Nissan Altima Hybrid Review

The Nissan Altima Hybrid is a Nissan first, and a hybrid vehicle second.

Although Nissan was late to come to hybrid production, waiting for the fad to pass we guess, it still has the engineering chops to get the job done. Relying on

But is this fuel-efficient vehicle worth its premium price tag? Does its fuel efficiency make up for its cost, and does it sacrifice performance to deliver gas savings?

We'll answer the second question first. The 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid is a nice handling car, exceptwhen it's shifting from electric power, which it uses to get going, to its gas engine.

Don't worry - when you drive it you'll know what we mean. It's a choppy transition that you can't miss.

But, once it's underway, this baby has plenty of power, and excellent handling, and will serve most of your driving needs very well indeed, while saving you money on gas.

Which brings us to point two: how much will you save?

The Altima Delivers on Fuel Efficiency

The good news is that the the Altima Hybrid delivers on fuel efficiency. It is rated at 5.7 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving, and 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres on the highway. That's pretty impressive and will definitely have you saving money at the gas pump.

Enough to justify its purchase price? Well, if you avoid shelling out for the 2010 leather tech package, which includes an upgraded interior with leather trim , a high-end Bose sound system, fancy alloy wheels and a fancy price to match, the answer is maybe.

The Altima won't save you enough on gas alone to make up for it's increased purchase price, but when you factor in the better trade-in value and the fact that gas prices are likely to rise further - and keep rising - it's not a bad investment.

Fun to drive - once you get going and a real pleasure on the highway - and with a great driving range and hybrid fuel economy, the Nissan Altima Hybrid may prove to be a satisfying and sound automobile investment. But if all you want to do is save money on gas, you have many better, and less expensive, options that don't involve purchasing a new vehicle.

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