rear passenger vents, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, interior mood lighting, Bluetooth and a nine-speaker Bose audio system with an in-dash six-CD/MP3 changer and satellite radio.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2009 Altima offers two engine choices. Altima 2.5 models come with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder producing 175 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque. Altima 3.5

The four-cylinder manages 23 mpg in the city/31 on the highway and 26 mpg combined. The V6 turns in 19/26/22 mpg.

Safety

Antilock disc brakes are standard across all Altimas, but traction control only comes on the 3.5 models. Stability control isn’t offered on 2.5 models and it’s optional on the 3.5. The coupe was awarded four out of five stars for frontal-impact protection and five stars in side-impact tests.

Interior Design and Special Features

All coupes come with a hand brake and sportier seats with more side bolstering, unlike the sedan — which has more traditional seats and a foot-operated parking brake on CVT models.

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