3- 2013 Nissan Altima (82.43%)
The 2013 Nissan Altima slides into the third spot of our 2013 midsize sedan comparo test as the excellent car that no member on our panel would consider buying. As strange as that may sound, the fact is that the new Altima is a very good car, but lacks soul.
The completely revised for 2013 Nissan Altima borrows heavily from the current Maxima which is a good thing. Despite that, its flavour is far more generic than its Korean, Japanese and German counterparts. Granted, good looks are in the eyes of the beholder, but those beholding the car on the test were not smitten.
The same goes for the 2013 Nissan Altima's cabin. Like the sheetmetal, the dash is plain-Jane and lacks any distinctive features, however, is very well assembled. Although similar in layout to the Volkswagen Passat, it lacks the class and elegance offered up by the Vdub. What the big Nissan has in droves is volume, space, room, and real estate.
The rear bench is enormous and will fit three abreast with ease. Up front, the perches are wide, soft and generally comfortable. We worry that the seats may be too soft for the long haul; we'll have to look into that in the future. The boot is equally huge.
What we enjoyed most about the 2013 Nissan Altima is its serene nature. The large interior was fairly quiet despite the tires kicking up snow, sleet, pebbles and whatnots into the wheel wells.
Comfort levels were always kept in check thanks to the car's smooth and relaxed ride. As the second least sportiest of the group, behind the Chevrolet Malibu, the Altima still manages to permit an appreciable level of spirited driving. Bottom line is that if feedback and driving dynamics are high on the priority list, cars No. 1 and 2 of this comparo will perform better.
In the power game, the 2013 Nissan Altima is well served by its 2.5L 4-cylinder mill. With 182 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque, the big sedan manages impressive gusto. The standard Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is good, generally speaking, but causes the engine to drone at low rpm while cruising. As well, our tester suffered from a dashboard buzzing noise which matched the powertrain's rises and drops in revolutions.
As expected, engine might is delivered in a linear fashion which, admittedly, most of us are getting used to, albeit, very slowly. The acceptance of the CVT has been made easier by the one featured in the winner of this face-off.
The 2013 Nissan Altima lands mid-pack mostly for its mid-pack design, inside and out, as well as its lack of general appeal to both young and old.
The 2013 Nissan Altima slides into the third spot of our 2013 midsize sedan comparo test as the excellent car that no member on our panel would consider buying. As strange as that may sound, the fact is that the new Altima is a very good car, but lacks soul.
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| Its flavour is far more generic than its Korean, Japanese and German counterparts. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour) |
The completely revised for 2013 Nissan Altima borrows heavily from the current Maxima which is a good thing. Despite that, its flavour is far more generic than its Korean, Japanese and German counterparts. Granted, good looks are in the eyes of the beholder, but those beholding the car on the test were not smitten.
The same goes for the 2013 Nissan Altima's cabin. Like the sheetmetal, the dash is plain-Jane and lacks any distinctive features, however, is very well assembled. Although similar in layout to the Volkswagen Passat, it lacks the class and elegance offered up by the Vdub. What the big Nissan has in droves is volume, space, room, and real estate.
The rear bench is enormous and will fit three abreast with ease. Up front, the perches are wide, soft and generally comfortable. We worry that the seats may be too soft for the long haul; we'll have to look into that in the future. The boot is equally huge.
What we enjoyed most about the 2013 Nissan Altima is its serene nature. The large interior was fairly quiet despite the tires kicking up snow, sleet, pebbles and whatnots into the wheel wells.
Comfort levels were always kept in check thanks to the car's smooth and relaxed ride. As the second least sportiest of the group, behind the Chevrolet Malibu, the Altima still manages to permit an appreciable level of spirited driving. Bottom line is that if feedback and driving dynamics are high on the priority list, cars No. 1 and 2 of this comparo will perform better.
In the power game, the 2013 Nissan Altima is well served by its 2.5L 4-cylinder mill. With 182 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque, the big sedan manages impressive gusto. The standard Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is good, generally speaking, but causes the engine to drone at low rpm while cruising. As well, our tester suffered from a dashboard buzzing noise which matched the powertrain's rises and drops in revolutions.
As expected, engine might is delivered in a linear fashion which, admittedly, most of us are getting used to, albeit, very slowly. The acceptance of the CVT has been made easier by the one featured in the winner of this face-off.
The 2013 Nissan Altima lands mid-pack mostly for its mid-pack design, inside and out, as well as its lack of general appeal to both young and old.
 |
| The dash is plain-Jane and lacks any distinctive features, however, is very well assembled. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour) |