The Sacramento Bee's view

Nissan restyled its Altima so much for 2002 that it darn near morphed into the automaker’s flagship sedan, the Maxima.

The third generation of the Altima is bigger, faster and has handling characteristics very much like its pricier Maxima relative. And keep in mind that a 2002 Maxima runs anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000 more than a current-year Altima.

This is quite the growth spurt for the Altima, which used to absorb critics’ hits for being too small and too underpowered. Take my word for it, those days are past.

The tested Altima wasn’t the top-level performer, but the 2.5 S model with the 175 horsepower four-cylinder engine had plenty of juice, and it was generous in the way it poured on the power.

The list of standard features on the test car was lengthy — a five-minute read, minimum. Standard equipment included a generous 20-gallon fuel tank, an in-windshield antenna, remote keyless entry, an AM/FM/CD sound system with six speakers, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, height-adjustable armrest in the center console and a windows/locks/mirrors power package.

I felt downright spoiled in an Altima that, even loaded up with a $1,679 convenience package, came in at an easy-on-the-pocketbook bottom line of $21,196.

Did I mention that the Altima looked good? It does.

Oh, it might not blow you away the way a Corvette or Viper would, but the look is certainly lean and sporty for a midsize sedan. The front-on look into the Altima’s flush-mounted halogen headlamps is particularly appealing.

Is the Altima competition for the Toyota Camry, the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Accord? Absolutely. Will the Altima give domestic automakers sleepless nights? Positively. Is the redesigned Altima one reason that Nissan has awakened from a recent fiscal coma and is producing positive results? Certainly.

The amazing thing is the simplicity of it all. Nissan made a midsize car bigger, gave it a power boost, gave it enhanced handling characteristics and did not spike the price into that thin air that very few people can breathe.

Best of all, Nissan didn’t scrimp. With 191.5 inches in length, the 2002 Altima is half a foot longer than the previous generation. That translates into a lot more people room in the interior cabin — space jumped to 103.2 cubic feet from 94 cubic feet in the 2001 model.

The wheelbase in the new Altima expanded 7.1 inches from the previous generation — what amounts to a quantum leap in this class. Nissan engineers must have been doing backflips when they first saw the new wheelbase number of 110.2 inches on the board; it’s a heck of a lot easier to squeeze good handling out a 110.2-inch wheelbase than one measuring 103.1 inches. An all-new suspension with liberal use of lightweight aluminum parts also helps.

The interior of the tested Altima was easy on the eyes and the rest of the body. Normal-size humans have room to spread out with the added interior space. Nissan said Altima’s new instrument panel was designed to “fall away” to provide even more room for the legs. It’s not just a gimmick. It works.

Some critics have slammed the Altima’s instrument cluster as being too busy. I found it uncomplicated and utterly functional.

Other critics are calling the new Altima the best midsize sold in America. I’m not quite there, but I would be inclined to throw a blanket over it, the Camry and the Accord atop the midsize passenger car pedestal.

And I didn’t even get to sample the Nissan Altima main course.

For those who want an Altima at its most muscular, the 3.5 SE starts at a still-reasonable $22,649. That machine is equipped with a 3.5-liter V-6 that makes 240 horsepower. Torque tops out at 246 foot-pounds at 4,400 revolutions per minute. The power plant has been universally raved by test drivers who had loads of fun dusting off pedestrian sports cars piloted by unknowing drivers.

Size, power, style and fun, too. What could be better?

Nissan Altima at a glance

Make/model: 2002 Nissan Altima 2.5 S.

Vehicle type: Five-passenger, front-drive, midsize sedan.

Base price: $18,849 (as tested, $21,196).

Engine: 2.5-liter in-line 4 with 175 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute and 180 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 rpm.

EPA fuel economy: 23 miles per gallon city; 29 mpg highway.

Transmission: Electronic four-speed automatic with overdrive.

Steering: Power rack and pinion with speed-sensitive feature.

Brakes: Vented discs with power on front; discs on rear.

Suspension type: Independent strut with stabilizer bar on front; multi-link independent with stabilizer bar on rear.

Interior volume: 103.2 cubic feet.

Trunk volume: 15.6 cubic feet.

Fuel tank: 20 gallons.

Curb weight: 3,048 pounds.

Front track: 61 inches.

Rear track: 61.2 inches.

Height: 57.9 inches.

Length: 191.5 inches.

Wheelbase: 110.2 inches.

Width: 70.4 inches.

Tires: P205/65R16 all-season radials.

Assembly point: Smyrna, Tenn.