2005 Nissan Altima Review
2005 Nissan Altima Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Sports car power in a midsize sedan body, excellent handling, roomy and comfortable interior, high level of features, distinctive styling.
Cons
- Considerable road noise, overboosted steering, no stability control, ABS still an extra-cost option.
What’s new
All Altimas receives exterior styling enhancements, including new smoked headlamps and taillights, new wheel designs and a restyled front fascia and grille, along with a much needed interior redesign. The 3.5-liter V6 gets five more horsepower and three more lb-ft of torque, for a total of 250 and 249, respectively, and is now available with a five-speed automatic transmission. A new performance-oriented SE-R model joins the lineup along with a leather-lined 3.5 SL model. A newly optional DVD-based navigation system and two new exterior colors round out the changes.
Edmunds says
Once a frumpy wallflower, the Altima is now a midsize sedan to be desired, especially when equipped with the 250-horsepower V6.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.36 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$171/mo for Altima 2.5
Altima 2.5
vs
$176/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2005 Nissan Altima.
5 star(77%)
4 star(16%)
3 star(5%)
2 star(1%)
1 star(1%)
496 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
5 out of 5 stars
200k and going strong
MishaBella, 10/01/2015
2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4dr Sedan w/SL Package (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
I bought this car used and have had it for the last 6 years. I haven't been the best with maintenance on the car, and I think that's important to note. I regularly went 7-10k miles before an oil change. The car has over 200k miles and has had very few issues. Engine mounts have been replaced, ignition coil, rotors and wheel bearings... The only irritation I've had is with the headlights. … They have been replaced more than I would have expected and they get very cloudy. Otherwise this car is Ah maze ing! Amazing... My son and I took a road trip from Cali to Arizona and back (where it turned over 200k) and the car was completely reliable. We were comfortable and had fun driving fast and without caution to the age and mileage. The head unit and rear speakers were upgraded for current technology. My son is excited to have this car as a sophomore in college when I get a new one. We also own an Xterra... Oh should note the interior space is better than most midsize suv. Our family is much more comfy in the Altima then some suv's we've rented, way more space then the Xterra.
5 out of 5 stars
Best car I have ever owned.
sheer, 03/01/2014
2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4dr Sedan w/SL Package (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
It really is the best car I have ever owned! I basically just drive it. I bought from a friend six years ago with 50,000 miles. Now I have 276,000 miles on it and all I have done is basic maintenance, struts, and one sensor.
It never breaks down. The motor still runs smooth. It's still peppy, though I don't push it like I did when I first bought it. I expect to see well over 300K miles … out of this one.
4 out of 5 stars
Few issues but overall solid
Scott Swindells, 08/09/2015
2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4dr Sedan w/SL Package (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
Purchased this as my first new car out of college in July 2005. It's had a few minor issues but overall has been a solid vehicle. I only expected to keep it for 5 years, but now i'm planning to drive it until it's dead.
It had 2 issues brand new from the factory, both warranty repairs, but both left lasting impressions on me. First, one of the rear tail lights wasn't plugged in. Didn't … know for a couple months until leaving a bar one night a coworker called me in a panic and said you better get off the road you have a bad tail light! Took it to the dealer and they were like wow it wasn't plugged in all the way and some pins were vent. The other issue was also terrifying. If i was making a right turn with my blinker on, as i'd exit the turn the blinker would click off, and so would my head lights. Took a bit of jiggling to get it to come back on.
Other than oil changes at ~6000 mile intervals I've only had minor repairs:
1. Crankshaft position sensor (as did everyone else with this car) at 60k
2. Serpentine belt at 90k
3. DIY Brakes and rotors at 90k (needed rotots at 50k though)
4. Front end inner tie rod at 150k
5. Front struts at 150k (needed them since 100k though)
The car has really good interior quality. Nothing feels cheap. Leather is nice. Fabrics are nice. Bose is nice. Nothing is falling apart even at 10 years old.
Good performance for a 4-cyl. Good gas mileage for a car of the era.
The biggest negative about the car is road noise, both bumps and wind. After a highway trip i feel deaf.
3 out of 5 stars
Got screwed by Nissan again
nissancrap, 07/02/2011
2005 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
I have a 2005 altima SE 3.5 with 80K miles. It was a fun car to begin with and plenty of power and torque for a $25,000 car. But I had spent more monies on this crap even more than my 2002 BMW. I ran into the timing chain tensioner guide cracking issue @40K miles which I was lucky it still covered warranty. Many owners were not so lucky but have to pay close to $2,000 after warranty … expired. But after Premier Nissan at Fremont, CA fixed it, the air conditioning stopped working. Took it back to Sunnyvale Nissan to get it fixed again. The car interior had some strange rattling sounds which the dealers thought it came from the dash panels and never able to eliminate it.
2005 Altima Highlights
2.5
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $17,450 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 24 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $171/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 15.6 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Altima include:
- Alarm
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver3 / 5Passenger3 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalPoor
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintAcceptable
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