Driving a Nissan Altima while the Kizzy is being painted...

[tigerbangs54]

Suzuki is in the process of painting my car, and they have given me a 2011 Nissan Altima S 4cyl CVT to drive while the Kizzy is in the shop. I'd like to share a few impressions of the car.

It's roomy and well-finished. with a nicely-styled interior. I wasn't much of a fan of the digital instrumentation, however, as it they are LCD panels illuminated in amber, and I found them impossible to read in sunlight, although the analog gauges were nicely lighted. The seats are fairly softly padded, but lack the side bolstering that I am used to in the Kizashi. Like the Kizzy, they are 10-way power adjustable, and the tilt and telescope wheel extends a bit closer to the driver than the wheel in the Kizashi. Lots of front legroom: a bit more than I am used to in the Kizashi,which is always welcome, because I am 6'5" and rather portly, and the headroom is good even with the installed sunroof.

The Altima was fairly smooth around town, with higher-profile tires than the Kizashi has. Bumps were pretty well smothered. I loaded the decibel meter in my Android phone and checked the noise level at 60 and 80 MPH: both were louder than the Kizashi, with quite a bit more road noise and wind rush than I am used to in the Kizashi. I measured a steady 64 dBa at 60 MPH, and a bit louder 67 dBa at 80 MPH, which is 1 and 3 dBa respectively louder than what I regularly get in the Kizashi. The Altima has virtually no engine noise in gentle around-town driving, while the engine is usually pretty audible during acceleration in the Kizashi.

What really separates the two cars is the driving experience. The Altima is soft and plows readily when driven with any gusto. The steering is variable-effort: almost pinky-finger light at parking and low speeds, but firming up considerably at higher speeds. The steering has a decent sense of straight ahead, but little actual road feel, with an artificial feel during around-town driving. By comparison, the Kizashi steering starts out firmer, and remains more consistent-feeling through the speed-range. The Altima has a subjectively HUGE turning circle: it feels miles bigger than the Kizashi when maneuvering through traffic.

An Altima on a freeway entrance or exit ramp is a thing to behold: it plows and wallows when pushed even slightly, as if you were torturing the car by asking to negotiate the ramp at anything much above a walk. My Kizashi is AWD, rather than comparable FWD, like the Altima, but I almost felt like I was driving a 1970's Buick when I tried to drive the Altima in the way I am used to driving. By comparison, the Kizashi takes a firm set in the corner, with almost no steering correction necessary, and the Kizashi only tightens it's grip when you call for more speed in the corner. The Kizashi is MUCH better balanced in this kind of driving than the Altima. and inspires confidence, while the Altima would MUCH rather continue in a straight line, whether you want it too, or not. Freeway ride is predictably soft in the Altima, but the car has an odd cork-screwing motion when it hits a one-wheel bump at freeway speeds: this in NOT my imagination: the Nissan Service writer said that he noticed it too when he drove a similar Altima an a 40 mile trip.

To sum it all up, the Altima is a nice family car, but doesn't begin to offer the demanding driver the level of driving entertainment that the Kizashi does. I got my Kizashi back today, freshly painted, and looking gorgeous. I drove it the 23 miles back from the dealer to my house, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I pulled into the driveway. My drive in the thundering rainstorm home was FAR more satisfying than driving the Altima around in sunny weather. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Kizashi handled in the wet better than the Altima did in clear,dry pavement.

[chazyouwin]

I drove both the 2010 Altima and the Maxima last spring 2010 and I didn't care for either ride. They were considerations for the new car. Ultimately, I might have been persuaded to buy one but the dealer was not negotiating enough on price. As to the Altima's ride, what I remember was a sense of chugging, a lack of good relationship between the accelerator pedal and the accelerator.
Very happy to have the Kizashi but my first test drive last summer was not great. Rush hour and didn't get a good feel for what it could do. On the second and third test drives, did the open road and that was what convinced.

[Ronzuki]

great review, appreciate your details in comparing aspects of both.

[Firefly]

I recently drove a friend's Altima. Pretty much agree. It feels like an old Detroit sedan. Only two years old and it rattles and squeaks as well.

[AlexRuiz]

Very nice and detailed review. To be honest, I don't think any car of similar price could even be compared to the Kizashi for driving dynamics. The Altima is a good car, might be even a better family car as it is bigger, but because my car carries myself mainly, I happily and proudly drive a Kizashi