Sedan Bores Mom With its Lack of Pizzazz

2009 Nissan Altima 2.5 S

model as tested $25,800

Test Drove 9/4/09 – 9/21/09
reviewed by Kristin Varela

You know those days as a mom that are so mundane it makes you want to rip your hair out just for the fun of it? That’s what my two-and-a-half weeks in the 2009 Nissan Altima 2.5 S were like. It’s not that there’s anything inherently wrong with the Altima; it’s functional and looks fine, but it’s got no game. As a single mom, I’m definitely lacking in the game department, and I’d like to shag a little of it from time to time.

The Altima’s ride quality was good, but I was so annoyed by the continuously variable automatic transmission that I hardly noticed the ride.
The CVT is a definitely a sore topic for me. A CVT is a transmission that changes smoothly through an infinite number of gear ratios without kicking over from one gear to the next. This improves performance and fuel economy; the model I tested gets an EPA-estimated 23/31 mpg city/highway.

Some car geeks love CVTs. An automotive journalist commented to me on Twitter that “CVTs *RULE*. Either let me shift myself or eliminate the need to shift, that’s how I see it.” From my perspective, CVTs are obnoxiously loud at initial acceleration, and I miss not having that little kick in the seat every time the car shifts. It’s totally unsatisfying to me — like having a sneeze that dissipates before you actually sneeze.

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