Midsize Cars Improve in Side Crash Tests

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently concluded crash tests on seven midsize sedans and discovered that while they had improved in side crash tests, they still lacked enough head protection to earn top marks in rear crash tests.

Tested were the 2008 model year Chevrolet Malibu, Dodge Avenger, Infiniti G35, Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Galant (which was updated for the 2009 model year on sale now), Nissan Altima and Saturn Aura.

Only the Kia Optima did not earn the top score of “good” for side impact crash tests – it received the second highest nod, “acceptable.” However, the Optima was the only car in the test to receive a “good” score in rear crash tests.

The difficulty in scoring the top rank in rear tests involves head and neck protection for those rear-end collisions that produce whiplash. The IIHS claims that those types of accidents and injuries lead to losses of $8.5 billion annually. Most vehicles need to equip active head restraints to pass this test.

The Audi A3, A4, Honda Accord, Saab 9-3 and Subaru Legacy – with optional stability control – earned good ratings in all tests previously and earned the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick designation for midsize cars. 

A full chart of how the cars scored is below.

Recall Alert: 2002, 2005-2006 Nissan Altimas, Sentras

Last August, Nissan recalled more than 200,000 Sentras and Altimas equipped with its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Now the company is expanding the recall to cover some 653,910 vehicles. The new model years impacted by the recall include 2002, 2005 and 2006 Sentras and Altimas.

The problem involves a faulty sensor that, if working improperly, can cause the engine to shut off. 

Nissan Recalls 653,910 Sentras, Altimas to Fix Sensor (Bloomberg)

Nissan Favors Electric Cars; Aims at 2012

Nissan’s charismatic CEO Carlos Ghosn says the car company is looking to produce a mass-market electric car by 2012. Ghosn says cars running on rechargeable batteries alone are better for urban driving than fuel cell — hydrogen — or gas-electric hybrids like the Toyota Prius.

Nissan has shied away from the hybrid race. It’s Altima Hybrid is only sold in the eight U.S. states with the strictest emission controls. That’s despite widespread praise of the car in the press. This stubborn, almost anti-green attitude makes Ghosn’s statement on an electric-only car a bit odd. At least the company is aiming at some kind of future in alternative propulsion.

Nissan Considers Mass Marketing Electric Cars in 2012 (MarketWatch)

Friday Fleet Notes: 9.7.07

Friday Fleet Notes returns with a solid batch of cars we’ve recently reviewed. This week’s installment features second thoughts on the new Nissan Altima coupe, Hummer H3 Alpha, Saturn Vue Red Line and Honda Ridgeline, giving added insight for folks who didn’t get enough from the original review.

2008 Nissan Altima Coupe

I recently spent another day or so with the 2008 Altima SE coupe reviewed in July by David Thomas. I like it now as I did then, and it got me musing on the issue of continuously variable automatic transmissions, which the Altima teams with its 3.5-liter V-6. This is one of the best CVT executions out there — a technology that hasn’t grown on me as much as I’d expected. As a class, they tend to have a delay when accelerating to pass, and they often rev the engine faster than expected under light acceleration. This results in more noise than many are comfortable with, and I think it increases the perception of lag, because surely this thing should be going faster with all the noise it’s making. Part of it is driver adjustment and part of it is a legitimate drawback.

Cars.com Reviews the 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe

I spent some quality time recently with Nissan’s first attempt at a two-door Altima. It’s an intriguing proposition that has a lot going for it, including one of the few CVTs I’ve ever actually enjoyed driving. There are still questions on the practicality of a coupe this size that still leaves little legroom, and even less headroom in the rear seats. Check out the full review at the link and keep reading for a video recap.

2008 Nissan Altima Expert Review

2007 Nissan Altima Recalled Over Fire Possibility

Nissan’s most important vehicle, the new 2007 Altima sedan, is the subject of a large recall after four incidents of fire have been reported. More than 140,000 Altima sedans equipped with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine are being recalled because of an air filter that can catch on fire if something hot — like cigarette ash — is drawn into it.

Nissan is issuing the recall and has notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The company says it began contacting owners July 3. The air filter will be replaced, and an air deflector will be added to prevent debris buildup in the filter.   

The Altima is the country’s ninth-best-selling car or light truck so far this year. 

Nissan Recalls 140,582 Altimas Because Air Filter May Ignite (Chicago Tribune)

Nissan Says Phones Can Erase Your Key

If you own a 2007 Nissan Altima or Infiniti G35, we have a suggestion: Keep your key fob in one pocket and your cell phone in the other.

According to the Associated Press, Nissan is getting complaints that cell phones are erasing its “intelligent keys” – you know, the ones you don't actually have to put in the ignition – because some phones can alter the fobs' electronic code if the two touch while a call is being made or received.

"When this happens, the I-Key will not start the vehicle and cannot be reprogrammed," Nissan’s statement said.

Ouch. Wrong number, indeed.

Nissan says it’s working on the problem and will give customers new keys sometime this fall. For now, the company recommends keeping your cell phone and your fob “at least 1 inch apart at all times.” Just like when you were dating in junior high.

Brent Adams, vice president and general manager at Action Nissan in Nashville, told AP that the problem involves only a "certain type of phone and this particular service," which he declined to specify. He described the number of complaints as "minute."

Nissan: Cell Phones Can Alter the I-Key (L.A. Times)

Nissan Prices 2008 Altima Coupe

We were surprisingly impressed with the Altima Coupe after getting up close with and sitting in one at the New York auto show. It’s certainly a good-looking two-door, inside and out. Now Nissan has given us the last piece of the puzzle to determine if it really is an appealing value.

The base coupe 2.5 S with a 175-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual will start at $20,490; the 2.5 S with a continuously variable automatic transmission will start at $20,990. That’s actually a very low premium for the bump to an automatic or CVT transmission.

Move up to the Altima Coupe 3.5 SE with its 270-hp V-6 and the cost moves up to $24,890 for the six-speed manual and $25,390 for the CVT. None of the prices include the $625 destination charge.

The Altima Coupe goes on sale May 25, but Nissan is taking pre-orders starting today.

Related: 
2006 L.A. Auto Show: Nissan Altima Coupe

Friday Fleet Notes

We get a lot of cars to test at the Cars.com offices, and often many of our staff — besides the lead reviewer — get to test-drive vehicles. We wanted to give them a place to add their thoughts on cars we’ve already reviewed. Friday Fleet Notes is a new feature we’re thinking of bringing back. Tell us what you think in the comments to help determine its fate.

2007 Dodge Nitro SXT 4WD

The only explanation I can come up with for out-there styling like the Dodge Nitro’s is that it must be aimed at a particular niche. That, of course, is thinly veiled code for “I think it’s ugly,” but the truth is somebody must like it if it made it to production. For Dodge’s sake, I hope the group of buyers meant to appreciate the Nitro’s aesthetics doesn’t include many of my stature. Which is to say, short.

Cars.com Reviews the 2007 Nissan Altima, 2007 Chrysler Pacifica

The staff has been busily preparing for next week’s New York auto show, but that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped handing in our expert reviews. The latest two tackle Nissan’s redesigned Altima sedan and the Chrysler Pacifica.

Mike Hanley was impressed by the Altima’s performance and new interior, while Kelsey Mays found the Pacifica unable to measure up to the competition on most points. Now back to packing for the big trip.

2007 Nissan Altima Review
2007 Chrysler Pacifica Review

Best-Selling Cars of 2006

A few readers recently asked when someone would release the list of last-year’s best-selling cars. The answer, it seems, is now. MSN Autos tracked down the top 10 best-sellers of 2006 using data from Automotive News, and there are few surprises. The Ford F-150 still tops the list, and the Chevy Silverado comes in second despite a 6.7% downturn in overall truck sales last year. The full list including total sales is below.

Nissan Prices New 2007 Altima Hybrid

Nissan is only selling its new Altima Hybrid sedan in eight states — California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont — because of their strict emission standards. That’s too bad, because its just-announced starting price of $24,400 and 42/36 mpg city/highway fuel economy estimates sound like they would make the Altima Hybrid a hot item in 42 other states and maybe even the District of Columbia.

Plus, since it’s the first hybrid from Nissan, owners will be eligible for $2,350 in tax credits. The Altima Hybrid is on sale now in those eight states. The reason Nissan doesn’t sell this everywhere really rests in the high cost to produce it and the fact that the company will probably lose money on every hybrid sale, much like other automakers do. It’s also a bit too late for Nissan to get the high level of free publicity that Toyota did from the Prius to offset its losses. We asked how many people would buy a VW Jetta hybrid, but the Altima is here now. How much would hybrid fans pay for an eco-friendly Altima?

All-New 2007 Nissan Altima Priced from $17,950

Nissan just pulled back the veil on pricing for its new 2007 Altima sedan. The workhorse of the Nissan sedan fleet — wedged between the new Sentra compact and the Maxima full-size sedans — gets revised styling, updated engine and transmission options, and some new technology for a starting price just $200 over the outgoing model. The 2007s go on sale this week.

The Altima 2.5 comes standard with a four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual transmission for $17,950. The optioned Altima 2.5 S is equipped with the six-speed manual for $19,800 and $20,300 for the CVT automatic transmission. The next level of Altima-ness is the 3.5 SE with a 270-hp V-6, starting at $24,000 for the manual transmission and $24,500 for the CVT automatic. The 3.5 SL starts at $28,400. Destination is an additional $615.