When it comes to being kind to the earth and having a small appetite for fuel, hybrid cars are tough to beat. Less endearing, however, are their typically odd styling and lackluster performance. Having an engaging personality isn't usually part of the design dictum. The 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid, however, isn't your typical hybrid. Yes, it runs clean and lean, but it also looks and drives like a normal midsize sedan. Make that a normal Altima sedan, and that's good news for those who enjoy driving a responsive, athletic vehicle.
Thanks to a licensing agreement with Toyota, the Altima Hybrid shares a number of hybrid components with the respected Camry Hybrid. However, it does employ a Nissan engine -- a revised version of the 2.5-liter four-cylinder in the regular Altima -- as well as a specialized continuously variable transmission (CVT). The end result is a better performer than the Camry Hybrid that still earns the same impressive 34 mpg for the EPA's combined fuel-economy estimate.
The Altima Hybrid's other EPA estimates stand at 35 mpg city/33 highway. To put that into perspective, consider that the standard four-cylinder Altima rates just 23 city/32 highway and 27 combined. Though the hybrid boasts a sizable improvement in fuel economy over the standard Altima, you should also know that it comes at a nearly $5,000 price premium compared to the well-equipped Altima S.
Speaking of pricing, the biggest drawback for the Altima (and indeed many of Nissan's models) is the way that desired optional features cannot be bought à la carte but rather are bundled into a trio of large and expensive packages. Adding insult to injury is the fact that as you move up in the package hierarchy, choosing the upper ones requires the purchase of the lower ones. So although the Altima Hybrid may start out equipped and priced similar to its closest rivals, those packages can quickly put it at a price disadvantage compared to the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Camry Hybrid.
Still, in the admittedly limited hybrid midsize-sedan segment, the 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid earns our affection, along with the Fusion, by offering impressively swift acceleration, sporty handling, a comfortable cabin and miserly fuel consumption. If you're likewise enamored, make sure you live in California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island or Vermont, as those are the only states where it is currently sold.