New Car Review of the 2005 Nissan Altima Mid-Size Sedan

Description: Mid-Size Sedan
Base MSRP Range: $17,350 - $29,300
Invoice Price Range: $16,952 - $27,098
Where built: USA

The mid-size Altima sedan series presents a fresh face and new interior designs. The look is bold with an aggressive prow featuring a raised hood and restyled front fascia plus smoked headlamps. Body forms reveal a wedge-shaped profile scored by sharp character lines.

Altima's cabin, with front bucket seats and a rear bench for up to three riders, upgrades with a redesigned instrument panel, center console, three-spoke steering wheel and chrome accents on dash and doors. New audio systems range from a standard AM/FM/CD with six speakers to an optional CD changer for six discs or a Bose premium system with eight speakers and steering wheel audio controls.

Altima appears in four trims for 2005 described by the size of two engine options. An entry-level model and two upgraded issues carry a dual-cam 2.5-liter in-line-four plant with 175-hp and line up as the Altima 2.5, mid-grade 2.5 S and deluxe 2.5 with SL Package. Altima 3.5 SE and new 3.5 SL earn Nissan's 3.5-liter V6 that's good for 250-hp now. A 5-speed manual shifter works with either engine, but the 4-cylinder transmission option is a 4-speed automatic while the V6 offers a 5-speed automatic.