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:

• 

  Better than the Camry - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By altiman - April 14 - 3:40 pm

  After owning an 07 Camry se for about a year, I decided to trade it in for the hybrid altima. What a great decision that was. Sure the Camry had good v6 power, but it lacked in features. For $30k I was able to get a hybrid Altima with every available feature. Which by the way was what I paid for the Camry with no real fun features.

• 

  Sips gas and comfy ride - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Fran - April 1 - 7:10 pm

  I love this car! I had a 2001 Altima GLE and traded it in for the hybrid. Purchased 10 days ago and traveled almost 1500 miles traveling from NYC to North Carolina and back. I averaged 41 MPG at highway speeds of 60-70. Coming home we hit a tremendous amount of traffic on US 95 and in the bumper-to-bumper traffic the car averaged 47 MPG. Besides the great gas mileage, the car rides quiet and smooth. After driving over 500 miles in a day, I still say: I love this car!! I have the basic model with no frills and with the 2.9% financing and the $2,350 tax credit, the purchase was a no- brainer.

• 

  Great car so far - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Robert - March 10 - 6:33 am

  I purchased the car 4/11/08 and have almost 7000 miles on it already. The power is great (for a hybrid). So far I wish for a bigger trunk, but I knew that before I purchased it. Braking is top notch and I have never needed more power in passing or on hills. I drive mainly freeway to work and road trips. My gas mileage has been 30-32 mpg avg. I have seen as high as 37 mpg but like I said I drive pretty fast. I average 75-90 on the freeway. The car is very solid at all speeds but does very poorly up to speed with wind.

• 

  Better than driving a cheese-wedge - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Steve - January 29 - 10:36 pm

  I sold my high performance MBZ and became green about 16 months ago. Living on a hill impacts the gas miles I get but I average about 35 mpg on regular gas. The car comfortably seats 5 adults. The design is pleasing to the eye. I got the model without the technology package but has one electric seat and a few minor extras ($25K) minus the $2300 rebate. The Altima drives better than the Camry hybrid without the clunky shifting from electricity to gas. Since gas prices have doubled since buying the car it was definitely worth the extra dollars over the gas only Altima models.

• 

  I love this car! - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Pleased owner - December 25 - 10:43 am

  I bought my Altima 6 months ago and have not regretted my decision once. I bought the fully equipped Technology package and I have found the features included comparable with cars costing significantly more. I am getting a consistent 33-35 mpg with about 50-50 highway/street driving. I have not experienced any issues at all, not even a minor squeak or rattle. I must say that I love this car!! I would recommend it to anyone looking for a hybrid that still feels and looks sporty.

• 

  Great to own - 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By lockheed - December 6 - 3:13 pm

  Have 2000 miles and can only say good things. If you drive smart, you will get 40 plus miles per gallon. Like the way the machine can get out of its own way when you need it to move fast. I do wish it would stay in electric mode to a higher speed. Fit and trim is excellent, leather trim is good as is interior. Car should have come with fog lights, but that is a small gripe to an otherwise really good driving experience, wish I had the money to replace my second car with another one.

• 

  Great Eco-Friendly Ride - 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By newhampster - December 2 - 3:18 am

  Purchased a NAH in late 2009, and it just clocked 36,000 miles. It has been a great car. Although the MPG not quite as high as the Honda Civic previous car, the joy factor with this car is much higher. Very comfortable, solid handling, very peppy, and better in snow. Averaging about 35 MPG in NH summer and 31 MPG in winter -- EVT takes quite a while to activate in winter due to battery temperature sensor. Make sure there is a Nissan Hybrid authorized repair technician in your area; normal technicians are not allowed to work on NAHs.

• 

  Luvit - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Glent - November 28 - 8:13 pm

  So far, so good - after a bit less than a week and all is well! So, after reviewing both the Camry Hybrid and the Altima Hybrid, I thought that for the price, the Altima Hybrid the better deal and several days ago I bought one. Engine has a timing chain and not the belt that has to be replaces so often. My one concern is that the trunk is small and and will just barely fit all of my golf stuff, clubs, handcart, etc. Love the bells and whistles, moonroof and nav unit. I dont use the nav unit frequently and leave it off but love it when it turns on whenever I back up.

• 

  Great car - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Mike S. - November 25 - 9:00 pm

  I bought the tech package taking advantage of the 2.9% apr Nissan is currently running. Overall, Im very pleased with the car. Its a enjoyable ride. Test drove Camry hybrid and came down to two. Gas mileage has been up to expectations and was surprised with amount of kick it has - no trouble climbing the Angeles mountains. With hybrid, you have to get used to the shudder when it switches between gas and electric. Overall, Im very pleased and look forward to claiming the tax credit as well.

• 

  I love it!! - 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid
  By Danny - October 25 - 6:36 pm

  I love this car. Its really nice to get about 35 mpg and have room to seat 5 adults. The interior fit and finish is nice (better then the Camry and Accord in my opinion). The car is really easy to drive and responsive. Getting used to the hybrid system does take a few sessions but once you do, you wonder to yourself why all cars arent electric?