1998 Nissan Altima

It's always tough to follow up a successful debut, particularly one as auspicious as that of the Nissan Altima. Since replacing the Stanza over four years ago, this compact front-drive sedan has racked up total U.S. sales of almost 700,000 units. Along the way, it's also earned near-unanimous acclaim from automotive pundits and regularly turned up at or near the top of various independent market research surveys.

In lieu of that track record, it was no small feat to upgrade the second-generation car significantly while maintaining the basic goodness of the original. Our first encounter with some preproduction examples left no doubt that this latest iteration is a sure bet to carry on in the tire tracks of its predecessor.

Middle child in a "three sedan" lineup bookended by the Sentra and Maxima, Nissan's best-selling vehicle will continue to be built at the firm's award-winning facility in Smyrna, Tennessee. With 78 percent U.S.-sourced parts, the '98 qualifies as an EPA domestic vehicle. The Altima will still be promoted with an "affordable luxury" image. In addition to more attractive packaging, an enhanced roster of standards, and better fuel efficiency, the new lineup will be base priced from $15,000 to $20,000, making it better equipped yet cheaper than the current value-oriented '97s. The four existing trim levels will continue: XE, mid-line GXE, luxo-oriented GLE, and sporty SE-the subject of this particular exercise. Expected to start around $19,000, our tester also had leather upholstery and a moonroof, extras that would push its sticker to about $21,400, including destination fees.

Convinced that slightly bigger is slightly better, Nissan modestly "grew" the '98 Altima inside and out. Wheelbase remains 103.1 inches, but overall length rose 3.0 inches and width climbed by 2.0 inches. Those stretches helped increase interior volume by 2.0 cubic feet, slightly deepening the dimension pool in seven of nine critical areas. Trunk capacity also expanded, from 13.0 to 13.8 cubic feet. Last, but far from least, the re-engineering process yielded a 20-percent gain in structural rigidity.

Like the original, exterior styling on the new Altima was done by the troops at NDI (Nissan Design International) in La Jolla, California. New sheetmetal expands on the basic lines of the current car, imparting a bit more of a sophisticated edge while trimming the drag coefficient from 0.34 to 0.32. A crisper overall feel is particularly noticeable in the front end. The most obvious change is a reshaped grille opening that houses a single slender horizontal bar in place of the previous multi-element setup. Also on hand are new head- and foglamp assemblies plus a revised lower valance panel.

The rear quarters have been similarly redefined, appearing slightly deeper in cross section and accented with new, oversize taillamp units. A larger greenhouse area and more vertical tumblehome effectively complement the look, imparting an open feel to the passenger compartment and affording better sightlines for the driver.

Inside, the Altima has moved a notch or two upmarket. Created primarily in Japan, the revised interior displays more of a Maxima flavor, including fitment of white-face analog gauges in the SE. Subtle ergonomic improvements have been made throughout; and front passengers-in redesigned buckets that offer even more comfort and support-are now protected by new Generation II airbags that deploy with slightly less force than the originals. The rear bench, while still tight for three adults, gets a standard 60/40 semi-split/folding back, which greatly increases the size of the previous pass-through opening.