2010 Nissan Altima - Styling Review

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Shopping for a 2010 Nissan Altima? MSRP: $19,900 - $30,100

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Even though it's been more than three years since the Altima sedan's complete redesign, it remains one of the better-looking mid-size four-doors on the market. Attribute that to its racy profile and relative simplicity in the details; unlike some other sedans, the Altima doesn't come across as overwrought. The Hybrid looks almost indistinguishable from the sedan, aside from low-key badging. But the Coupe is very distinctive; it's several inches shorter, with a much more tapered roofline and sculpted rear flanks, plus an altogether different treatment in back.

Most review sources appreciate the 2010 Altima sedan's pert, sporty silhouette, as well as the styling details. Road & Track testers comment that it allows the Altima Nissan's designers to add "more character...along the car's flanks." Kelley Blue Book raves about the exterior on the Altima Nissan, which is "rich in Nissan family cues, most notably in its grille, headlamp and taillamp treatments," but at the same time, it sports "a bit more aggressive edge than you'll find in the Sentra or Maxima." Car and Driver doesn't like a lot of the sheetmetal, though, with a reviewer criticizing "the way the front view gets into an argument with the side view when they meet in the front fenders" and pointing out "there's nothing cautious about the Airbus-theme taillights either."

Edmunds notes that, from the outside, the Altima Coupe shares only the hood with the sedan. The Coupe has a "masculine-looking" appearance, with "large fenders, big headlights and a cutting-edge design around back," according to Cars.com. Road & Track reviewers agree, saying, "from the rear three-quarter view, this one's a stunner."

Inside, the Altima's instrument panel is straightforward and simple, yet sophisticated and a little sporty and sophisticated. The overall look can be drab in some colors, but bright trim and bezels spice it up somewhat. Here, too, reviewers are split on the overall effect and the details. Kelley Blue Book says that "the Altima's airy cabin has a contemporary appearance" and "logically arranged" interior controls, while Car and Driver notes that, compared to previous Altima models, "although the instrument cluster still shows you three dials, the annoying, seemingly misaligned tunnels are gone, replaced by a single-lens grouping of much improved graphics."