| Vehicle | |
|---|---|
| Model year | 2011 |
| Make | Nissan |
| Model | Altima 2.5 S |
| Style | 4-door sedan |
| Base MSRP | $22,830 |
| Options on test vehicle | Metallic Slate Metallic; Special Edition Package ($750 -- includes Special Edition badge, 16-inch alloy wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, auto on/off headlights, foglights, rear spoiler); Floor and Trunk Mats ($175 -- includes five-piece set). |
| As-tested MSRP | $23,755 |
| Drivetrain | |
|---|---|
| Drive type | Transverse, Front-engine, Front-wheel Drive |
| Engine type | Naturally aspirated, port-injected inline-4, gasoline |
| Displacement (cc/cu-in) | 2,488/152 |
| Block/head material | Aluminum/aluminum |
| Valvetrain | DOHC, four valves per cylinder, variable exhaust-valve timing |
| Compression ratio (x:1) | 9.6 |
| Redline (rpm) | 6,250 |
| Horsepower (hp @ rpm) | 175 @ 5,600 (170 @ 5,600 Calif) |
| Torque (lb-ft @ rpm) | 180 @ 3,900 (175 @ 3,900 Calif) |
| Fuel type | 87-octane recommended |
| Transmission type | Pulley-regulated continuously variable automatic transmission with console shifter with manual-shift mode |
| Transmission and axle ratios (x:1) | 2.349-0.394 |
| Chassis | |
|---|---|
| Suspension, front | Independent MacPherson struts, coil springs, stabilizer bar |
| Suspension, rear | Independent multilink, coil springs, stabilizer bar |
| Steering type | Hydraulic-assist, speed-proportional, rack-and-pinion power steering |
| Steering ratio (x:1) | 16.2 |
| Tire brand | Continental |
| Tire model | ContiPro Contact |
| Tire type | All season |
| Tire size, front | P215/60R16 94T |
| Tire size, rear | P215/60R16 94T |
| Wheel size | 16-by-7 inches |
| Wheel material | Cast aluminum |
| Brakes, front | 11.7-inch one-piece ventilated cast-iron discs with single-piston sliding calipers |
| Brakes, rear | 11.5-inch one-piece solid cast-iron discs with single-piston sliding calipers |
| Track Test Results | |
|---|---|
| Acceleration, 0-30 mph (sec.) | 3.4 |
| 0-45 mph (sec.) | 5.7 |
| 0-60 mph (sec.) | 8.5 |
| 0-75 mph (sec.) | 12.3 |
| 1/4-mile (sec. @ mph) | 16.3 @ 87.2 |
| 0-60 with 1 foot of rollout (sec.) | 8.1 |
| Braking, 30-0 mph (ft.) | 31 |
| 60-0 mph (ft.) | 126 |
| Slalom, 6 x 100 ft. (mph) | 61.8 |
| Skid pad, 200-ft. diameter (lateral g) | 0.75 |
| Sound level @ idle (dB) | 41.3 |
| @ Full throttle (dB) | 72.2 |
| @ 70 mph cruise (dB) | 63.1 |
| Test Driver Ratings & Comments | |
|---|---|
| Acceleration comments | Not much for me to do here, as the car punishes pedal overlap and inserts time-sucking "shifts" if I select Manual mode. Engine approaches redline by 55-60 mph and remains there for entire run. No matched-rev downshifts, though it is very smooth when downshifting. |
| Braking rating | Average |
| Braking comments | Good initial bite, average pedal feel/firmness. After each full-ABS stop, the car felt as if it went into "limp-home" mode or started in "2nd" gear from a stop with no throttle response. |
| Handling rating | Average |
| Handling comments | Skid pad: ESC is truly off and there's a remarkable amount of balance here between under- and oversteer. Too bad the tires aren't a little grippier to go along with the chassis. Only a little bit of usable steering feedback, so I used the squealing tires as a gauge instead. ESC on takes the throttle away as tires begin to howl, hence lower speed. Slalom: With ESC off, this car will rotate quite a lot, especially off-throttle, and that would be useful with better tires. These tires feel hard and won't bite up front or grip in the rear. The chassis feels capable, and we know it is from previous Altima SE tests. With ESC on, the brake check was quick and subtle, returning control to the driver, but it doesn't allow the rotation the defeated mode does. Steering weight was good but the feel was lacking. |
| Testing Conditions | |
|---|---|
| Elevation (ft.) | 1,121 |
| Temperature (°F) | 71 |
| Relative humidity (%) | 18.25 |
| Wind (mph, direction) | 7.5 tailwind |
| Fuel Consumption | |
|---|---|
| EPA fuel economy (mpg) | 23 city/32 highway/27 combined |
| Edmunds observed (mpg) | 25.6 |
| Fuel tank capacity (U.S. gal.) | 20.0 |
| Dimensions & Capacities | |
|---|---|
| Curb weight, mfr. claim (lbs.) | 3,193 |
| Curb weight, as tested (lbs.) | 3,156 |
| Weight distribution, as tested, f/r (%) | 60/40 |
| Length (in.) | 190.7 |
| Width (in.) | 70.7 |
| Height (in.) | 58.0 |
| Wheelbase (in.) | 109.3 |
| Track, front (in.) | 61.0 |
| Track, rear (in.) | 61.0 |
| Turning circle (ft.) | 36.1 |
| Legroom, front (in.) | 44.1 |
| Legroom, rear (in.) | 35.8 |
| Headroom, front (in.) | 40.6 |
| Headroom, rear (in.) | 36.8 |
| Shoulder room, front (in.) | 55.7 |
| Shoulder room, rear (in.) | 55.5 |
| Seating capacity | 5 |
| Cargo volume (cu-ft) | 15.3 |
| Warranty | |
|---|---|
| Bumper-to-bumper | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Corrosion | 5 years/Unlimited miles |
| Roadside assistance | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Safety | |
|---|---|
| Front airbags | Standard |
| Side airbags | Standard Front |
| Head airbags | Standard |
| Knee airbags | N/A |
| Antilock brakes | Standard |
| Electronic brake enhancements | Electronic brakeforce distribution |
| Traction control | Standard |
| Stability control | Standard |
| Tire-pressure monitoring system | Standard |
| NHTSA crash test, driver | Four stars |
| NHTSA crash test, passenger | Four stars |
| NHTSA crash test, side front | Five stars |
| NHTSA crash test, side rear | Five stars |
| NHTSA rollover resistance | Four stars |
| IIHS offset | Good |
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