No Heater, except when driving fast!
Car only produces heat when traveling at a constant speed (highway travel). As soon as the car slow or stops heat changes to blowing cold air.
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2002 Nissan Altima Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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The Altima was redesigned for 2002. It grew significantly, bumping it out of the compact car class and into the midsized sedan range. It was even larger than Nissan's flagship Maxima. For the first time, a V6 engine was available.
The 2002 Altima came in four trims: the base model, the midrange S, the plush SL, and the top-of-the-line SE. The SE came standard with a 3.5-liter, 240-horsepower V6, and the others had a 2.5-liter, 175-horsepower four cylinder engine. All models came with a folding rear seat, power doors, and a tilting steering wheel. Upgrading to the S got air conditioning, cruise control, remote keyless entry, and a CD player. The SL included a power driver's seat and an upgraded sound system. Upgrading to the SE got the bigger engine, foglamps, and bigger wheels.
Drivers found the new Nissan Altima to be much better looking than the previous version. Owners still praise the car's value and reliability, and say that while the V6 engine is a nice addition, the four cylinder offers so much pep a bigger one isn't necessary. Many find the interior to be unpolished, and the addition of optional features can cause the Altima's price to approach that of the Maxima.
Published Aug 8, 2022 by CarGurus Editorial Team
User reviews for 2002 Nissan Altima
Write a reviewUser rating:
by Anonymous
Feb 09, 2015
Had car 4 years and it was very reliable. No major work to be done. Regular maintenance is all it needed. Parts are easily found. Great body. Gives u that good pepp when u need it to go fast without delayFeb 09, 2015
by Antuan M
Feb 13, 2013
ok looks if you treat it like a sports car the ride is good but on rhode island roads its not that good road noise is loud but the stereo helped with that and the blind spots were average. it was not in the shop often only for a motor swap and that was because of the nature the job it had to perform. it averaged 26 but trip to maine it got 28, sadly in winter it dropped to about 21-23mpg. for this car the mechanic was my father so naturally costs were down but again other than the engine swap and routine maintenance the car was golden. performance wise i couldn't ask for more i love the car for that the most the only performance problem was in the snow even with new all season tires i could not go more than 25 mph with out the car fighting meFeb 13, 2013
by Edward D
Nov 27, 2012
Performance- enough for day to day commuting
Build Quality- Only factory recall repairs other wise reliable
Appearance- Interior basic but nice and exterior is the same
Cost of Ownership- around 24 mpg and less then 1500 for maintenance
Fun Factor- Sorta fun to driveNov 27, 2012
User rating:
by Anonymous
Feb 09, 2015
Had car 4 years and it was very reliable. No major work to be done. Regular maintenance is all it needed. Parts are easily found. Great body. Gives u that good pepp when u need it to go fast without delayFeb 09, 2015
by Antuan M
Feb 13, 2013
ok looks if you treat it like a sports car the ride is good but on rhode island roads its not that good road noise is loud but the stereo helped with that and the blind spots were average. it was not in the shop often only for a motor swap and that was because of the nature the job it had to perform. it averaged 26 but trip to maine it got 28, sadly in winter it dropped to about 21-23mpg. for this car the mechanic was my father so naturally costs were down but again other than the engine swap and routine maintenance the car was golden. performance wise i couldn't ask for more i love the car for that the most the only performance problem was in the snow even with new all season tires i could not go more than 25 mph with out the car fighting meFeb 13, 2013
by Edward D
Nov 27, 2012
Performance- enough for day to day commuting
Build Quality- Only factory recall repairs other wise reliable
Appearance- Interior basic but nice and exterior is the same
Cost of Ownership- around 24 mpg and less then 1500 for maintenance
Fun Factor- Sorta fun to driveNov 27, 2012
by Ronel C
Jul 08, 2012
my first car i bought when i was going to college. It rides very smoothly and if you changes you oil every month you shouldn't have any problems. This car is great if you travelling long distances. Its a great car.Jul 08, 2012
by Travis K
Mar 21, 2011
First of all the car is very roomy, it can seat five passengers easily and comfortably. It has a telescoping steering wheel and a okay factory sound system.
The car comes with a 2.5l 4 cylinder engine that puts out about 170+ horsepower. Even though it is such a large car it has great acceleration. The steering is super responsive which may make feel as if the car moves to suddenly sometimes.
Overall this is a great car to have.Mar 21, 2011
by Michael R
Dec 21, 2009
I love my car! It's better than some of the luxury sedans I've ridden in. It has a driver's power seat, 6 disc changer, Bose system, and power everything else. This car is AWESOME! You should get one. It's fun to drive, has fast acceleration, looks good inside and out, and doesn't cost much at all.Dec 21, 2009
by Collin J
Nov 25, 2009
There is some recall issues but other than that it is a good car. It has nice acceleration and the 5 speed transmission makes it fun to drive. It has good gas mileage and requires little work. The brakes work well and it handles like a small car.Nov 25, 2009
by Ed L
Sep 22, 2009
Good comfortable car. Quality is nice all the features are well located. For 4 Cylinder decent go power. Fuel costs where reasonable had no real issue that require repair. Only replaced thermostat to address heating issue. Other then that this car was fun to drive.Sep 22, 2009
by Owen M
Aug 16, 2009
love it, looks great, and goes well. Had to replace the engine, but now she purrs.
Installed a brand new engine, clutch, cold air intake, and exhaust, and a few other
parts along the way. Car is great through the twisty roads, and perfect for long
hauls( given you keep the stock exhaust on, mine is too loud!) oh and whatever
you do, take the upper cat/manifold off IT WILL KILL YOUR ENGINE!Aug 16, 2009
by James P
Jun 25, 2009
The car was awesome. I got the 2.5s and the little 4 banger would burn perellis up to a bark in second gear. For a car this size thats pretty impressive. The car was fun to drive in a manual and had a few basic little luxuries that didn't have to be there but were.Jun 25, 2009
by Fernando L
Dec 18, 2008
performance is awesome more than u would expect from a family sedan...took it to the track did pretty good i think for the type of car ... really inexpensive car if you think about it... one bad thing is that if u get the se gas is kinda bad on it u get in the low 20's per gallonDec 18, 2008
by Edith A. F
Jun 16, 2008
Safe, reliable, practical and luxurious! I love it!Jun 16, 2008
by Jesus A
Feb 21, 2008
Great Car to just drive.. And, even with my 2.5 Liters of fury.. I still get like 30mpg!Feb 21, 2008
by Greg T
Jan 06, 2008
The Aluminum Engine Block is to delicate for every day driving. I hope they
improve the car.Jan 06, 2008
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Top Comparisons
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2002 Nissan Altima Pricing
Original MSRP
$17,189 to $23,189Price range
N/AAverage price on CG
N/AYoY price change
N/ATrims & specs
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power · Inside rearview mirror: electrochromic
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: steel
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front and rear head airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power · Inside rearview mirror: electrochromic
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: steel
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front and rear head airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
6 disc in-dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Upholstery: leather
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front and rear head airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: heated · Inside rearview mirror: electrochromic
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Upholstery: leather
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
