2011 Nissan Altima S Special Edition 2.5L 4 cylinder

Summary:

Solid and fun to drive car!

Faults:

At approximately 34,000 miles, there was a loud rattling coming from underneath the vehicle that gradually went away as the car warmed up. Diagnosis was the heat shield banging against the exhaust; a defective weld was the reason. Exhaust components were replaced under warranty free of charge. Out of pocket cost would have been around $850, if out of warranty.

General Comments:

This car is super fun to drive and reasonably comfortable.

My MPG average in the summer is about 26.5, and 25 in the winter. I drive about 60/40 (highway/city).

The acceleration is fantastic for a 4 cylinder, and it has ample room in the back to accommodate my child's car seat. The trunk space is also ample as well. The dark microfiber seats hide any stains well, and are very easy to clean.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th May, 2015

2011 Nissan Altima S 2.5 4 cylinder

Summary:

I regret buying it

Faults:

At 600 miles - Car battery failed.

At 3,000 miles - 2nd car battery failed.

At 8,000 miles - Cable binding in driver's door handle.

At 10,000 miles - BCM had an issue and the car needed a reprogramming. Keys and interior locks did not work. Car was stuck on ON.

At 12,000 miles - Dash began to rattle and door rattles begin. Brake pedal is now squeaking.

At 15,000 miles - Car speakers begin to have static in AUX mode.

At 15,000 miles - Master cylinder replaced.

At 18,500 miles - Car battery failed load test. Replaced under warranty.

General Comments:

The driver's seat feels like a flat bench. It has no lumbar support and it makes my lower back hurt.

The car comes with darker than usual factory tint. 70% from the factory. Adding tint makes the windows darker than they should be.

Oil filter is in an awkward position.

Changing headlights requires the removal of the wheel well. Access is not from the hood.

Stock tires are terrible. Wearing out quickly, even with proper air pressure and alignments every 3 months.

Cabin air filter is difficult to get to.

Intake filter is easy access with snap hatches.

The car has a weird build up of coolant on top of the reservoir.

Interior build quality is lacking. Fit and finish is not good.

The CVT makes the engine resonate a lot, and the constant holding of RPMs makes the car sound like it's dying.

The 2.5 engine is terrible in terms of fuel economy compared to other 2.5s.

The CVT makes the car feel slower than it is.

The car has a nice steering response in emergency situations.

The car has very strong brakes.

The ride handling is rough, and going over speed bumps really hurts.

Standard push button start is a great feature.

Standard keyless entry is also another great feature.

The car should come with auto headlights and steering wheel from the factory, and not as an option.

Oil changes are short intervals -- only 3750 miles for severe. No one falls under normal conditions.

Front end of the car is higher than the rest.

The car looks like it's slumped back.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 12th August, 2013

12th Aug 2013, 18:18

That looks pretty much like normal wear and tear. The driver's seat has quite a few adjustments that can make it more comfy, including one for lumbar. Maybe play around with that a bit. The oil should be able to make it close to 10K between changes with newer cars.

In reply to 12th Aug 2013, 18:18

29th Mar 2021, 18:35

Normal wear? The car had 20k miles on it! The ONLY thing the reviewer should have done, are oil changes. I've purchased automobiles with 100k and drove for more than 20k miles without any issues. I understand why he regrets buying it.

In reply to 29th Mar 2021, 18:35

29th Mar 2021, 21:19

How is it Nissan’s fault if the battery died multiple times because the driver left the headlights on after parking?

30th Mar 2021, 23:16

Nissan is one weird Japanese car company, in my opinion. In the past they made amazing cars, but in the long term it appears as a company who is lead by people with an inconclusive "vision". Usually they build nice luxury vehicles, such as the Infiniti line-up, and some of their small city cars are also interesting. However they have consistent quality issues and overall speaking their car line-up is just not consistent over time - with the exception of the Infiniti brand. I wonder how do they hire new engineers, there must be something not right with the company overall culture. Toyota had their bad years, Honda as well, Subaru is doing better but still has severe quality issues - although their fans will tell you otherwise, but at least these companies are consistent with their products, while Nissan is really going back and forth with their new models, you never know if it's going to be a good car or not.