2014 Nissan Altima rental review

[Huie83]

Good Morning-

I have been driving a 2014 Nissan Altima in the "S" trim as a rental while my 2010 Impala is in the Body shop after I was rear ended the past 3 days. Thought you may enjoy a simple review/impression of the car if you are looking for a car in this segment.

The Good:

-Fit and finish throughout the vehicle is very good, above average in my opinion.

-The ride for a mid size vehicle is great, smooth, supple and controlled all at the same time. Best ride I've experienced in a long time.

-For a base model it has some nice features such as LCD info display in the instrument cluster, smart key/push button start, power seats and tilt/telescopint steering wheel.

- The engine at idle is very smooth and great on gas to boot, as a rental it was reading 34.8 MPG, very good as I'm sure it had been driven in the typical rental way.



My Dislikes:

-The CVT transmission...... This was my first experience driving a CVT. At first it wasn't too bad and was actually kind of neat. After driving it for 3 days in the real world it honestly SUCKS. Off the line its fine however, trying to merge into traffic or accelerate briefly you have to rev and keep revving the snot out of the engine to get anywhere. Then it will rubber band you into traffic.

- Noise, mostly from the buzzing engine/CVT snot revving combo. Since the engine has to rev and maintain RPM's while getting up to speed it resonates into the cabin, very loud car unless you are just cruising on the highway. There was also this weird buzzing/vibration from the drivetrain in the 12-1,500 RPM range, sounded like I was lugging the engine, problem is you have no choice, just how it drives.

- The radio is pretty bad, sounds quality even after tweaking the EQ settings is subpar.

- The steering is way too sensitive. If you are not very gentle with the wheel the car turns in very harsh.




Conclusion:

While I was initially impressed with the ride and build quality I don't think I could live with this car as a daily driver. IMO The engine and CVT combo kills what could be a excellent DD.

If you have any questions on specifics let me know.

 

[CharBaby]

This mirrors many professional reviews!

I have an '04 2.5S w/4 spd auto tranny and I juat love it! A 5 spd would have helped the overall MPG.

I am not a fan of any CVT tranny though, I have drive a Prius that seemed to work very well. I drove a Nissan Rogue and hated it!

I think that my '04 is quiet and smooth though, not Camry quiet or Accord smooth but, nice just the same.

 

[gregk24]

Thank you for taking the time to write the review. I have read that the CVT "droning" problem is pretty common, the CVT likes to hold the RPM's down low and the result is a lugging engine that reverberates the noise throughout the car.

 

[Huie83]

Originally Posted By: gregk24
Thank you for taking the time to write the review. I have read that the CVT "droning" problem is pretty common, the CVT likes to hold the RPM's down low and the result is a lugging engine that reverberates the noise throughout the car.


That's the perfect word, "droning". It sounds like something is shuttering right against the firewall. Reading more online about Nissan CVT's and it looks like 2013 and some 2014's are plagued with issues. Kind of a shame, it could be a nice combo, maybe the V6 in the Maxima paired with the CVT is much better. In the Altima it just doesn't work. I want to like CVT's, they do make sense but if they are all like the Altima's you can count me out.

 

[bigt61]

Now Honda has gone the CVT route with the Accord - big mistake IMO. Chrysler is going in the other direction with 9 speed transmissions - this may get interesting. Will durability suffer in search of that last 1/10th of an MPG? My initial guess would be YES.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I drove a 2013 Altima that managed to give me a headache and make me feel like I was going to pass out from all of the vibrations. It's crazy!

The engine just does not have the balancing required to lug around at that low RPM when trying to acellerate.

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: Huie83
Good Morning-

I have been driving a 2014 Nissan Altima in the "S" trim as a rental while my 2010 Impala is in the Body shop after I was rear ended the past 3 days. Thought you may enjoy a simple review/impression of the car if you are looking for a car in this segment.

The Good:

-Fit and finish throughout the vehicle is very good, above average in my opinion.

-The ride for a mid size vehicle is great, smooth, supple and controlled all at the same time. Best ride I've experienced in a long time.

-For a base model it has some nice features such as LCD info display in the instrument cluster, smart key/push button start, power seats and tilt/telescopint steering wheel.

- The engine at idle is very smooth and great on gas to boot, as a rental it was reading 34.8 MPG, very good as I'm sure it had been driven in the typical rental way.



My Dislikes:

-The CVT transmission...... This was my first experience driving a CVT. At first it wasn't too bad and was actually kind of neat. After driving it for 3 days in the real world it honestly SUCKS. Off the line its fine however, trying to merge into traffic or accelerate briefly you have to rev and keep revving the snot out of the engine to get anywhere. Then it will rubber band you into traffic.

- Noise, mostly from the buzzing engine/CVT snot revving combo. Since the engine has to rev and maintain RPM's while getting up to speed it resonates into the cabin, very loud car unless you are just cruising on the highway. There was also this weird buzzing/vibration from the drivetrain in the 12-1,500 RPM range, sounded like I was lugging the engine, problem is you have no choice, just how it drives.

- The radio is pretty bad, sounds quality even after tweaking the EQ settings is subpar.

- The steering is way too sensitive. If you are not very gentle with the wheel the car turns in very harsh.




Conclusion:

While I was initially impressed with the ride and build quality I don't think I could live with this car as a daily driver. IMO The engine and CVT combo kills what could be a excellent DD.

If you have any questions on specifics let me know.


I had one as a rental a couple years ago and I agree completely.

 

[Tdbo]

Totally agree with the review.
Doesn't sound like much has changed since I rented one several years ago.
CVT's IMO are horrible, particularly the Nissan version.
Too bad as several of their cars are otherwise nice offerings.
CVT's are the reason that I will probably never own another Accord.
Understanding that these are somewhat the wave of the future, this fact will severely hamper my options for new vehicles.

 

[Hokiefyd]

The lugging is probably caused by the programming of the transmission. Nissan could program it differently, but they have chosen the path they have in the name of economy. I had a rental Chrysler 300 with the 8-speed that was similar. All it wanted to do was lug that Pentastar engine around all day. And despite it being a V-6, if it's out of its powerband, it doesn't sound good and it's not terribly smooth. You really had to cane it to get it to downshift.

I'm a big fan of more driver control over these transmissions. Manual transmissions are not an option for many families, mine included. I like that many are either offering sequential shifting options or paddle shifters. My wife can and will leave the thing in "D" all day long and never touch it. But it gives me the option of driving it the way I want to. I like the feel of a free-spinning engine; a lugging engine is a quick killjoy for me.

 

[CBR.worm]

Unfortunately, this seems to be where they are heading. A little tuning could make these (and new regular automatics) much more pleasant to drive, but they are trying to hold them at idle speed under load unless you really step on it.

The Current generation Nissan V6/CVT is a smoother and more pleasant combo, but gas mileage goes out the window.

In many cases it is not even the consumer who is pushing for a 1 mpg improvement - sacrificing driving dynamics, the MFG's have to get their numbers up across the board, but people still demand power.

To me, the newest programming of the 8 speed autos is just as bad if paired with a big 4cyl.

Either of them work better with a smoother V6 or V8 that can run at 1,100 rpm under load smoothly.

Aside front that, I like the current Altima. Seems like a decent car to drive overall compared to the competition. Or at least it drives in a way that I prefer. It could certainly be better with just a software change.

 

[SF0059]

I had the same experience in a recent 2014 Altima rental. It just droned and vibrated. On top of that there was an incessant squeak from both underneath the dash and under the decklid. Then I took it out on the interstate. The light steering coupled with the OEM Continental tires had me constantly weaving the wheel. There was no good "on-center" position.

The only thing it had going for it was gas mileage and good seats. I walked away from it extremely disappointed. After having driven the 2014 Accord and Mazda 6 I have no idea why someone would opt for the Altima.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: SF0059
I had the same experience in a recent 2014 Altima rental. It just droned and vibrated. On top of that there was an incessant squeak from both underneath the dash and under the decklid. Then I took it out on the interstate. The light steering coupled with the OEM Continental tires had me constantly weaving the wheel. There was no good "on-center" position.

The only thing it had going for it was gas mileage and good seats. I walked away from it extremely disappointed. After having driven the 2014 Accord and Mazda 6 I have no idea why someone would opt for the Altima.


Watch TV during primetime. Every other commercial is for a Nissan dealer advertising to lease a Sentra, Altima for $100 a month with nothing down. (May be exaggerating a bit there - but that's why they sell so well)

 

[Huie83]

Glad to see that I am not off base in my review. My rental unit has 33K miles on it. I can't imagine they have been very easy miles but still can't believe this much wear and tear in such a short period of time.

My 2007 Elantra got beat when I was a roaming IT guy. Even with 127K miles on it when I retired it, it never sounded as bad as this Nissan.

I'd like to hear from some actual owners if possible, are they all this bad?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Huie83
Glad to see that I am not off base in my review. My rental unit has 33K miles on it. I can't imagine they have been very easy miles but still can't believe this much wear and tear in such a short period of time.

My 2007 Elantra got beat when I was a roaming IT guy. Even with 127K miles on it when I retired it, it never sounded as bad as this Nissan.

I'd like to hear from some actual owners if possible, are they all this bad?


I have driven a few different CVT equipped vehicles ... All were JATCO (Nissan) units. Apparently all JATCO units are this bad.

I think the worst I drove was a '11 or '12 Versa. It would rev up before it started moving ... kind of like a manual with a clutch. Also, while cruising on the highway at 55, flat road, with cruise control, it would randomly shoot up to 4000RPM for no apparent reason.

The first time I drove one, I forgot it was a CVT and thought the transmission was giving up. I was looking for a place to park and let it die.

I still really like the Versa and Note. I'll just get one with a real transmission.

 

[gregk24]

Originally Posted By: bigt61
Now Honda has gone the CVT route with the Accord - big mistake IMO. Chrysler is going in the other direction with 9 speed transmissions - this may get interesting. Will durability suffer in search of that last 1/10th of an MPG? My initial guess would be YES.


I have done some research on the Honda CVT in the Accord and from what I read Honda made one of the best CVT's out there. I can not comment on their other CVT's but the one in the Accord is good. Many said it behaves like a traditional automatic with little "rubber band" effect. Some of the 2013 models encountered a slight vibration while under a small load on acceleration that has been fixed with the 2014 models. Nissan has been working on CVT's for the longest time and they still havent got them right.

 

[Huie83]

Well, after having to run errands last night and my AM commute today, I couldn't stand the car anymore... Called Enterprise and arranged to swap out the car on my way home.

I don't know how anyone could tolerate a Jatco/Nissan CVT every day. I find myself flooring the car off the line to get the RPM's up and gain speed, then back off quickly/coasting to get out of the RPM range that creates all the noise. If I accelerate normally with rpm's in the 1200-2000 range it sounds/feels like the engine and trans are going to eat each other.

 

[KitaCam]

Yeah....I tried an AT when I had to rent a car while looking for a replacement...and just couldn't figure out how to do it...felt very out of control and unsafe....

 

[BearZDefect]

You would think that with the sophistication they now have between engine control and transmission control, that automobile manufacturers would give us more linear and predictable response to the go pedal. But they don't, instead they try to outsmart the driver, perhaps to do better in the standard EPA MPG tests.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: BearZDefect
...instead they try to outsmart the driver, perhaps to do better in the standard EPA MPG tests.


I believe that the increasingly "unconventional" shift patterns programmed into newer transmissions are an attempt at gaming the fuel economy test. This is very likely why you can seemingly push the pedal a little more (nothing), little more (nothing), little more (nothing), little more (surge in the back of the seat)...

They know the acceleration rate used in the fuel economy tests. They can program their powertrains to be highly optimized for that rate of accleration. During the testing, the ECM keeps the engine loaded down and without much engine speed at that rate of acceleration. Go beyond that, and all of a sudden, you get real performance because you've not stepped outside of that "curve" of the graph and the ECM lets the engine rev freer.

There's a difference in how our 2008 CR-V drives and how my in-laws' 2011 CR-V drives. Ours has a very linear throttle response and the transmission never gets in the way. You can sense partial TCC lock in 3rd and 4th gear, but it's only partial lock and it's never intrusive. Their 2011 model (same body style, same basic engine, same basic transmission) will hard lock the TCC in 3rd gear at as low as about 21 mph and will also hard lock it in 4th gear. It makes for a slightly more clumsy drive, at least at light throttle. Ours won't hard lock the TCC until you're in 5th gear and at 50 mph.

Slight difference, but noticeable nonetheless. It seems to be the way they're all going. Some are still better than others.

 

[Mykl]

I don't know why they don't just give us multiple programs to choose from. At this point creating a system to quickly change the behavior of an electronically controlled mechanical device is trivial.