So the 2010 Nissan Altima managed to slip out of the Nissan archives today, and everyone very nearly missed it.  But what’s got everybody’s attention this time around is how deeply similar it looks to the previous model Nissan Altima.

There have been, apparently, a few cosmetic changes like a reworked front fascia with a slightly more prominent upper grill and a lower intake that’s changed somewhat in color.  Also noted are the addition of foglamps and slightly larger taillights.

But by the sounds of things, for all intents and purposes, there’s not a whole lot of difference between the 2010 and the 2009, and any number  of things could be driving this.  Maybe they’re not putting a whole lot of budget into R&D in a bad economy.  Maybe they’re blowing off a year to coast a bit until things recover.  But either way, I can’t imagine a repeat model making a whole lot of headway sales-wise.

Tags: Nissan, nissan altima, Nissan Altima 2010, product leak

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The New York Police Department will be modifying 58 of their 35 mpg Nissan Altima hybrid vehicles. The reason behind this is because officers are complaining that when they get out of their seat, their gun handles press “painfully into their hips”.

The move will be costing around $1,100 USD of tax payer’s money per vehicle to make the change, according to Albert Becker, a deputy inspector and executive officer of the department’s support services,bringing the total to a whopping $63,800 USD.

“There have been no documented instances, no emergency situations, in which they [officers] got stuck,” said Inspector Becker.

via New York Times

Tags: hybrids, new york city, nissan altima

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Purchasing used cars is the trend these days as consumers try to save on spending for high-cost new cars. And Consumer Reports breaks down the wise used car investments per category as it identifies the most and least reliable used cars for 10 years – from model years 1999 to 2008 – in the magazine’s 2009 Annual Auto Issue.

Reliability data was compiled from the magazine’s Annual Auto Survey, which generated responses about more than 1.4 million new and used vehicles.

Below are Consumer Reports’ picks in five categories:

Small Cars: Honda Civic, Toyota Echo, Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix, Pontiac Vibe, Mazda 3, Mazda Protege, Subaru Impreza

Family Cars: Honda Accord, Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Toyota Camry (except ‘08 V6), Subaru Outback (6-cyl.), Nissan Altima

Minivans: Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey

Small SUVs: Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi Outlander

Midsized and large SUVs: Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Lexus RX, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota 4Runner, Infiniti FX35, Acura MDX, Infiniti QX4, Lexus GX, Hyundai Santa Fe, Subaru Tribeca, Nissan Xterra (’05 – ‘08), Toyota Sequoia

To help consumers identify cars within their budget, Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto Issue also contains a “Models to Look For” list, which is categorized by price. It features a variety of used vehicles which all have above-average reliability and are priced from less than $4,000 to $30,000 and up. CR found 19 cars that can be purchased for $6,000 or less including the 1999 Acura CL and the 2003 Buick Century.

(Source) Press

Tags: acura mdx, corolla toyota, honda cr v, honda odyssey, hyundai santa fe, infiniti fx35, infiniti qx4, land cruiser toyota, lexus rx, nissan altima, nissan xterra, pontiac vibe, subaru forester, subaru impreza, subaru outback, subaru tribeca, toyota land cruiser, toyota sequoia

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Breaching and penetrating the fine lines of the mid-size sedan markets, the new Mazda6 i Grand Touring possesses an impressive list of features starting off with a preppy engine and cabin tech features.

When viewed from the front or rear quarter, bulging fenders, a low nose, and sweeping roofline makes this midsize car look absolutely sporty.

However, when viewed from the side, its slab-sided profile belies its newfound size. No longer can detractors complain about its diminutive size compared with the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima in the midsize sedan segment, because the Mazda6 has grown in nearly every dimension.

Standard Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming are big plusses as well for drivers and passengers who put premium on in-car entertainment.

(Source) CNet Review

Tags: car entertainment, mazda6, Nissan, nissan altima, Toyota, toyota camry

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Do you remember the Nissan Altima? Well if you haven’t, I wouldn’t be surprised. The previous version was somewhat a flop, not really making it among the known best buy cars before but apparently it has been improved for the coming 2009. Nissan is set to unveil the new model, looking a lot better than the first release and sportier.

Finally getting rid of a practically canned look, it looks more like the standard Nissan sedans as well as improved interiors that include better designed dashboard and instrumentation panels. Unlike before when the first Altima looked so much like a car that was created mainly from excess parts, this new model promises to be a humdinger of a model.

Altimas are offered in five levels. My SE test car sat above the base model and the S model in the lineup and below the luxury-oriented, leatherequipped SL. While the entrylevel car and the S share the fourcylinder, the SE and SL get the six. The fifth model, the Hybrid, uses a different, 158-horsepower four-cylinder with a 40-horsepower electric motor.

Source

Tags: altimas, base model, buy cars, Dashboard, horsepower, hybrid, instrumentation panels, Nissan, nissan altima, nissan sedans

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