A lot of people used to buy midsize coupes, but not anymore. Back in the ‘80s, virtually every manufacturer had at least one such coupe in their product lineup; today, only a handful are left, and a market segment that was once dominated by the domestic brands has been turned over to the Japanese and Korean manufacturers.
Rivals to the Nissan Altima Coupe are scarce: the Honda Accord, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, the soon-to-be-dumped Mitsubishi Eclipse, and that’s it. We could figure out several reasons to explain the lost interest in coupes: typically higher insurance premiums, limited practicality and less-adventurous styling are just a few.
Still looks good
Yet, the 2012 Nissan Altima Coupe is a sight for sore eyes. It resembles the Altima sedan, but shares virtually no body panels aft of the A-pillars because it’s lower, shorter and rides on a smaller wheelbase. It might be a few years old, but it nevertheless still gets the stares on the road.
During a week without the kids, I coasted from Montreal to Toronto and back in the Altima Coupe. I was actually looking forward to a road trip in Nissan’s midsize two-door, with only me, a suitcase, a computer and a USB key filled with my favourite tunes.
Luckily, my $27,698 Altima Coupe 2.5 S tester was fitted with the $4,400 Premium Package, which adds a rearview camera, Bluetooth connectivity, dual-zone climate control, leather seating, and a nine-speaker Bose stereo with XM radio as well as a USB port. It also includes a $1,300 continuously variable automatic and a three-coat paint job worth an extra $300.
Straightforward cabin
In this car, an upright seating position doesn’t exist. The low roofline means you’ll be tilting your seatback at a 60-degree angle to avoid scraping your head on the ceiling and messing up your perfect hairdo. After a few hours in the seat, I was either dozing off or squirming from tiredness. Maybe I didn’t stop often enough, because the driver’s seat did prove itself comfortable and supportive.
I sat in back just for doggie-doos and giggles, and I didn’t stay there long. For short trips, two adults can wedge themselves in without pulling a muscle, although getting out is a little tricky.
Ah, rotary dials; you can’t beat them for straightforwardness on a dashboard while you’re driving. The Altima has plenty of them, making adjusting cabin temperature and controlling the sound system volume a piece of cake. A power glass sunroof is standard on every Altima Coupe, a nice touch if that’s your cup of tea.
The trunk is spacious enough to stuff in my suitcase and backpack, as well as a few other items I purchased along the way. At 232 litres, though, it could be a little bigger.
Not a sports car
Nissan brands the Altima Coupe as a ‘performance car’, but I’m not too sure this applies to the 2.5 S version I drove. With 175 hp and 180 lb-ft on tap, the car isn’t a slouch, but it ain’t no sports car either. It takes 8.6 seconds to reach 100 km/h, and the quarter-mile comes up in 16.2 seconds at 140 km/h. It actually feels slower than that.
On the other hand, the CVT gearbox contributes to keeping fuel consumption at a minimum. At 100 clicks on the highway, the 2.5L inline-four is spinning at just 1,700 rpm, and my road trip concluded with the car averaging 7.5 L/100 km. Not bad.
If you need more firepower and don’t care as much about the price of gasoline, the Coupe 3.5 SR belts out 270 hp for your front-tire shredding and torque-steering pleasure. Maybe the 2.5 S isn’t so bad after all.
So what about the Altima Coupe’s rivals? The $27,990 Honda Accord Coupe EX is bigger inside and out, and boasts similar performance and fuel economy. The $26,399 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T is more powerful and it’s got rear-wheel drive as well as a lot more character. What makes the Altima better than these two others? Well, nothing significant. Which doesn’t mean it’s a bad car. It’s a better proposition than the Mitsubishi Eclipse.
There’s nothing to dislike about the Nissan Altima Coupe, and at the same time, there isn’t anything here to set one’s heart on fire. The Coupe is a competent performer with decent fuel economy, decent interior space and a decent ride. Nothing less, nothing more.
Vanilla ice cream is always good, but when there are a few other flavours to choose from, it probably won’t be your first choice. Then again, you’ll never be disappointed with vanilla.
Rivals to the Nissan Altima Coupe are scarce: the Honda Accord, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, the soon-to-be-dumped Mitsubishi Eclipse, and that’s it. We could figure out several reasons to explain the lost interest in coupes: typically higher insurance premiums, limited practicality and less-adventurous styling are just a few.
Still looks good
Yet, the 2012 Nissan Altima Coupe is a sight for sore eyes. It resembles the Altima sedan, but shares virtually no body panels aft of the A-pillars because it’s lower, shorter and rides on a smaller wheelbase. It might be a few years old, but it nevertheless still gets the stares on the road.
During a week without the kids, I coasted from Montreal to Toronto and back in the Altima Coupe. I was actually looking forward to a road trip in Nissan’s midsize two-door, with only me, a suitcase, a computer and a USB key filled with my favourite tunes.
Luckily, my $27,698 Altima Coupe 2.5 S tester was fitted with the $4,400 Premium Package, which adds a rearview camera, Bluetooth connectivity, dual-zone climate control, leather seating, and a nine-speaker Bose stereo with XM radio as well as a USB port. It also includes a $1,300 continuously variable automatic and a three-coat paint job worth an extra $300.
Straightforward cabin
In this car, an upright seating position doesn’t exist. The low roofline means you’ll be tilting your seatback at a 60-degree angle to avoid scraping your head on the ceiling and messing up your perfect hairdo. After a few hours in the seat, I was either dozing off or squirming from tiredness. Maybe I didn’t stop often enough, because the driver’s seat did prove itself comfortable and supportive.
I sat in back just for doggie-doos and giggles, and I didn’t stay there long. For short trips, two adults can wedge themselves in without pulling a muscle, although getting out is a little tricky.
Ah, rotary dials; you can’t beat them for straightforwardness on a dashboard while you’re driving. The Altima has plenty of them, making adjusting cabin temperature and controlling the sound system volume a piece of cake. A power glass sunroof is standard on every Altima Coupe, a nice touch if that’s your cup of tea.
The trunk is spacious enough to stuff in my suitcase and backpack, as well as a few other items I purchased along the way. At 232 litres, though, it could be a little bigger.
Not a sports car
Nissan brands the Altima Coupe as a ‘performance car’, but I’m not too sure this applies to the 2.5 S version I drove. With 175 hp and 180 lb-ft on tap, the car isn’t a slouch, but it ain’t no sports car either. It takes 8.6 seconds to reach 100 km/h, and the quarter-mile comes up in 16.2 seconds at 140 km/h. It actually feels slower than that.
On the other hand, the CVT gearbox contributes to keeping fuel consumption at a minimum. At 100 clicks on the highway, the 2.5L inline-four is spinning at just 1,700 rpm, and my road trip concluded with the car averaging 7.5 L/100 km. Not bad.
If you need more firepower and don’t care as much about the price of gasoline, the Coupe 3.5 SR belts out 270 hp for your front-tire shredding and torque-steering pleasure. Maybe the 2.5 S isn’t so bad after all.
So what about the Altima Coupe’s rivals? The $27,990 Honda Accord Coupe EX is bigger inside and out, and boasts similar performance and fuel economy. The $26,399 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T is more powerful and it’s got rear-wheel drive as well as a lot more character. What makes the Altima better than these two others? Well, nothing significant. Which doesn’t mean it’s a bad car. It’s a better proposition than the Mitsubishi Eclipse.
There’s nothing to dislike about the Nissan Altima Coupe, and at the same time, there isn’t anything here to set one’s heart on fire. The Coupe is a competent performer with decent fuel economy, decent interior space and a decent ride. Nothing less, nothing more.
Vanilla ice cream is always good, but when there are a few other flavours to choose from, it probably won’t be your first choice. Then again, you’ll never be disappointed with vanilla.
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