Test Drive: Altima hybrid offers a carload of fun, some shakes

— -- Nissan finally began offering a fuel-saving, low-polluting, gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle in the U.S. earlier this year, some six years after rivals Honda and Toyota pioneered the technology here.

While pledging to have a Nissan-developed hybrid, as well as a plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle, in U.S. showrooms in 2010, Nissan is marking time with an Altima midsize sedan powered by rival Toyota's hybrid system. It's also used in the Toyota Camry hybrid (Test Drive, July 28, 2006).

Wanting to test the market, Nissan is selling the Altima hybrid only in the handful of states with strict clean-air regulations where the automaker needs near-zero-emissions cars, and where it thinks buyer interest should be high. Those are California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. They account for 25% of the U.S. population, according to Census Bureau numbers.

You don't have to live in those states to buy one there. You can make your purchase and take the hybrid home to Omaha or Denver or Richmond or wherever. Nissan dealers across the U.S. are set up to service them and supply parts, Nissan says.

Nissan says it sold 2,788 Altima hybrids from Jan. 30 launch through June 30. In that same period, Toyota sold 25,269 Camry hybrids, according to industry-tracker Autodata. Camry and Altima both are recently redesigned, midsize, four-door, front-wheel-drive, family sedans. Prices and fuel economy ratings are similar.

"We have an awareness problem, no question," Mark Perry, Nissan product planner, says. The car needs a bigger push, but Nissan can't justify the cost of national ads for an eight-state car.

Camry hybrid has the advantage of being sold in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, but it only qualifies for a $650 tax credit through Sept. 30. The Altima offers a $2,350 tax credit to buyers who aren't subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. Unfortunately, a growing number of people are hit with the AMT, and you don't know if you're one of them until you do your taxes next year, after already buying the hybrid.

Swell, you say. But assuming you can get your hands on one, and are willing to gamble on the AMT issue, would you want one?

A vigorous maybe.

Altima — hybrid or not — is sportier than Camry. It feels more agile in corners, has a firmer ride, is quicker to scoot when you nail the throttle. The gasoline engine in Altima is Nissan's own, and has 11 more horsepower and 24 more pounds-feet of torque than Toyota's gasoline engine in the Camry hybrid.

Camry is lusher inside, has a more premium ambiance vs. the somewhat spare interior of Altima.

If your big issue is drivetrain smoothness, Altima's not for you. The gasoline engine shakes and shimmies when it automatically starts and begins augmenting the electric motor's power. Most hybrids mask the shakes much better than Altima, although the Camry hybrid is no champ in that department.

Perry says Altima's stiffer chassis tuning transfers the engine shudders more readily. "We can tune that out if people tell us they don't like it," he says.

What you get in return for the coarseness is a hybrid that's a lot of fun, save for slightly numb steering. Zings through corners. Really hauls if you jump the throttle, especially in the 30- to 50-mph range.

In fact, that leaping response to your right foot is perhaps Altima hybrid's biggest lure: Less fuel but no less excitement.

Toyota's continuously variable automatic transmission, CVT, replaces Nissan's in the hybrid, and that improves the snappy feel of the car. The Toyota CVT uses what are called planetary gears. Nissan's usual CVT is a belt-and-pulley design.

The well-equipped test car, a regular production model priced $30,535, had supremely comfortable leather seats, plenty of rear legroom, a luxury-car array of accessories, and pushbutton start. If the key's in your pocket or purse, just punch the start button and the car is ready.

Eerily, that's often without the gasoline engine running. Release the brake and motor off quietly on electric power. You can run up to about 25 mph for about a mile on electric-only, even on slight hills, using a light throttle foot. But that produces acceleration so leisurely that even patient drivers following you are likely to get ruffled and honk or pass angrily.

Alone, toodling through residential areas, it's a fine way to go. And how satisfying to run a mile or so using no petroleum fuel and emitting no pollution.

In the manner of all hybrids, the gasoline engine shuts off when the car comes to a stop, unless the engine is needed to recharge the battery pack that powers the electric motor. The engine restarts immediately when needed.

There's been enough talk about plug-in cars to create confusion. Neither the Altima hybrid nor any other hybrids from major automakers require you — nor allow you — to plug them into a socket for recharging. Those are under development, but you can't go to a showroom and buy one yet.

In today's hybrids, the battery pack is recharged when you apply the brakes, which converts an electric motor into a generator and feeds electricity back to the battery. If that's insufficient, the gasoline engine kicks on and runs a generator. Applying the brakes causes a soft, distant, but clearly audible, high-frequency whine. Some might find it objectionable; most probably won't. It's quieter on Altima than on some others.

Perry says the hybrid is about $4,000 more than a similarly equipped gasoline-only Altima. It would take about four years to recover that, assuming:

• You can claim the $2,350 one-time Altima hybrid tax credit.

• You drive 15,000 miles a year; gasoline is $3 a gallon.

• You achieve the government's projected mileage for combined city-highway driving. Using more-realistic 2008 federal formula, that is 34 mpg for the hybrid, 26 mpg for the four-cylinder gasoline model.

Depreciation remains about the same for hybrid and gasoline vehicles.

The payback period changes if any of the assumptions change.

The Altima hybrid is mainly pleasing to drive: hard-to-knock exciting performance, crisp handling, and the test car's 32 mpg around town. But it forces you to put up with irritating engine vibrations and, unless you live in those eight states, requires some commitment to purchase.

2008 Nissan Altima hybrid

What is it? Gasoline-electric-powered version of the recently redesigned, midsize, four-door, five-passenger, front-wheel-drive Altima. Manufactured in Smyrna, Tenn., using Japanese-made hybrid system purchased from Toyota.

How soon? On sale since Jan. 30. The '08, essentially unchanged, goes on sale late next month.

How much? Starts at $25,615, including $625 destination charge. That's a $600 hike from earlier in the year. Nissan says dealers are stocking cars with $7,250 Technology Package, so expect typical sticker prices close to $33,000.

Test car, with most options, was $30,5345. Expect discounts of $1,000 or so, online shopping sites say.

Nissan says the hybrid is about $4,000 more expensive than similarly equipped gasoline-only model.

How available? Sold only in eight states that have strict pollution standards: California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont. You don't need to reside there to buy one, though.

How many? Fewer than 600 a month so far, well below what Nissan wants.

What's the drivetrain? Nissan 2.5-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine combined with Toyota hybrid drive system. That consists of two so-called motor-generators. One drives the wheels. The other is hooked to the gasoline engine and acts as a generator to recharge the battery pack. Power flow is managed by Toyota continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that uses planetary gears instead of adjustable pulleys and belt.

Gasoline engine is rated 158 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 162 pounds-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. Electric motor is rated 40 hp and 199 lb.-ft., both available the instant the motor begins to turn. Nissan says the motor and the engine will produce maximum power simultaneously, for a total 198 hp (vs. Toyota Camry hybrid's 187 hp).

Traction control is standard.

What's the safety gear? Expected bags, belts, plus anti-lock brakes, side-impact bags for front occupants, head-curtain bags front and rear, stability control.

What's the rest? Standard equipment includes dual zone climate control; power steering, brakes, mirrors, windows, locks, driver's seat; AM/FM/CD stereo; cruise control. More details at www.NissanUSA.com.

How big? Two inches narrower than Toyota Camry, otherwise within half an inch. Altima hybrid is 189.8 inches long, 69.6 inches wide, 58.1 inches tall on a 109.3-inch wheelbase.

Passenger space is listed as 100.7 cubic feet (Camry hybrid, 101.4). Trunk is listed as just 9.1 cubic feet (Camry hybrid 10.6), because battery pack behind rear seat takes up trunk space.

Weight is listed as 3,448 pounds. Rated to carry 1,087 pounds of people, cargo. Rated to tow 1,000 pounds.

Turning circle is listed as 37.4 feet, curb-to-curb.

How thirsty? Using the more-realistic 2008 federal ratings formula: 35 mpg in town, 33 on the highway, 34 in combined driving. (Camry hybrid is 33/34/34). Typical of hybrids, the '08 numbers are a big drop from the '07 ratings of 42/36/39.

Test car trip computer showed 32.2 mpg in 435 miles of suburban driving, often toting several passengers.

Tank holds 20 gallons. Regular-grade (87-octane) gasoline is specified.

Overall:Gasoline engine shakes too much when it automatically kicks in. Otherwise, appealing blend of exceptional fuel economy and exciting performance.