KansasCity.com's view

More car for less money is a notion that seems to be gaining prominence in the auto business. Toyota did it with its 1997 Camry and Lexus ES 300, new models priced below their predecessors, and now Nissan is doing a similar thing with its redesigned 1998 Altima made in Smyrna, Tenn.

The sticker price for the high-volume GXE is $17,990, which is $1,500 less than the model it replaces. Other models range from $14,990 for the base XE to $19,890 for the top-line GLE. The spicy SE has a sport-tuned suspension and 4-wheel disc brakes. It starts at $18,490.

Nissan sent me a luxurious GLE to test drive, and its list of standard equipment includes leather upholstery, automatic transmission, 8-way power driver’s seat, AM/FM cassette with CD player and keyless remote entry.

This new Altima, which went on sale earlier this month, is an evolution of the original because owners told Nissan, “don’t mess up my Altima.” Based on the same 103.1-inch wheelbase, it has a wider track, more rigid body structure and the same 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine. Overall length is up by nearly three inches, and width is up by two.

From a styling perspective, the redesign, carried out by Jerry Hirshberg at Nissan’s American design studio in California, continues the “monoform” theme started with the first Altima. Although all exterior body panels are new, this new model is still recognizably an Altima, which is good since the original was such a hot seller. In back, the roofline is less like a notchback and more like a hatchback, which makes the C-pillar look a bit heavy. Otherwise, its new lines are sharp and clean.

A character line stamped into the top of the fenders and hood not only makes the car look wider from behind the driver’s seat, but also gives the front a crisp, chiseled look.

Nissan has chosen bake-hard steel panels for more dent resistance.

On the road, the new model is noticeably quiet. I could hardly hear the engine in ordinary driving. When I floored the throttle in our test car, however, a buzz resonated from up the dash or engine compartment, I couldn’t tell which, as revs soared past 5,000. Even at that, the new car mutes engine noise better than before.

The 150-horsepower engine carried over from the previous car has more than adequate power in most situations. Some might miss a sweet V6 for the upscale GLE, but that doesn’t seem to fit the Altima’s thrifty nature.

Our GLE’s standard automatic transmission was a pleasure, with the exception of some shifting in and out of overdrive around 40 mph, which got to be annoying. Fortunately, a “hold” button on the gear lever keeps the transmission from shifting into overdrive, and I used it a lot around town to alleviate extra shifts.

Once out on the road, the lack of wind and road noise make this a most comfortable cruiser. At 70 mph and above I didn’t have to turn up the radio, which is not often the case in many cars. It is a pleasant place in which to cover lots of miles.

The view from the driver’s seat is good. A series of arcs shape the instrument panel, and the color combinations create a luxurious feel. Instruments are typical white-on-black dials, arrayed nicely behind the steering wheel. The climate control unit in the center of the dash still has sliding-bar type adjustments and push buttons instead of the now-almost-universal rotary knobs, but it works fairly well.

The radio, located lower down near the console, continues to have too many small knobs and buttons.

Airbags are de-powered for less violent opening.

Dual cupholders are located in the center console, which has a nice storage box/armrest between the seats.

While the interior is marginally wider than before, most other dimensions are effectively the same. Front- and rear-seat legroom is fractionally smaller. Space in the rear seat, which has a 60/40 split/folding back, is ample but not overly generous.

Cargo vo me is down a smidgen, although not enough to notice, really.

How to follow up a popular model with a new design is always vexing for manufacturers. Should they take an entirely new direction, such as Ford did with the Taurus, or should they be safe and update modestly? Nissan chose the latter path for this year’s Altima, one that I suspect will be well received by buyers because the price of the most popular model has dropped $1,500.

Price

The base price of our GLE test car was $19,890. It’s only options were anti-lock brakes and aluminum wheels. The sticker price was $21,158.

Warranty

The basic warranty is for three years or 36,000 miles.

Vehicles for The Star’s week-long test drives are supplied by the auto manufacturers.

Point: New styling and lower price make the new Altima attractive to buyers who want a solid mid-size sedan that has good road manners, brisk performance and room for four.

Counterpoint:The automatic transmission shifts into and out of overdrive too much around 40 mph and the engine got buzzy when revved past 5,000 rpm.

SPECIFICATIONS:

ENGINE: 2.4-liter, 4-cyl.

TRANSMISSION: automatic

WHEELBASE: 103.1 inches

CURB WEIGHT: 3,012 lbs.

BASE PRICE: $19,890

PRICE AS DRIVEN: $21,158

MPG RATING: 22 city, 30 hwy.