Remember the '80s? You know — leg warmers, the Cold War, Punky Brewster? At the tail end of that let's-just-forget-it-ever-happened decade, Nissan introduced a revamped Maxima, the ads for which bore the well-known tagline: "The four-door sports car."
Fast-forward 18 years. Driving the 2007 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE, that old tagline keeps popping into the brain. And while real sports cars don't have automatic transmissions or front-wheel drive or even a backseat, it's obvious that Nissan has quietly made the Altima the spiritual successor of that tagline's underlying philosophy: Just because a car has four doors doesn't mean it has to drive like a dumpster.
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Quick Take...
3.5 V6 (270hp @ 6,000rpm ; 258lb-ft @ 4400rpm)
0-60 = 6.6 sec
1/4 Mile = 15.0sec @ 94.9 mph
Slalom = 67.0 mph
Skid Pad = 0.81g (All-Season Tires)
What Works:
Brilliant CVT, fast in the tight stuff, still-great VQ35 V6, much improved interior
What Needs Work:
Pricey options, so-so braking performance, looks like the old Altima.
Bottom Line:
Like Paris Hilton, a star performer with a plain face and a habit for expensive accessories.
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