Long-Term Test: 2007 Nissan Altima SE

Why We Bought It
Durability
Performance and Fuel Economy
Retained Value
Summing Up

Inside Line's 12-month test of the 2007 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE is complete. We accumulated more than 22,000 miles with what may be the best continuously variable transmission on the market. The CVT has been the transmission of the future for a long time now, and it appears that the future is here at last.

Why We Bought It
Nissan's research into the CVT began in the days when polyester and disco balls were still considered groovy. So when Nissan equipped multiple models in its 2007 lineup with the CVT, we paid attention. Is the CVT finally ready for prime time? Has it become something more than a science experiment for a few vehicles safely out of the mainstream? Of these emerging new CVT-equipped Nissans, we were intrigued most by the Altima and its Xtronic CVT.

The Altima's Nissan-flavored Xtronic CVT offers a sports-minded upgrade that adjusts shifting patterns and adapts to varying driving conditions based on the driver's needs. Our full test of the 2007 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE showed us there was more to this new sedan than a hyped-up transmission. Pronounced torque steer and questionable interior materials plagued previous generations of the Altima, but these issues have been remedied with the introduction of the new-generation car in 2007. With these updates, we figured the Nissan could give the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry a serious run for the year-end sweepstakes as America's most popular car.

Durability
We wasted little time welcoming this 2007 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE to our long-term fleet. Two months into the test, we'd already eclipsed the 5,000-mile mark.

Our Altima was still wet behind the ears when Inside Line Editor in Chief Scott Oldham grabbed the keys for a trip to Phoenix. Upon returning he reflected, "In those 900 miles the newest addition to our long-term fleet officially became a charter member of the Good Car for a Road Trip Club. Membership to the GCFARTC doesn't come easy, but the Altima earned its way in with a comfortable driver seat, abundant passing power and long legs. The trip computer said we averaged 24.9 mpg during the 364.9-mile trip home, which the Nissan made on a single tank. Its optional XM Satellite Radio and a simple-to-operate navigation system also helped grease the wheels of the GCFARTC's membership review committee."

This sentiment was common, as the rank-and-file quickly adopted the Altima for long-distance travel of all persuasions. Its only liabilities for a life on the interstate proved to be a severe dislike of crosswinds and excessive road noise over rough surfaces.

If you had asked us about CVTs prior to our first drive of this new-generation Altima, the response would have been unanimous: "We can't stand them." Strange, unintuitive throttle response in stop-and-go traffic and lots of engine noise never seem like a good combination to us, and our long-term test of our 2006 Jeep Compass only reinforced our skepticism.

But once the Altima V6 arrived, whispers quickly circulated that this CVT was "actually pretty good." Once matched with the Altima's V6, this CVT delivered smooth acceleration away from stoplights, while the engine never seemed to labor at an artificially determined rpm. Refinement is what sets this CVT installation apart from others (and we even include the four-cylinder 2007 Altima among the undesirables), and this is what transforms this technology from science experiment into practical hardware. For this we credit the ability of the modern CVT to cope with the higher torque loads of a V6, not to mention the character of the Nissan VQ-Series V6 itself with its broad power band and eager-to-rev character.

Just when we thought the Altima's CVT was invincible, we handed the keys to Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot. During some spirited driving through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the CVT's manual mode quit working. Jacquot noted, "The tranny wouldn't downshift into any of its simulated gear ratios. Any effort to do so was met with the tranny automatically selecting 6th gear. I slowed down, slapped the shifter in Drive and a few minutes later full control had returned. Weird."

We presumed this built-in failsafe would be explained in the owner's manual. A quick check revealed that if the transmission fluid temperature gets too high, then a driver might experience reduced performance. But it didn't mention anything about the manual mode being inoperative in the process, although it makes sense. Beyond its noteworthy transmission, the Altima proves to be a capable family sedan. Our long-term car took 2nd place in our family sedan comparison test.

For the most part, we appreciated the simplicity of the technology inside the 2007 Nissan Altima. Lead Senior Editor Ed Hellwig wrote, "The navigation system menus are clear and the touchscreen responsive. Typing in an address is quick and easy and the on-screen maps are clearly marked. When it comes to the radio, I still don't like the way the presets mix up the AM/FM/XM bands, but the sound quality is good. And one more thing: Synching up a Bluetooth phone is easy. It took all of 5 seconds. Now if I can just find someone who won't tell me to quit using the speaker phone, I can really appreciate it."

Our year of ownership was free of any major issues. A minor wheel scuff (which we repaired ourselves) was the extent of any cosmetic blemishes. Maintenance beyond the norm was limited to the occasional oil top-off. From a mechanical standpoint, a leaking valve stem was the lone hiccup. We are unsure as to whether a curb impact was to blame or not, but simply screwing it back into place solved the problem.

Routine maintenance over 22,000 miles cost us $285. The Altima was out of service prior to requiring its third prescribed checkup. We used Nissan of Santa Monica for all service needs, and the level of service was acceptable once we found an advisor we liked.

Total Body Repair Costs: None
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 12 months): $285.22
Additional Maintenance Costs: None
Warranty Repairs: None
Non-Warranty Repairs: None
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 2
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: None
Days Out of Service: None
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None

Performance and Fuel Economy
Acceleration and braking tests showed a slight decline in the Altima's performance over time. One year ago it sprinted to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and covered the quarter-mile in 15.0 seconds at 95.1 mph. Twelve months later it needed 6.8 seconds to 60 mph and slowed to 15.2 seconds at 94.8 mph in the quarter-mile.

The Altima's braking performance grew fractionally from 126 to 129 feet between tests. The feel and response from the brake pedal remained unchanged over time, however. We noticed that the level of effort is a little higher than some, but even under hard braking when there's some fade, the pedal action is very consistent. When it comes to braking, the Altima is one of the best in its segment.

We found the Altima's slalom and skid pad figures unchanged between preliminary testing and the final run at 22,000 miles. It produced 0.78g of lateral grip around the skid pad and recorded a 67.2-mph speed through the slalom. Jacquot commented following slalom testing, "The Altima offers the best steering feel and response in its class. It has superb balance, poise and speed. Very confidence inspiring."

Our highest recorded fuel mileage over the course of a single tank of gas in the Nissan was over 32 mpg. But it would have been a disservice to the Altima's sporty demeanor to cruise down the highway singing songs about mpg (hey, this is a Nissan, not a Toyota), so we didn't. Over 12 months our average fuel economy fell just below 21 mpg. This is shy of EPA estimates of 22 mpg city/28 mpg highway.

Best Fuel Economy: 32.2 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 14.2 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 20.9 mpg

Retained Value
Our 2007 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE held its value rather well in comparison to the competition. We consulted Edmunds TMV^® calculator to determine the Altima's depreciation by the conclusion of our test. It depreciated roughly 26 percent, which signifies a drop of more than $8,000 from its starting MSRP of $32,545.

Our recently retired Toyota Camry also depreciated 26 percent by the completion of its long-term review. The only difference was an extra 1,000 miles on the Altima's odometer. Under similar circumstances, the Saturn Aura in our fleet depreciated 29 percent.

True Market Value at service end: $23,959
Depreciation: $8,586 or 26 percent of original MSRP
Final Odometer Reading: 22,635

Summing Up
We welcomed the 2007 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE to our long-term fleet with open arms. It accumulated more mileage in its first two months than any tester before it. As a long-term car, the Altima's popularity was unmatched. Improved driving dynamics and high-quality materials were only part of the reason.

This Altima is the best example of a CVT that we've experienced. One year ago we wouldn't hesitate to proclaim this technology as imperfect at best. We could classify every prior CVT we'd driven into varying degrees of awful. Twelve months with the Altima and we've changed our tune. This is an example of the CVT done right.

Nissan's Xtronic CVT sets the bar. It shows that the company is serious when it tells us this is the technology of its future. This transmission has almost single-handedly altered our perception of the CVT. We no longer want to avoid them at all cost. We are even looking forward to the next generation. And to how the competition will react.

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.