Nissan Altima 2002 - 2006 review

 

Overview

2005 Nissan Altima. Photo: Nissan 2005 Nissan Altima interior. Photo: Nissan 2005 Nissan Altima SE-R interior. Photo: Nissan The 2002-2006 Altima is an aggressively-styled mid-size sedan available with a 4-cylinder, or one of the most powerful in its class V6 engine. The 2002-2006 Altima offers roomy interior, sporty handling and firm ride. Nissan Altima has front-wheel drive with 4-wheel independent suspension. Many of the Altima's suspension components are made from aluminum to make them lightweight. The disk brakes are standard on all four wheels; the Anti-lock Brake system (ABS) is optional. The Altima comes with a 175-horsepower 2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine or 240-hp 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve VQ-model V6. Both engines have a silent timing chain instead of timing belt. Either engine was offered with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmissions. A sporty SE-R model added in 2005 offered a modified version of the same 3.5-liter V6 engine with 260 horsepower and a choice of a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode. Inside, the Altima is very spacious. The dashboard is pretty simple, with easy to use controls and orange backlit instruments with round gauges. The driver's seat is comfortable with good side support. On the downside, the quality of interior materials and fit and finish could be better. On the road, the Altima handles well, although the right is firm and you can feel the road bumps and cracks at slow speed. The highway ride is better, with precise cornering. The 4-cylinder engine feels responsive and the V6 is very powerful - with a manual transmission it's like driving a rocket. In the NHTSA frontal crash tests, the 2002-2004 Nissan Altima received four stars for both the driver and the front passenger, while the 2005-2006 Altima received five stars for the driver and five stars for the front passenger in the same tests. For more details, visit Safercar.gov.

• Overview • Pros and Cons • Overall • What to look for buying a used Nissan Altima • Few maintenance tips • Specifications

Pros

- Sporty design
- Good powerful V6 engine
- Available manual transmission
- Roomy interior
- Spacious trunk

Cons

- Interior materials and quality could be better
- Firm ride
- Turning radius is quite wide
- Reliability is not as good as it should be

Overall

The 2002-2006 Altima offers sporty styling, spacious interior and a very powerful optional V6. On the downside, the reliability is not as good as it should be. If you want to buy a used Altima, I recommend a V6 model since the 3.5L V6 is a better engine. Avoid early 4-cylinder models (2002 - 2003), as they seem to have more problems. If you want something more reliable, look for something like Honda Accord or Toyota Camry.

What to look for buying a used Nissan Altima

- If you want to see whether the car has had any reported accidents in the past, read this page: How to check used car history
- If the 4-cylinder engine is running rough and sputtering at start up, avoid this car.
- Very low coolant level with no external leaks could indicate an internal leak (e.g. bad head gasket).
- If the "check engine" light is on, have the problem assessed with your mechanic or a dealer before buying a car - in worst cases repair might be quite expensive (e.g. head gasket, catalytic converter, etc.).
- Low oil level may indicate excessive oil consumption.
- During a test drive, pay attention to how the automatic transmission works.
Read more: What to look for when buying a used car
- Before buying a used car, have it inspected by a mechanic of your choice.
Read our step-by-step Used car buying guide for more information.
Some models may be costly to insure. Check the insurance quotes first.

Few maintenance tips

- Wash and wax your car regularly to protect the paint.
- If you live in the area with high humidity, rustproofing will help to protect the car body and chassis from corrosion.
- Regular oil changes are very important to keep your engine in good shape.
- Overheating can cause serious engine problems.
- Synthetic oil can provide extra protection for your engine.
- Winter tires will provide much better traction on the snow.
- Change the transmission fluid regularly using only original transmission fluid.
- Use original parts, they are not very expensive.
- Follow recommended maintenance schedule and keep all the fluids clean and topped up.
- Have your car inspected, at least once a year, in a garage on the lift (e.g. when doing tire rotation) to keep it safe. Many components (e.g. brakes, steering, suspension) cannot be properly inspected during a simple visual inspection at fast lube places - the vehicle must be on the lift.
- If you need to download an owner's manual for your Altima, follow this link: Find a car owner's manual
Check more Car maintenance tips

Nissan Altima short specifications (2005 model)

Dimensions:
Overall length: Overall width: Overall height: Wheelbase:	192.3 (4884 mm) 70.4 (1788 mm) 57.9 (1471 mm) 110.2 (2799 mm)
Cargo Capacity:	15.6 cu. ft. (442 liters)
Engine:
4-cylinder: V6:	2.5-liter, 4-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC model QR25 175 hp @ 6000 rpm 180 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm 3.5-liter, V6, 24-valve DOHC model VQ35 250 hp @ 5800 rpm 249 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
EPA Fuel Economy (US MPG, L/100km):
4-cylinder, 5-speed manual: 4-cylinder automatic: V6, 5-speed manual V6, automatic	city: 21 MPG (11.2 L/100km) hwy: 29 MPG (8.1 L/100km) city: 21 MPG (11.2 L/100km) hwy: 27 MPG (8.7 L/100km) city: 19 MPG (12.4 L/100km) hwy: 25 MPG (9.4 L/100km) city: 18 MPG (13.1 L/100km) hwy: 28 MPG (8.4 L/100km)
Recommended Fuel:
4-cylinder model: V6 model:	Regular unleaded Premium unleaded
Fuel Tank Capacity:	20 US gallons (76 liters)
Engine oil capacity:
With oil filter change: 2.5L 4-cylinder engine 3.5L V6 engine	4.5 US qt (4.2L) 4.5 US qt (4.2L)