THE most immediately noticeable feature of the 2005 Nissan Altima 3.5 liter SE is that its profile and styling is similar to many other oriental sedans. The rear end has a “sawn-off” brevity and rear spoiler that gives the car a sporty “wedge” look: Distinctive enough, but not a show stopper. Compared with most Japanese sedans, the Altima has a more aggressive “Germanic” style that resonates with the Volkswagen Passat. The grille and front bumper protrude, but integrate with multi-parabola projector-type headlights, with four bulbs behind large triangular covers.
Marketed as a “sports-sedan,” it has all the power it needs to justify the description. For a moderately sedate looking vehicle, it is something of a road-rocket and with all the 245 horsepower at 5800 rpm delivered through 17 inch front wheels, it needs thoughtful handling, especially here on the sometimes unpredictable Saudi road surfaces
A braking and airbag option combines ABS with front side airbags and head-protecting curtain side airbags; traction control is an option on 3.5 SE automatics. If you’re not used to all that power driving the front wheels, it’s a wise one.Redesigned two years ago, the Altima is much larger than the previous generation. Its combination of looks, interior space and performance earned it the 2002 North American Car of the Year award and it became Nissan’s best selling vehicle.
The trunk has a large opening and low lift-over height, and with 15.6 cubic feet capacity it puts the Altima near the top of the mid-size class in luggage space. The lid lifts when popped with the remote key fob and the gooseneck hinges intrude minimally into the usable space.
Audio controls are clustered in an ovoid panel in the center of the dash. Climate control knobs lie directly below and are very easy to locate with. Air conditioning vents are flush-mounted in the dash rather than in protruding pods. On full power, the AC emits an intrusive dull roar. On the model tested, the climate control had problems coping with the Kingdom’s 50o C+ air temperature on anything less than full power.
The dashboard is set low, with a three-gauge binnacle directly in front of the driver containing speedometer, tachometer, and water temperature and fuel gauges. The instruments are clearly readable, even in bright sunlight, and glow orange in the dark. The small diameter steering wheel has a large rectangular center panel containing cruise and radio controls. Visibility of the instruments through the small semi-circle available feels restricted — it means peering rather than glancing at them.
In general, the interior design gives Altima a spacious feel. It ranks near the top of the class on interior dimensions. There’s more front legroom here than in all but the largest vehicles on the road. Its front seats are good sized, fine for larger bodies, and quite comfortable. Thanks to wide doors and a slightly higher-than-average front seating position, getting in and out is easy.
The cabin shows attention to detail, even if the panels sound a little hollow but there is a broad acreage of blank textured plastic trim. The parking brake is a proper handbrake, located front and center. The center console has cup-holders large enough for one-liter bottles — but too large for half-liter ones — as well as an adjustable elbow rest and a small storage bin. There’s a small, cubbyhole at the front of the console under the climate controls; its convenience marred only a little by the flimsy lid.
Driving the Nissan Altima SE immediately impresses because of its power. The powerful V6 grabs you whether flooring the throttle at traffic lights or while cruising at 60 kph. Either way; the Altima takes off like a rocket. This much power produces torque steer, even with the automatic. Torque steer is a phenomenon of some front-wheel drive cars with a high power-to-weight ration, in which brute force delivered to the front wheels pulls the steering wheel slightly from side to side. Where this becomes critical is accelerating out of a corner. A little too much right foot and on a surface with just a dusting of sand and the wheels spin and the front end begins to track away. The V6 turns the Altima into a true sports sedan with the suspension and brakes up to match. The 3.5 SE uses essentially the same 3.5-liter V6 used in the Nissan 350Z and Maxima. It features the latest in high-output technology, producing 245 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 246 pounds-feet of torque at 4400 rpm. Around Jeddah, the Altima was a pussycat, although the wide turning circle meant that a larger than anticipated parking spot is needed. A small gripe maybe, but in a city like Jeddah, where car parking is “cavalier” to say the least, this is worth bearing in mind. As a family car, it is calm and comfortable to drive around town and a pleasurable high-speed touring car. Sporty, but not a sports car — it has the power, suspension and braking to provide a great deal of fun.
Standard equipment includes:
Air conditioning, AM/FM/CD with six speakers, automatic headlamps, fog lights, dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors, power windows with front auto-down, power mirrors, power locks, cruise control, intermittent wipers, remote keyless entry with remote trunk release, 60/40 split rear seat with lock, tilt steering column, steering wheel audio controls.