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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  Fantastic car - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By vroom - December 20 - 6:50 am

  Great car - consistently returns 32+ mpg/600+ miles on a tank, good pickup, and very comfortable. Its the right size, too, and quite roomy in the front seats at least. Its held up pretty well, too, although I must admit that dealer service has more expensive than it was for the Hondas, Toyotas, and Mazdas that Ive owned previously. 18 mos & 33k mi in, I still feel that its a good value and I still like it.

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  GREAT Automobile - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Rick - September 20 - 5:46 pm

  Nissan has done its homework on designing this vehile. It is sipping gas and has the power when required to pass like it had a large 6 cyl. engine under the hood. The ride is comfortable and positive. Gas mileage is between 32 and 55 MPG. It takes a little adjusting, to get the peak mileage. The EV mode is the best part of their design.

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  problem with heating - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Phyllis Fischer - August 12 - 9:46 pm

  Total experience was excellent for the first 2 months, at which time the heating for the floor stopped working; the face and defroster are okay. It was in the shop twice and was told that nothing is wrong; they put it up to 90 and it seemed to be okay; but the next time we drove, it was still cold! Where do I turn now?

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  love my altima! - 2011 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By smsimmons - August 5 - 4:53 am

  Bought this at the end of 2010 in order to take advantage of the federal tax write off as well as the Nissan incentives. Financially, it was a great deal as we achieved a savings of $10k. Plus, I love these cars. The last time I bought a brand new car was my 1992 Nissan Altima which was incredibly reliable and fun to drive. I have driven numerous other cars since then, but getting this one was like getting "back in the saddle" so to speak. Love my car!

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  My, how far cars have come! - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By PR Gomez - July 25 - 10:00 am

  Bought a NAH coming off rental (Budget) with 32k miles for less than $16k, to replace a 12 year old Ford Contour V6 (stick). The NAH is bigger, peppier (0- 60 in 7.5 vs. 8.5), and uses less gas (averaging 35 mpg in Chicago driving). It also almost cost less. One year of abuse by multiple drivers doesnt seem to have caused any damage. It still glides effortlessly until I step on it, and then it "moos" forward (it doesnt "roar" exactly) like its got a rocket on its rear. Great fun to drive around the Mississippi bluffs, especially when passing slowpokes in two-lane highways (60-80 in about 2 sec). I feel like installing a bumper sticker saying: "You Were Just Passed by a Hybrid."

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  Buy it! - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Herc95 - April 10 - 7:06 am

  I have drive my Altima Hybrid for about 2 months now. It performs superbly. Most of my driving is highway. I set the cruise at about 75 mph and I am averaging 35 mpg. I have every option and the car is exceeding all expectations. When you need to accelerate the gas engine is more than up to the task. I highly recommend this car.

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  Highly Recommended - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Jeff - March 29 - 3:30 pm

  This car is fantastic, much better looking than the Prius although not as good of gas mileage. We have always owned Nissans and always will. I just wish they would sell them in Oregon so we didnt have to go out of state to buy one.

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  Awesome car - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Clifee - March 18 - 10:03 am

  I thought I was going to buy a 2010 Prius. I was just waiting for the right one to become available when I happened upon the Altima Hybrid. What a stroke of luck! It is so much more car for less money, as it turned out. The Altima I got is fully loaded, and is a GREAT car. It drives beautifully, with power when you need it, and little road noise, lots of comfort and great handling. I marvel at the technology that has gone into this car. Truly remarkable. I highly recommend this car to anyone considering a hybrid. At least give it a test drive! The mileage is pretty good (35 mpg so far), and the tax incentives are great $2350 federal, and $1500 state (OR). Nissan is making great deals now.

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  Looks and feels much more expensive - 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Gib - February 5 - 10:00 am

  I wanted a hybrid and the Altima had the best combination of good looks and performance. With the incentives they were offering and the tax deduction they still qualify for it was too good to pass up. It has very nice exterior styling and the interior looks more expensive then it is, especially in the charcoal leather. The fuel economy is very good as long as you dont try to test the strong acceleration at every chance. It really drives and handles very well. Usually the transition to/from the ICE is smooth but sometimes there is some vibration. I do wish it would stay in EV mode more easily. You really need a light touch to keep it there.

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  Altima Hybrid better than Camry Hybrid - 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By vsimeonov - January 25 - 5:06 am

  The 2010 Altima Hybrid drives like a real car (198 hp tend to do that) without the hybrid sluggishness or hesitation. I also test drove a 2010 Camry Hybrid and was disappointed. Its sluggish acceleration, noticeable interaction between the gasoline and electric motor and cheap interior doomed a purchase I was sold on by my research. Toyota has been slipping for about 5 years now but this was a surprise. Then I decided to try the 2010 Altima Hybrid, loved it and bought it. The two cars have identical hybrid technology, except the electric motor and batteries are Nissans. The Altimas 2.5L engine is also superior to the aging 2.4L of the Camry. I gave the Altima a chance and it simply won out.