Overview & Reviews

At the beginning of Prius-mania, Nissan could see itself venturing up a creek without a paddle. Or rather, into a new fuel economy-conscious market without a hybrid. As a quick fix, Nissan swallowed its pride and essentially purchased the rights to Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. This marriage resulted in the Nissan Altima Hybrid, a sedan that combined the high-tech, fuel-saving benefits of Toyota's hybrid technology with the Altima's sporty looks and driving dynamics.

It was an impressive combination, and in many ways the Altima Hybrid was the most desirable hybrid sedan on the market during its time. Unfortunately, Nissan only sold it in handful of states, and annual sales numbers were pretty miniscule. As such, the Altima Hybrid will be pretty hard to find as a used car.

Most Recent Nissan Altima Hybrid
The Nissan Altima Hybrid was introduced at the same time as the regular, redesigned Altima for 2007. Unlike its non-hybrid sibling, however, it was discontinued after 2011.

The Altima's hybrid powertrain is essentially identical to Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive in both design and function. It combines a modified version of the Altima's 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (which makes 158 horsepower in this application) and an electric motor capable of 40 hp and 199 pound-feet of torque. Both gasoline and electric aspects operate together or one at a time, depending on driving conditions, to optimize fuel economy and power. They combine for 198 hp, with fuel economy estimated at 35 mpg city/33 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined -- on par with the contemporary Toyota Camry Hybrid.

Standard equipment was ample, with things like keyless ignition/entry, dual-zone automatic climate control and a power driver seat among its standard features. Options were aplenty including a sunroof, leather upholstery, heated front seats, Bluetooth, navigation, a rearview camera and a Bose sound system. Unfortunately, these options were encapsulated in three pricey packages that limited customer choice and made the MSRP rise faster than Bundt cake in a broiler. As such, expect used Nissan Altima Hybrids to come with either a lot of equipment or very little.

The Nissan Altima Hybrid set itself apart from the Toyota and others by being a rare green car that didn't completely suck the life out of driving. While it was no sport sedan, it managed to keep much of the spirited acceleration and road-holding prowess of the gas-powered four-cylinder Altima. At the time, we also gave the car high marks for its precise steering, top-notch interior materials and strong crash safety scores.

During its life, changes were limited to 2010 when Nissan slightly tweaked the exterior styling, upgraded the interior fabric and added an iPod interface to the options list.

User Reviews:

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  A Nice Surprise - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Simon - August 22 - 1:50 am

  This is an impressive car overall. Nicely styled, comfortable to drive, good performance and economy. Handling is secure and the front wheel drive performance in snow is good. Im getting around 32 mpg in the city (very hilly here in Pittsburgh) and 35-40 mpg on the highway. The car is very quiet and smooth highway cruiser. When pushed it understeers somewhat, but the VDC works well at the limit and is quite unobtrusive. I find myself driving differently in this car, working to maximize the amount of time I can get it to run in electric vehicle mode only -- it turns out to be fun. Between all the safety features, roomyness of the car, looks and overall driving experience Im very pleased

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  2008 Altima Hybrid - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Don - July 15 - 5:26 pm

  I purchased my NAH in June of 2008 and the first thing I wanted to test was to see how it did in the mountains in New Mexico. We took it to Santa Fe and to Cloudcroft and it never hesitated up those mountain slopes getting 33 mpg on average with regular fuel. We went through a huge thunderstorm where many cars pulled over, we drove right through at 55 mph with no problem, great windshield wipers and traction. The Continental tires could be upgraded to a better gripping tire, but most people probably dont do much driving in the mountains. Over all the Nissan Hybrid is a versatile vehicle that will get you around in style wherever you go, hard to find one though.

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  A lot of car for the money!! - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Ali-baba - July 4 - 6:30 am

  Great combination of power, economy, and style for a very reasonable price. Very quiet comfortable ride!! Just put almost a 1000 miles in less than 2 weeks!!

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  A Great Car! - 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Alan - June 20 - 3:30 pm

  I purchased the 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid as a replacement for a 2004 Toyota Prius. While the Nissan doesnt get the fuel economy of the Prius (then again what does?), it outshines the Prius in every other area. I purchased it fully loaded, but then again, I didnt have much of a choice as one must purchase options in big packages in order to get the ones that you really want. Not the best way to package options to be sure... Overall, it drives very well, and inspires confidence around corners and accelerates well to get on a highway. I would certainly recommend this car to a friend as it combines good fuel economy (Ive averaged 35 so far), with get-up-and-go!

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  150,000 and still going strong! - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By dkb1028 - June 7 - 3:57 am

  I bought my hybrid in June of 2009 and as you can see by my mileage, practically live in it. It is a die hard. I have put on 2 sets of tires, but only one set of brakes and as of six weeks ago Im no where near having to replace what the brakes. I drive in the mountains and on highways, so this car has seen just about everything. The only negative is the gas mileage. The difference between a regular Altima and what I had to pay for the hybrid will never be realized. In addition, oil changes and maintenance are a lot more. Would I buy another hybrid? Probably not. Would I buy another Altima? Yes.

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  Awesome car! - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Tan Pham - June 1 - 7:20 am

  I love this car! The car is awesome to drive. Must get the tech package! The tech package include leather seat, nav, sat radio, rear cam, bose system, mp3 ready, 6 disc changer, moon roof. Comes standard with dual temp, push start, smart key, heated seats and other awesome stuff. The interior is amazing! I love the dash board, esp at night. Looks very cool. I compared with other hybrid such as the camry, prius, civic and accord. So far, the Altima is the best with speed and cool gizmo.

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  Stay away from Nissan - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Miguel - May 29 - 5:06 pm

  Extremely disappointed - first and last Nissan. Vehicle initially worked fine for first month than began to shake violently when going into EV mode. Dealer "fixed" it but now it will not drive in EV Mode. Been back to two separate dealers both of which say its normal. First said it has "learned" my driving habits so it wont drive in EV the second claims EV does not work when the air conditioning is on (doesnt seem to work with it off) 6,000 miles on it and am ready to unload it.

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  Cant Go Wrong - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Tim - May 29 - 5:00 pm

  I dont have any regrets or complaints after driving the Altima Hybrid for 2 months. The best mid-size exterior styling, pretty nice interior. MPG is right inline with EPA estimates. My only beef is that it does seem a little heavy. Adding several hundred pounds of batteries between the rear wheels makes the back end a little heavy when corner, but hey, its a hybrid, so dont expect a sports sedan. Great car.

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  Gets better gas mileage if you drive it - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By circpro - May 8 - 1:26 pm

  At first, I got around 35 MPG like most on here. I learned about hyper milers (people who get well above gas mileage by behavior or modifications.) I learned by simply accelerating slow, coasting to stops rather than braking, my mileage stays at 39-40 for city, and 36 highway. Simple laws of physics and the laws of energy and motion dont change! I love the style, ride, interior, and going 650+ miles between fill ups. I picked this car as well because it still has the $2300 federal tax rebate. It uses the Toyota 2nd gen hybrid system (same as camry) so I wasnt concerned with "new technology" When backing out of the garage in the morning, the engine starts 1/2 way and can scare you at first

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  Great Car!! - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Hnotts123 - April 14 - 6:13 am

  After 5 months and 5000 miles, the altima has really served us well. We have been averaging around 33.8 mpg, which is a bit below par, but much better than the previous cars we have driven. Acceleration and pickup is sporty for a hybrid and the ride is very smooth. The mpg does take a hit in the winter when the heater is turned on, but with careful driving it can be offset. Nissan always provides solid and reliable vehicles and this one is no different. The navigation is a gem and has helped us get too many destinations. The leather seats are very comfortable and the bluetooth has been flawless as well. Initially it is hard to adjust to the smart key but you get used too it after a while.