Editor's Note: The following review has created quite a stir. We've heard from several site users via e-mail, and we have discussed the review at length with Nissan public relations. The issue causing consternation is build quality. Turns out, the car we drove was a pre-production unit. This means that while the car was mechanically and cosmetically identical to regular production Altimas you might find at your local Nissan store, the shoddy workmanship exhibited by our test Altima was not. Recently, I had occasion to pilot a production 1998 Altima GLE over rolling Arkansas blacktop. The build quality of that car was flawless. Interior materials were in very good shape, and all the panel gaps were tight and aligned nicely. While I still was not won over by the car, I can attest that fit and finish was very good. Keep this in mind while reading our review of the 1998 Altima. -- CJW
Michael Jackson was a good looking guy, had a great voice, and could dance up a storm when he sold millions of copies of "Thriller," the 1983 album that put him back on the map years after the Jackson 5 broke up. Then he went to the plastic surgeon, his skin began its odd chameleon act, and he started hanging with Liz Taylor, pre-pubescent boys, and assorted zoo animals. These days, Michael can still sing and dance, but what a walking freak show. The 1993 Altima was like the 1983 Michael, good looking and a great performer. The 1998 Altima is like the 1998 Michael. Need we say more?
Nissan is nuts if they think people are going to pony up $22,000 for an Altima GLE when the larger, more powerful, new-and-improved 1998 Honda Accord EX is going to sell at close to final 1997 price levels. And while the advertising for the new Altima is nothing short of brilliant, enthusiasts would do well to investigate the excellent Ford Contour SE V6 or hot-rodded Contour SVT before stepping foot in a Nissan showroom. I don't care if the price is lower than the old Altima; this car isn't worth the cash.
Why not? A cursory examination of our test car, which had barely more than 5,000 miles, revealed numerous fit and finish flaws. For example, the deck lid was so poorly attached that you could almost peer into the trunk through the gap along the top of the right rear quarter panel. The gray finish inside the dashboard storage bin was flaking off, and flecks of it coated the fake wood covering the center console. The glove box door was hung pathetically askew. We folded down the passenger visor to see if the mirror was illuminated, and the flimsy plastic cover over the reflective glass sagged just enough to shut the lights off completely. We pressed the release for the overhead garage door opener storage console and the cover snapped violently from its moorings, crashing onto the center console and no doubt jarring loose more of the dashboard storage bin's shedding skin.
Cost cutting was evident in the design of the new Altima as well. There are no rear cupholders, so forget putting kids back there for long trips. The inside of the trunk lid, which felt about as substantial as an empty Diet Coke can, was completely unfinished. Inside, the cruise control isn't activated using a detented button like most other Japanese cars. A rocker switch does the job. On the right half of the rocker switch, lettering reads "CRU-ISE CONT." Cruise is hyphenated because the whole word wouldn't fit, and it looks sloppy. On the left side of the rocker switch is a green light that indicates whether the cruise is turned on or off. Bright sunlight washes out the green light, so you can't tell which way to flip the switch to get the system turned on and the gauge display only illuminates after you've set the cruise control. Our test car had leather seating surfaces, meaning the sides, fronts, and backs were vinyl. The vinyl looked and felt better than the hides stitched to the fronts of the seats, which looked and felt like an old chamois.
Finally, what the heck happened to the classy look of the first generation Altima? Nissan has been telling the press that the 1998 model has "lost its baby fat" and is "all grown up." Well, to us the new Altima looks like some kind of fastback Sentra, particularly from the front ¾ view. Jeez, looking at this car almost induces sleep. The rear end is just silly looking, with the sloping backlight, ultra-short deck, taillights that can't decide whether to be triangles or squares, deep character lines across the rear of the trunk when the rest of the car has none, and a jutting bumper whose license plate cut-out is sure to trap large amounts of snow. The new grille is nice (much better than the old venetian blind-inspired air inlet), the alloy wheels on our test car were attractive, and the hood creases lent some individuality, but otherwise the design of the 1998 Altima can't touch the old model with regard to style.
The one element of the Altima that still pleases is the handling. We tossed the GLE into a smooth cloverleaf on-ramp at twice the recommended speed, and let off the accelerator about half way through. The rear end tucked in and the Altima oversteered in a very controlled manner. Very entertaining. Later, on a different portion of our test loop, the Altima came to a stop from 75 mph with assurance, but barely better than the heavier Buick Regal we ran through the loop a week before. The main difference in the Nissan was excellent brake pedal feel and modulation. Similarly, the steering always lets you know what's happening on the road surface below, and responds crisply to driver input. The ride is taut without beating occupants up, and body roll is reasonably well controlled. Overall, the Altima handles predictably, allowing the driver to have some fun in the twisties.
Another plus in favor of the new Altima, in most respects anyway, is the redesigned interior. Everything is easy to find and use, and the power seats in our GLE test car were very comfortable. We appreciated the low cowl height and excellent visibility. The combination CD and cassette stereo system in our test car produced impressive sound. Center console storage is nothing to write home about, but otherwise, there is plenty of room and space for four adults. Dual front cupholders emulate the excellent design found in the 1997 Camry. Switchgear and stalks all have a solid yet fluid feel to them. Our two-tone interior lent the Altima a rich appearance, and de-powered Generation II airbags protect the driver and front passenger.
We were somewhat disappointed with the carryover 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. At 6,000 feet, its 150 horsepower felt more like what 120 does at sea level. But it got our Altima to speed reasonably quickly once the tachometer needle climbed to the upper portions of the rev range. A five-speed manual would have been more effective with this engine, but is unavailable on the GLE model like the one we drove. The engine also makes quite a bit of racket as it powers up, and at idle, we watched the hood vibrate, which was definitely odd in a $22K wannabe luxury sedan.
Altima comes in four flavors, all of which share the same powertrain. XE is the value leader, but includes power windows. GXE is expected to be the big seller, and when fully loaded, it stickers between $20,000 and $21,000, including destination charge. GXE adds air conditioning, CD player, cruise control, and fake wood to the XE. SE is the sport model, adding rear disc brakes, alloy wheels, a sport suspension, fog lights white-faced gauges, and a dopey looking rear spoiler to the GXE. GLE, like our test car, is the top-of-the-line model. Power leather seats and a rear center armrest pretty much define its individuality over the GXE.
Nissan used to make some pretty cool cars, and recently too. The last 300ZX, the 1991-1994 Sentra SE-R, the 1989-1994 240SX, the original Infiniti Q45, the 1989-1994 Maxima, the first-generation Pathfinder, and the old Altima all come to mind. Now they just make cool commercials. Senior Editor B. Grant Whitmore, upon seeing the 1998 Altima, sadly said, "It's too bad Nissan's advertising guys aren't designing the cars too." Have we seen the 1998 Altima? We've seen it and driven it. So what.
