2008 Nissan Altima car

Front-seat side airbags and full-length side-curtain airbags arestandard on every 2008 Nissan Altima. Antilock brakes are standard onthe 3.5 sedan trims and all coupes, and optional on the 2.5 S sedan.Only the 3.5 trims are eligible for traction control (it's standard)and stability control (optional). In National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration crash tests, the Altima sedan received a top five-starrating for its protection of front occupants in frontal and sideimpacts. Rear passengers received a four-star rating for side impacts.

Safety

Thefour-cylinder engine provides enough giddy-up for most buyers ? zero to60 mph is achieved in the mid-7-second range. In our tests, a 3.5 SEsedan with the CVT ran to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds, while a six-speedmanual coupe we tested did it in 6.2 seconds. Fuel economy isimpressive considering the car's power; four-cylinder/CVT sedans have a23 mpg city/31 mpg highway rating. Nissan Altimas with the V6/CVTcombination have an average rating of 19/27. Manual transmission fueleconomy is virtually identical.

The Nissan Altima is powered by either a 2.5-liter inline-4 with 175horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque (on the 2.5 trims) or a3.5-liter V6 with 270 hp and 258 lb-ft (on the 3.5 trims). All but the3.5 SL Sedan come with a six-speed manual transmission, while a CVT isstandard on that trim and optional on all others except the base sedan.

Powertrains and Performance

ThePremium Package on the coupe models and the 3.5 SE Sedan (it's known asthe SL package on the 2.5 Sedan) includes essentially all theadditional features of the 3.5 SL Sedan. Available on all but the baseAltima sedan is the Technology Package that bundles a navigation systemwith real-time traffic and a rearview monitor, but it must be orderedwith the Premium Package for an eye-bugging total of $6,400.

TheAltima coupe comes in only 2.5 S and 3.5 SE trim levels that areconsistent with the sedan version. However, all coupes come withantilock brakes and sport seats with more aggressive bolstering.

Thesporty 3.5 SE comes with a sport-tuned suspension with 17-inch alloywheels, automatic headlights, power-folding side-view mirrors withintegral turn signals, a power driver seat, wood-tone accents and aleather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls. The 3.5 SL goes thefull luxury route with leather seating, a moonroof, dual-zone automaticclimate control, heated seats, Bluetooth connectivity, an auto-dimmingrearview mirror, 16-inch alloy wheels, xenon HID headlights and a Boseaudio system with CD changer and a choice of satellite radio providers.

The 2008 Nissan Altima is available as a midsize sedan or coupe. Thesedan is available in four trims, with the number indicating itsengine: base 2.5 (by customer order only), 2.5 S, 3.5 SE and 3.5 SL.The base 2.5 comes with 16-inch wheels, full power accessories, keylessentry/starting, cruise control, a split/folding rear seat and atilt/telescoping steering wheel. The 2.5 S adds air-conditioning, a CDplayer and MP3 input jack, a trip computer and intermittent wipers.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2008 Nissan Altima is available as a midsize sedan or coupe. The sedan is available in four trims.

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