Click here for the Ride&Drive Index!

Posted April, 2006

Road Test: 2006 Nissan Altima SE-R

Pleasing All the People

By Kevin S. Lowery

The current generation Nissan Altima, originally launched in 2002, is the perfect example of trying to please all of the people all of the time. Commercials have tried to make the Altima out to be everything from a sporty sedan to a mid-size luxury car wannabe. With the premiere of the new SE-R at least one of the touted aspects of the car is really true — the sporty side. But if you could only see the effusive press release that I got with all the glowing adjectives, you might be shocked how different my review is in comparison.

I'm hoping that the Altima doesn't catch the "Honda Civic disease." To delineate option packages, Honda slaps an EX, DX and so on after "Civic." That hasn't happened to Nissan, as of this writing. Still, I can see a trend with the S, the SE, the SL and the 2006 SE-R.

The 2006 Altima comes in six sizes, a 2.5-liter, 2.5S, a 2.5SL, a 3.5SE, a 3.5SL and the new SE-R. There's a choice of the 3.5-liter V6 DOHC 24-valve 250 horsepower engine or the smaller 2.5-liter DOHC 24-valve 175 horsepower four-cylinder engine. For sport-minded drivers, a 260 horsepower Altima SE-R is available. This engine, called QR25, features a silent chain drive and a balancer system that muffles noise and vibrations without taking up much space.

Backing up the engine is either your choice of a five-speed manual transmission (not available on 2.5 SL 4-cylinder models), four-speed electronically controlled automatic (four-cylinder models) or five-speed electronically controlled automatic with manual shift mode (standard on 3.5 SL and optional on 3.5 SE). A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the Altima SE-R (with the five-speed automatic transmission as an option.)

The exterior design starts with a wedge shape, a high waistline and pronounced character lines. Can you say the 1980s with a few new lines to make it less bland? The form is not very smooth nor is it as exciting as the commercials make it appear. Add to that, combination headlights, optional xenon bulbs on V6 models and large round taillights. Headlight coverage is excellent and the xenon bulbs really make everything sharp and clear. Included is the green-tinted UV-reducing solar glass. The Altima SE-R model adds an array of special styling features, including a sporty front fascia, headlight bezel coloring, compact fog lights and dark window molding coloring.

The SE-R has a new rear fascia and spoiler, smoked taillights and large dual exhaust finishers. Also there are side sill spoilers, silver painted front and rear disc brake calipers, with the SE-R logo on the front calipers. SE-R badging and on the rear of the vehicle. Too bad it ends bluntly and awkwardly.

The Altima's large cabin again offers interior environments with optional cloth or leather appointments. Three interior choices are available: Charcoal, Blond and Frost.

The instrument panel is designed to fall away from the occupants for increased leg room and ingress and egress. It's a high tech design with a three-gauge "cockpit" instrument pod with added chrome accents. And it features a Fine Vision meter illumination system for superior gauge visibility. An available multi-function trip computer includes an odometer, twin trip meters and a display for outside air temperature, driving time, average speed, fuel consumption and distance to empty. To top it off a DVD-based navigation system is available.

The most prominent difference between the SE-R and other 2006 Altima models is the SE-R's three-pod center-mounted gauge package (which is a horrible placement for it; put it back behind the steering wheel!), similar to that found on the legendary Nissan Z. Other changes include bolstered front seats and headrests with perforated red or gray leather-appointed inserts and matching stitching on the seats, steering wheel and shift knob, dark chrome trim treatment and drilled aluminum pedals. The front seats are also heated, as are the SE-R's outside mirrors. For all Altima drivers, there's a tilt and telescoping three-spoke steering wheel — and gated automatic transmission shifter with a formed gearshift knob design. HVAC and audio controls are grouped in a simple unit that reduces visual complexity for the driver. There are features included like a roof-mounted map light and sunglass holder. Power windows and door locks are standard and windows can be opened remotely via the key fob for cabin venting.

Audio systems include a standard six-speaker AM/FM/CD with an available in-dash six-disc CD changer with radio data system (RDS), speed-sensitive volume control and steering wheel audio controls. Optional, is a Bose premium audio system with eight speakers and AM/FM/in-dash six-disc CD changer with RDS, speed-sensitive volume control and steering wheel audio controls. And the Altima comes with available factory installed satellite radio. It also features a large 15.6 cubic feet trunk with standard cargo net and improved trunk trim.

From a safety standpoint, the Altima comes equipped with the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS), dual-stage front air bags, seat belt sensors with front-seat passenger classification sensor, front-seat side supplemental dual-stage air bags and available side curtain air bags. Front-seat active head restraints, three-point rear seat belts for all seating with adjustable upper anchors, pretensioners and load limiters, emergency inside trunk release, front and rear crushable zones and the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) child seat anchors and tether system are all included in the Altima's long list of safety features.

All four-cylinder Altimas come with 215/60R16 tires on either steel or aluminum-alloy wheels and V6 models feature standard 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and 215/55R17 tires. The SE-R comes with 225/45R18 Y-speed rated summer tires mounted on 18-inch forged alloy wheels.

Braking is provided by standard four-wheel disc brakes with an optional four-wheel, four-channel, four-sensor Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). ABS-equipped Altimas feature two advanced braking systems - Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), which optimizes brake force depending on load condition (passengers and cargo) and Brake Assist, which senses hard or panic pedal application and helps provide maximum braking capacity. Braking for the SE-R is provided by large (12.60 x 1.10t front, 11.5 x 0.35t rear) four-wheel disc brakes with standard four-wheel, four-channel, four-sensor Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA).

There are four new packages — 2.5 Special Edition Package, Special Edition Premium Package, Comfort Package and Trip Package.

The Comfort Package adds eight-way power driver's seat, Vehicle Security System (VSS) and cargo net. The Trip Package adds trip computer with outside temperature display, leather-wrapped steering wheel, steering wheel mounted audio controls, auto on/off headlights, dual illuminated vanity mirrors, sunvisor extensions, speed sensitive volume control and auto up/down front passenger window; 2.5S Special Edition Package adds both the Comfort and Trip Packages and new metallic film on the center console and special edition badge. Special Edition Premium Package includes the Special Edition Package contents and power glass sunroof with sunshade and alloy wheels.

The Altima 2.5S Special Edition with SL Special Edition Premium package. Both feature an available power glass sunroof and DVD-Based Navigation Package.

The 3.5 SE features several exciting equipment packages, including a Sport Package, which includes sunroof and spoiler, a Sport Plus Package, which includes sunroof, spoiler, Bose audio system and xenon headlights, a Leather Package, which includes a Bose audio system, sunroof, heated leather-appointed seats, automatic temperature control, HomeLink Universal Transceiver, auto-dimming inside rearview mirror and heated outside mirrors. There's a Leather Sport Package, which includes a spoiler, HID xenon headlights and the Navigation Package.

The fully equipped 3.5 SL includes the Trip Package that includes two options, the Navigation Package, with DVD-based navigation system and speed-sensitive wipers. The Altima SE-R offers the five-speed automatic transmission, side air bags and Traction Control System. Other 2006 options include side air bags/ABS combination and side air bags/ABS/Traction Control combination.

We drove the SE-R four-door sedan with the manual transmission, of course, with the 3.5-liter V6 DOHC 24-valve 250 horsepower engine. It's MSRP price is $29,650

Here's the pricing for the rest of the Altima models:

2.5 four-door sedan with manual trans., MSRP $17,750
2.5S four-door sedan with auto. trans., MSRP $20,100
2.5S four-door sedan with manual trans., MSRP $19,500
3.5SE four-door sedan with manual trans., MSRP $23,600
3.5SE four-door sedan with auto. Trans., MSRP $24,250
3.5SE-R four-door sedan with auto. trans., MSRP $29,650
3.5SE-R four-door sedan with manual trans., MSRP $29,650
3.5SL four-door sedan with auto. trans., MSRP $27,400

There are a plethora of good mid-size cars out there. Perhaps you'll disagree with me. Perhaps the Altima might not please all the people, all of the time. But will you be pleased with it? There's only one way to know. Get yourself to a dealership and take it for a spin. R&D