2001 Nissan Altima Review
Price Estimate: $1,988 - $3,303





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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Fun to drive, strong reliability record, big rebates.
Cons
- Tinny construction, lacking powertrain refinement, vanilla personality.
What’s new
GXE is available with a new Limited Edition package, which includes goodies like an eight-way power driver seat, remote keyless entry, floor mats, special badging and a security system.
Edmunds says
A solid value, but there are better sedans to be had.
For sale nearby
8 listings
- 95,569 miles
- 1 accident, 2 owners, personal use only
- 19 City / 26 Hwy MPG
- Go Autos (557 mi away)
- Fold Flat Rear Seats
Close
Located in Skokie, IL
The 2001 Nissan Altima GXE 4dr Sedan with a 2.4L I4 engine came with a variety of features aimed at comfort, convenience, and safety for its time. Pow...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
21 Combined MPG (19 City/26 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 1N4DL01D31C178159
Stock: GA-178159
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 09-23-2024- 288,086 miles
- No accidents, 4 owners, personal use only
- 19 City / 26 Hwy MPG
- First Class Cars (808 mi away)
- Fold Flat Rear Seats
Close
Located in Salt Lake City, UT
Features:AM/FM Stereo, Air Conditioning, Automatic Transmission, CD Audio, Cloth Seats, Cruise Control, Limited Edition, Power Locks, Power Mirrors, P...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
21 Combined MPG (19 City/26 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 1N4DL01DX1C183052
Stock: 183052
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 03-18-2025
Vehicle overview
When Nissan introduced its Infiniti J30 knockoff, Altima, in 1993, it was an instant hit. The term "affordable luxury" became synonymous with the new sedan, and consumers rushed out in droves to buy this car. Five years later, the Altima was redesigned with the goal of improving on its original style and appeal. Unfortunately, the second-generation edition didn't include the upscale design details and cut-rate luxury cabin that the original car possessed. Sales suffered as a result.
So Nissan made substantial refinements to the current-generation Altima just two years after its debut. Styling was cleaned up, cabin refinements were incorporated, and the powertrain was refined. Noise, vibration and harshness were quelled through the addition of sound-deadening materials, and a trick new automatically adjustable strut suspension improved the ride and handling.But sales remained stagnant, forcing Nissan to offer hefty customer rebates and dealer incentives to clear inventory. Dear consumer, what this means to you is a good deal on a decent, if not terribly exciting, car. If what you need is a reliable, roomy sedan that offers the ability to have a little fun when the road turns twisty, Nissan's Altima will fill the bill.
Available in base XE, mid-grade GXE, sporty SE and leather-lined GLE trims, the Altima is reasonably crashworthy, scoring average or better in government crash testing. Side impact airbags come standard on GLE and are optional on GXE and SE. Our favorite, not surprisingly, is the SE, since the GLE can't be bought with a manual transmission or four-wheel disc brakes.
When equipped with a stick shift, the standard 155-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine manages to get the 3,000-pound sedan to speed with surprising alacrity, running from rest to 60 mph in a hair over 8 seconds, though without refined noises emanating from beyond the firewall. Handling is an Altima strong point, with sharp steering and a nicely balanced chassis sporting an Acceleration-Sensitive Strut Valving (ASSV) four-wheel independent suspension with rear Super Toe Control. Models with 16-inch wheels have a front strut-tower brace for increased rigidity and responsiveness. ABS is optional on all Altimas except XE.
Simple interior design means it's easy to find and use controls and switches. Seating is comfortable front and rear, but beware that the leather used on some models ain't exactly high-quality hide. Wood tone accents dress things up a bit on GXE and GLE Altimas, in an effort to remind you that this Nissan's calling card is "affordable luxury."
Our primary complaint with the Altima, aside from its utter lack of personality and rather gruff truck-based engine, is with the quality of the materials that have gone into its construction. It's too easy to see where corners were cut, and slamming doors and the trunk lid don't impart a sense of solidity.
Nevertheless, the Altima represents a solid value. Want a nice set of wheels for less than $20,000? Drop by your local Nissan store.
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota
$166/mo for Altima XE
Altima XE
vs
$163/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Nissan Altima Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Love my Alti
4 out of 5 starsJared Rella, 02/20/2015
2001 Nissan Altima GXE 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
My older sister got a newer car and gave me her 2001 Altima GXE for my first car. I've had it for about 3 months and I love it. It currently has a bit over 165k miles on it. Exterior wise it's bland and blends in very easily with traffic but it doesn't look bad. The 155 horses seem to work hard and get the job done. If I push the pedal down on the highway it picks up and has quite a bit … of pep in its step. It has a brake light out, a broken seal on the front axle, and a valve cover leak but I think the valve cover problem was from my sister abusing the car. So far I'm perfectly happy and impressed with it!
***Update: Almost two years and over 30k miles later, I finally got a new car. I really loved my Altima but at 196k miles and after being thoroughly used for 15 years it was getting worn out. The drivetrain is still fine and it still runs great but the exhaust system was all rotted and it started leaking oil. I hope my 2005 Camry will prove to be a worthy replacement.
OK for a town car, getting costly
4.25 out of 5 starsOK town car, 10/26/2010
2001 Nissan Altima GXE 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
We bought this car new and had the power windows go out while sitting in Yuma,AZ in 110 degree weather..after having the dealer replace two and a recall was issued and all were replaced by Nissan. We have 95,000 on it and have replaced the defective intake manifold gasket twice..replaced the radiator, cv boots and axles..and it eats brake shoes quite regularly. Just had the check engine … soon..now the catalytic converter is shot, $700 or so. Noisy hubcaps are a tradition with this model.
Good car to commute!
4 out of 5 starsMustafa, 08/29/2016
2001 Nissan Altima GXE 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
I like that car so much. It has 143k miles on it, still no gasket and/or transmission problems. Besides, it is a great DIY car. There are bunch of videos on YouTube about that car, and the replacement parts are not expensive. Installing the replacements are easy as hell! I have driven that car non-stop 450 miles. The only I would concern about that car is the gas consumption. It … consumes a lot for a 2.4 4 cyl car (16/22mpg). You have to be aware of a point: 98-99 and 00-01 altimas are not completely identical (the interior as well); some of the replacements are different, such as shocks.
Just average
3.25 out of 5 starssteve, 12/21/2008
2001 Nissan Altima GXE 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
I have had this car for eight years. It has been okay except for the noisy hubcaps, which have been replaced twice while under warranty. They still drive me crazy when driving under 10 mph. You hear constant squeaks and rattles. Mileage is not great, 23 mpg combined. Ride is comfortable and decent power for a 4 cylinder. Radiator and CV boots needed changing after 80,000 miles. A/C … clutch has been making noise for 2 years, but still works.
2001 Altima Highlights
XE
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $15,140 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 23 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $166/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver3 / 5Passenger3 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic 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 – OriginalAcceptable
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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