'98 Nissan Altima SE

Thumbs DownLeather qualityBudget redesignEntry-level powertrainPower-sapping automatic

Thumbs UpLuxury on a budgetRide and handlingBetter value than G20

Developing a niche in a tightly competitive market segment is not an easy task, but one at which Nissan is becoming progressively more adept. Nissan splits the midsize sedan market into two sub-classes, pitting the redesigned, V-6-powered Maxima and the four-cylinder Altima against the best-selling Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and, to a lesser degree, Ford Taurus. Though an expensive strategy from a production standpoint, the sales from the two Nissan sedans combine for annual sales in the neighborhood of the key rivals-a situation that Nissan openly admits it could not accomplish with a single vehicle.

In theory, this interesting approach permits the Altima and Maxima to more accurately target their prospective customer base, rather than spread a single model across a wide $10,000 range as the other automakers do. When the updated '98 Altima became available, we ordered a long-term test car to evaluate the latest iteration of the vehicle slotted between the sales-dominating Honda Civic/Accord and Toyota Corolla/Camry duos.

Our enthusiast staff zeroed in on the sporty SE model, distinguished by aluminum wheels, foglamps, decklid spoiler, white-faced gauges, and leather steering wheel trim. Other notable standards included air conditioning, basic power features, cruise control, and remote keyless entry. Building on a $19,290 base price, we added leather upholstery ($1299), anti-lock brakes ($499), power moonroof ($849), and floor mats ($79). The bottom line edged past $22,506, deep into Accord territory, but our Altima touted a full compliment of bells and whistles.

After negotiations, surveyed owners drove their SE sedans home for $19,057 on average, with 87.4 percent choosing automatic transmissions. Appearance, price, and value were the leading purchase influences, with nearly half of respondents being former Nissan owners.

The team, led by Nissan Design International President-cum-TV-spokesman Jerry Hirshberg, pushed the length, width, and height, while sculpting a more aerodynamic shape, reducing the coefficient of drag from the original's 0.34 to 0.32. The evolutionary approach to styling appealed to the surveyed buyers. However, we have to wonder if a more significant redesign would've better helped the Altima face its updated competitors, as '98 sales climbed only nominally over the previous calendar year.

Beyond the general profile, the new Altima shares much with the original first-generation model, such as the 2.4-liter/150-horsepower four-cylinder, basic platform, and four-wheel independent suspension. The veteran powerplant carried over with identical peak ratings for horsepower and torque, though internal enhancements such as lighter pistons, lower-friction rings, and freer-spinning crank were implemented to widen the torque band and improve overall efficiency.