2010 Nissan Sedans: Maxima, Altima, Sentra and Versa

2010 Nissan Sedans: Maxima, Altima, Sentra and Versa by Car Expert Lauren Fix, The Car Coach®

I had an opportunity to visit the Nissan factory in Nashville, TN to see what Nissan is doing to stay ahead of its competition.  If you ever get a chance to tour a car factory – don’t miss it!  You don’t have to be a car enthusiast to appreciate great workmanship, quality and pride amongst the employees.  The Nashville plant builds all four sedans plus a few trucks all in one plant and sometimes multiple models on the same line at the same time.  The computer integration and coordination is like watching a ballet.  Everyone knows what he or she is doing and how to do it so the process is incredibly smooth.

So what’s new for Nissan?

With the Altima ranked #1 in the mid-sized car segment by J.D. Power, Nissan wants to retain this honor by making the car even better.  When you already earn a 5-star crash test rating for front and side impact testing (as does the Maxima) all you can do is continue to improve on that technology. Nissan has done that once again.

The Altima has a restyled hood, grille and front bumper.  Plus a new 3.5 SR model that starts at $24,500 if you really want your drive to be a bit more fun.

Other improvements for 2010:

•    New 16” and 17” allow wheels
•    Great new exterior colors
•    Revised interior with new gauge designs
•    New navigation system with 6.5” monitor that offers Zagat Ratings for restaurants, XM, XM NavWeather, Bluetooth streaming and USB port with iPod connectivity.

Altima Coupe has also received some new enhancements that give it an even sportier look.  Note the restyled front end with projector beam headlights, new exterior colors and standard 17” alloy wheels.  The interior is also upgraded and has new fabrics and finishes including a very sexy red leather interior.

Prices range, beginning at $22,440 – and you can build from there.

Hybrids are the rage but sales have not been impacted by the hype.  So for those of you who prefer a hybrid look at the Altima Hybrid sedan; it shares much of the Altima coupe’s exterior and interior changes but offers a special ocean gray color, rear spoiler and moon-roof so you can connect with the outdoors.  It carries 198 horsepower and gets 35 mpg city/ and 33 mpg highway and starts at $26,780.

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The 2010 Sentra has always been fun-to-drive but there are upgrades for it too. Like the Altime Coupe, the Sentra has upgrades to the grille and front fascia, but also has revised headlights and taillights, cool new wheel designs and a standard 2.0L engine.

The interior fabrics include leather and (great news) a $400 navigation system with optional rear view monitor available. It really gets the job done.  The sportier SE-R and SE-R Spec V is improved with better traction and handling plus available nav system and a new sportier cloth trim.

Prices start at $15,420 and the SE-R starts at $19,580: really low prices for these well-built cars.

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Next is the Versa sub-compact; this spunky little car is a blast to drive.  If you are looking for something smaller, this is a must-drive.  Versa is built upon value, roominess, comfort and performance.

Yes, it has a 1.6L 107hp engine but take one for a spin and you’ll see why they are selling very well for Nissan.  Changes for 2010 include iKey and Bluetooth but all this in a car that gets as much as 28/34 mpg for the hatchback.

Versa pricing starts at $9900.
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Finally back to the Maxima. There are two well-equipped 3.5 and 3.5SV models, both with a luxurious and premium technology packages.

I really like the new 7” color monitor with the rear view camera. Updated technology is one of the things that consumers consistently crave, including satellite radio, streaming audio and a DVD player.  With new interior finishes and exterior colors you should take a Maxima for a drive and see why it’s a fun 4-door sports car to own.

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One thing you’ll notice is a similar theme amongst these four Nissan sedans for 2010; there are extensive exterior and interior improvements.  It’s not just a change in the look but also an improved emphasis on technology and entertainment.

The all-new Nissan sedans prove that quality doesn’t have to be boring.