2002 Nissan Altima Reviews, Pricing & Specs
Overview
The Altima was redesigned for 2002. It grew significantly, bumping it out of the compact car class and into the midsized sedan range. It...
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.
What owners say
"Overall, drivers appreciate the 2002 Nissan Altima for its reliability, comfort, and fun driving experience. Many have enjoyed its performance, especially the acceleration and handling, making it suitable for long trips. However, some drivers noted potential issues with the aluminum engine block's durability and the car's ability to handle extreme weather conditions. Despite a few complaints regarding the transmission and heating, overall, it is well-regarded as a practical and enjoyable car."
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 delay
February 9, 2015Performance- 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 drive
November 27, 2012Safe, reliable, practical and luxurious! I love it!
June 16, 2008What owners say
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 delay
February 9, 2015Performance- 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 drive
November 27, 2012Safe, reliable, practical and luxurious! I love it!
June 16, 2008The 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.
June 25, 2009Great Car to just drive.. And, even with my 2.5 Liters of fury.. I still get like 30mpg!
February 21, 2008First 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.
March 21, 2011There 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.
November 25, 2009Good 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.
September 22, 2009my 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.
July 8, 2012ok 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 me
February 13, 2013Trims & specs
Base MSRP $22,500 | Seating 5 |
Engine 2.5L 182 hp I4 | Cargo Capacity 0.0 cu ft |
Combined MPG 32 | Drivetrain FWD |
Base MSRP $23,260 | Seating 5 |
Engine 2.5L 179 hp I4 | Cargo Capacity 0.0 cu ft |
Combined MPG 32 | Drivetrain FWD |
Base MSRP $29,110 | Seating 5 |
Engine 2.5L 179 hp I4 | Cargo Capacity 0.0 cu ft |
Combined MPG 32 | Drivetrain FWD |
Base MSRP $25,180 | Seating 5 |
Engine 3.5L 270 hp V6 | Cargo Capacity 0.0 cu ft |
Combined MPG 22 | Drivetrain FWD |
