2008 Nissan Altima Coupe First Impressions

Value
A chief competitor to the Altima Coupe is undoubtedly Honda's Accord Coupe. Although the entry price of Honda's coupe may be slightly less than Nissan's, the Altima has the edge when it comes to overall pricing if similar content levels are compared. Despite a few more bucks here and a few less there, the two vehicles distinguish themselves suitably on the road, with the taut Altima Coupe winning the hearts of the performance-minded while the powerful but genteel Accord Coupe sweeps the rest with its seductive refinement.

The Altima coupe, given its price and equipment, represents a good overall value.

The nicely-equipped Altima S starts at $27,798 with the 2.5-litre I-4 mated to a six-speed manual mixer. The loaded Altima SE starts at $32,598 with the swift 3.5-litre V6 mated to Nissan's CVT autobox. About the only SE option is a sophisticated navigation system. Standard equipment in all Altima Coupes includes front-seat-mounted airbags and side-curtain airbags. Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Nissan's vehicle stability technology, is available on V6 models.

After a day behind the wheel of Nissan's latest creation, I am wondering how unsettled the competition is feeling. Like Nissan's Director of Corporate and Product Planning, Ian Forsyth said, "the Altima Coupe is fun to drive."


Photo Credit : Rob Rothwell