History

• The Nissan Altima four-door sedan debuted in the United States in 1993, but it wasn't until the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show that a two-door coupe was unveiled for public preview. Designed to compete against the Honda Accord and Toyota's Camry and Solara, the Altima coupe was conceived to cost between $20,000 and $25,000. It was released to Nissan showrooms as an early 2008 model at the beginning of summer 2007, according to Edmunds.com.
  
  

Features

• The Altima coupe is its own car, borrowing little sheet metal or body parts from the sedan. Taking styling cues from the Pontiac G6, the Altima coupe's rear taillamps stretch over the rear fenders on the side and top. Similar treatment is given to the headlamp/turn indicator assembly in the front to complement an aggressive honeycomb grille and lower air dam. At 182.5 inches long, the coupe is about seven inches shorter than its sedan sibling.
  
  

Still a Nissan

• Although the Altima coupe's exterior deviates radically from the sedan, it borrows heavily from the four-door model's interior. The coupe's interior appointments are virtually the same as the sedan, along with the red gauges on the instrument panel and identical steering wheel. One minor difference is the hand brake featured on the coupe instead of the foot version found on the sedan. Seating for five is either cozy or cramped, depending on the passengers' point of view.
  
  

Power

• Two engine options are offered on the Nissan Altima coupe: the 2.5S 175-horsepower inline four-cylinder version and the hefty 3.5E 270-hp 3.5-liter V-6. Power can be transmitted via the optional automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) or the standard six-speed manual transmission.
  
  

Performance

• If the Nissan Altima coupe is equipped with the CVT automatic, it requires a little getting used to as shifting a CVT automatic usually doesn't come naturally to drivers. Yet the coupe handles well because of the sport-tuned suspension system, independent front and rear suspension and heavy-duty rear stabilizer bar. Stopping power is solid thanks to 11.7-inch vented front disc brakes and 11.5-inch rear discs along with an all-wheel anti-lock braking system and Nissan's Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) system.
  
  

Safety

• The Altima coupe features as standard equipment side-impact and side curtain air bags. The coupe earned a five-star safety rating on side-impact tests from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. J.D. Power and Associates reported in its 2009 Initial Quality Study that the Altima had the lowest number of problems per 100 midsize cars.