Strictly by the numbers, the Nissan Altima is doing great. As Nissan’s best-selling car in the U.S., the Altima ranks third in sales in the hugely competitive midsize sedan segment, right behind sales leaders like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

But even these popular models had better watch their backs, considering that outlying competitors –such as the Mazda6, Chrysler 200, Kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata –are itching for a fight to the top.

Cars are more than numbers, however, and our initial impression of our Nissan test car’s 182-horsepower, 2.5-Liter 4-cylinder engine left something to be desired.  Our front-wheel-drive Altima SL seemed awfully noisy, especially if a long drive lay ahead. That initial impression faded away, thankfully, as the Altima showed off its sensible side (mixed with a touch of sportiness).

Our car came with Nissan’s upgraded continuously variable transmission (CVT) that delivers better fuel economy and less friction than before. The shift transitions are quiet, smooth, and barely noticeable.  With Nissan’s engineering improvements to the CVT, fuel economy is a workable 31-mpg city/38-mpg highway, or 27-mpg combined.  The Camry and Accord haven’t announced 2015 fuel economy, but our guess is the Altima will be best in class.

All SV and SL models are eligible for a Technology package that includes a seven-inch touch-screen with color display, navigation system, voice recognition and mobile apps.  Apps include Online Search powered by Google(navigation equipped vehicles only), Pandora(Android only – iOS coming soon), Facebook and iHeart Radio for Auto. The touch-screen produced clear images and functioned well during our test.

The Technology package also includes important passive safety features like blind-spot detection, lane departure warning and moving object detection –the latter shows moving objects at the rear when your car is in reverse.

During safety tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Altima recorded a frontal crash rating of 5-stars for the driver, 4-stars for the passenger, and 4-stars during the rollover test. As of this review, there were no published results for side impact tests.

Those who demand swifter acceleration can look at the Altima with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine, which delivers 270-horsepower and 25-mpg in a mix of city and highway driving.

Nissan has paid the extra pennies to ensure the interior feels solid and comes with plenty of features.  The SL trim enjoys leather seating with power seats contoured to reduce pressure on the spine and fatigue on long drives. The latest Altima is also one of the roomiest cars in its class—enough so that a six-foot relative sat in the back seat very comfortably.

Bose audio is standard on the SL, as is Sirius/XM satellite radio (a separate subscription is required) and a USB connection for your iPod.  Keyless entry with remote start, push-button ignition, power door locks and power one-touch windows, dual-zone automatic climate control, dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors and 60/40 fold down rear seats add extra convenience.

A rear view camera also contributes to the Altima’s safety profile. Standard safety features include traction control, vehicle dynamic control, tire pressure monitoring system, electronic brake force distribution, a vehicle security system and Nissan vehicle immobilizer system

All Nissan vehicles are backed by an unremarkable 36-month/36,000-mile limited vehicle coverage and a 5-year/60,000-mile limited powertrain coverage.  The Altima’s residual value is around the segment average.

All of the midsize sedan segment's top sellers have received stylish updates, and the Nissan Altima is no exception.  The trapezoidal grille and projector headlights and fog lights give the front end a touch of excitement. The SL trim gets handsome alloy wheels, LED taillights, and a chrome tail pipe. All in all, the sloping roof line and raised trunk give the Altima a pleasing fluidity – even if the car’s omnipresence on the road means it’ll never turn any heads.

First impressions aren’t always spot-on accurate, as we discovered here. After spending more time with this Altima sedan, it proved to be a practical choice wrapped in a stylish, economical, and comfortable package.

Credit:

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/latest-reviews/driven-2015-nissan-altima-grows-midsize-sedan-segment-article-1.1936706

So, we wondered what it would look like if we attached a GoPro to a GT-R wheel and drove alongside another GT-R. The results are, well, interesting – and a bit trippy. Warning: May cause some form of hypnosis or irrationally strong GT-R love.

Credit: http://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/usa/releases/what-happens-when-you-attach-a-gopro-to-a-gt-r-wheel-warning-not-for-epileptics

LONDON – Nissan is highlighting London's battle with air quality in the UK by using the 100% electric Nissan LEAF – the world's best-selling electric vehicle (EV) – to power a striking piece of street art in Waterloo, London that depicts the capital's iconic skyline.

Nissan commissioned Reverse Graffiti artist Moose – the founder of his field – to create the mass-scale mural, which was unveiled today.

Unlike traditional graffiti, Moose creates his art by cleaning dirt off surfaces using a jet washer or wire brush, leaving a striking design in negative on the wall. Much of the dirt is caused by particulate matter from vehicle exhausts, levels of which often exceed guidelines and limits in busy areas of London and other European cities.

The artwork – which is on show in the subway on Station's Approach, Waterloo – includes a host of London's most famous landmarks: Buckingham Palace, The Shard, Battersea Power Station and The London Eye, to name just a few. Produced to highlight the growing issue of poor air quality across Europe's biggest cities, it aims to showcase how much cleaner they could be if more people adopted electric vehicles. The jet washer used to clean the wall was powered by the Nissan LEAF via a portable device that converts electricity from the car's battery to provide as much as two days of power to a household on a single charge.

Before the artwork made its way onto the wall, Moose sketched the skyline by hand and then created stencils that pieced together to produce the finished artwork, standing some 2.5 meters tall and 10 meters wide.

The campaign places Nissan at the center of leading the call for clean air and smarter cities around the world.

"I've been using reverse graffiti for fifteen years now – in fact I named it," said explained Moose, who originates from Leeds. "My whole ethos is about highlighting the amount of pollution we endure daily using a very positive harmless method that never fails to ask questions about what we accept and what we shouldn't accept in our environment. For these reasons I was keen to be involved in this project. Electric cars and alternative fuelling systems provide the brightest future we've ever known in the history of the automotive industry in terms of protecting our environment. It's a pleasure to be given the opportunity to create public art in this way, and I'm very pleased with the iconic simplicity of the mural and its message."

Moose's artwork is on show in London Waterloo, and Nissan is encouraging the public to come out and see it for themselves.

"This piece of art is a striking call to action that air quality is one of the biggest issues facing the citizens and visitors of Europe's largest cities today," said Jean-Pierre Diernaz, EV Director of Nissan Europe. "It is a reminder that electric vehicles don't have an exhaust to emit the kind of air pollution which has stained the wall Moose has created his piece on. Working with Moose to highlight the effect of air quality on our cities through a piece of art powered by the Nissan LEAF is an exciting and powerful way of reminding people about the benefits of zero emission vehicles."

Here’s Sparky, a converted Nissan Leaf. Engineers Roland Schellenberg and Arnold Moulinet, eager to do a little team-building and create a cool way of moving stuff around Nissan’s Stanfield, Arizona testing facility, led the project.  Some of you may be wondering, “Why not just get a Frontier and be done with it.” Well, what’s the fun in that? Besides—there is a long and awesome tradition of automakers doing crazy things like building a BMW M3 pickup and Porsche-powered Volkswagen Vanagon.

Now, the Leaf is a highly capable, thoroughly funky EV that we love. And it makes a surprisingly attractive, if somewhat stunted, pickup truck. The team kept the drivetrain as-is, chopped off the roof and added the top from a Titan pickup and the (shortened) bed from a Frontier. Cool details include wood bed slats, sharp wheels and the Leaf’s rounded rear. It all comes together in a thoroughly futuristic riff on the venerable pickup.

Sparky is tooling around the 3,050-acre test facility, which includes a 5.7-mile high-speed oval that the little electric p’up probably won’t ever see. We don’t expect to see a contractor rocking one of these anytime soon, but we wouldn’t rule out seeing something like this in the future. After all, Nissan’s already stuffed the GT-R’s drivetrain into the Juke, sent a Leaf clambering up Pikes Peak and built a race-ready Leaf that looks utterly insane. (We drove it. It was fun.) This is definitely a company that isn’t afraid to get a little weird.

credit:

http://www.wired.com/2014/09/nissan-builds-funky-electric-pickup-cant/?mbid=social_twitter

Interior Car Detailing Tips from the Pros!

#1: Get the right products!

There are many types and brands of interior cleaning products. Depending on the material you are cleaning, you may need several products. For the leather portions, make sure to use leather cleaner.

#2: Soft cloth - or socks!

Spray your cleaner directly on interior surfaces, like steering wheel, dashboard or onto a clean, soft terry cloth. An old cotton sock works well too!

#3 Toothbrushes & cotton swabs!

Use a toothbrush to remove stubborn stains and keep a bag of cotton swabs handy for interior crevices, steering wheel dashboard and center console! You'll be amazed at how much better the car looks when you clean all the detail spots.

#4: Glass cleaner makes it shine!

Glass cleaner puts a nice shine on interior plastic (dashboard, center consoles, etc) as well as the windows!

 

credit:

http://www.mossynissan.com/blog/2013/may/28/interior-car-detailing-tips.htm

KBB names Nissan Altima one of the 10 most comfortable cars under $30,000. Must be those NASA inspired seats!

KBB REVIEW REPRINT:

The midsize sedan market is about the toughest segment in the industry – led by the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord – so if you're coming to play, you'd best bring your A-game. With the 2014 Altima, Nissan has done just that, earning it our praise as one of the 10 Best Sedans Under $25,000 for 2014. Not only has the automaker maintained the cool look and sports-car-like handling that made the original Altima such a success, they've done so while thoroughly modernizing the Altima in ways crucial to younger buyers. A new Apps-based music and navigation system spearheads the effort, as do a 38-mpg fuel economy rating (2.5 model) and premium materials throughout the handsome cabin. Nissan has done a masterful job making complex audio and navigation systems easy to operate and understand – something both old and young will appreciate.

credit:

http://www.kbb.com/car-reviews-and-news/top-10/most-comfortable-cars-under-30000-2014/2000011042-6/