Honda Accord vs Nissan Altima

el_chupacabrael_chupacabra Member Posts: 17
in Nissan
Wow just came back from the My local Nissan dealer and I have to say the new Altima (fully loaded) is incredible (exterior,interior 270 hp)..

But how do you think they will match up
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  • el_chupacabrael_chupacabra Member Posts: 17
    image

    almost looks like the G
    g35>TL
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    g35>TL

    I'd say that's a different comparison thread.

    I'd also say the Altima's interior did absolutely nothing for me; buttons and knobs still felt pretty cheap in comparison with the best from Honda.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    For my own personal taste, I would want the Accord to have smaller (TL, TSX style) headlights. It seems some of the new models headlights like the Altima and Aura are getting even bigger. I think smaller HID type headlights will be more prevalent in the future.
  • rennie4rennie4 Member Posts: 55
    that altima is hot
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I like it, but the wheels are a bit flashy for my taste... I would rather have a stealthy sports-sedan I guess.
  • bimmer4mebimmer4me Member Posts: 266
    like the looks of the new Altima, I'd ditch the garish looking wheels though!
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    ?
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Wow, is that the hubcaps I saw at Walmart? :P
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    The Accord's have a certain feel of quality that IMO just isn't matched by the Camry or the Altima. The others just don't feel right after you are used to the Accord.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I agree. It's hard to explain, and some people don't feel that way, but for me, after having a 1996 Accord, the 2006 Accord was unbeaten by the new competition as far as my opinion was concerned. Everything tactile in the Accord is so smooth and all buttons have the same quality feel to them. It may just activate the rear-defroster, but you get the feel that if Honda built a car for the President, it couldn't have better quality than yours.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    The Accord's have a certain feel of quality

    Attention to detail, is what makes the Accord (and Hondas in general) so special. The more I drive them, the more I like them.
  • gooddeal2gooddeal2 Member Posts: 750
    Never be able to force myself to like the Accord (Honda) regardless of its' resale value. The build quality is only slightly better than Altima IMO but the style is way behind Nissan. I cannot imagine myself driving an Accord...it's a car for older generations or very conservative people. The new Civic is pretty nice, however. :P
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I cannot imagine myself driving an Accord...it's a car for older generations or very conservative people.

    I'm not a fan of Nissan style myself. They go a little over the edge, and the headlights/taillights turn me off. A little too Alteeza. Of course I am 44, so maybe that has something to do with it.
  • stevehechtstevehecht Member Posts: 96
    Well I'm 56 and not conservative in any sense of the word, and the Altima's exterior does nothing for me. Not because its "too" anything, it's just--well, somebody said it reminded them of a jelly bean and I agree. The styling fails to integrate in any particular way to give the car a unique personality or presentation. While "conservative" the Accord has style because it does project a personality--and while not "hot" that will always be "sharp" in my book. I'm sure the Altima (especially the V6 and the new hybrid) has a lot to contribute in terms of performance, and that's great, but the styling is only some vague facsimile of "hot" IMHO. Even the new Camry has lots more style than the Altima, though not fully integrated either (stub nose in front, supersleek in rear). But if you like the presentation I'm sure it's a great car.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I would not call myself conservative either. Maybe more practical than I was at 20 years old. Of course back then I had a "hot rod", and the Altima would not be in that picture.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I cannot imagine myself driving an Accord...it's a car for older generations or very conservative people

    Then I guess I'm a 65 year old in a 19 year-old's body, because I love my Accord.

    The Altima is trying too hard to me, and is overstyled in the the small details, but boring in others. Look out for the Altima in 2012, I bet it's taillights will meet the headlights and wrap-around!
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I like the new trend of smaller, narrower, HID style headlights (TSX, Mazda6). Some car makers are going in the opposite direction (Aura, Altima, Fusion).
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I've always liked the horizontal-based design of the Accord's headlights (with 4 seperate bulbs), ever since 1990. I am glad they are going back to this with the 2008 model. The 1990-2002 really shared this design language. Less so with the 2003-2007 generation.

    1990-1993
    image

    1994-1997
    image

    1998-2002
    image
  • stevehechtstevehecht Member Posts: 96
    While I personally like where Gen7 ended up stylistically I can agree that it's time for a fairly radical change--even if that means including some "back to the future" elements in the new design. The Accord has always had the "guts" quality-wise, and it's good that the Honda honchos now realize that they've got to play the whole field (interior+exterior) if they expect to continue to surpass the competition. The 2007 Camry rubbed that lesson in if they hadn't realized it before.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    The 2007 Camry rubbed that lesson in if they hadn't realized it before.

    Yeah, but for me, the Camry is now at the complete bottom of my list stylistically. It's just not graceful looking anymore. Instead, to me, it is bloated and too puffy looking against the leaner lines of its competitors. It's obnoxious nose is bad, too. The Sebring also reminds me of a warmed-over Saturn.

    image

    image
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    The Camry looks like a Mazda6 balloon that was over inflated. The Sebring is just plain disgusting.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I'm thinkin' we're s'posed to be talking 'bout the Accord and Altima and that several off-topic vehicles are interrupting us. :P
  • stevehechtstevehecht Member Posts: 96
    OK, here's some Altima/Accord information: January 2007 sales figures were just released, with comparison rates based on January, 2006 sales:

    Sales for Altima with 24,394 units were up 39.7 percent over last year. Sales for Accord, Honda's volume leader, increased 12.0 percent for the month to 25,714. That means that the Altima is poised to overtake the Accord as #2 in its class. We'll see how the 2008 Accord changes this trend.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Wow, the Accord INCREASED 12%? That alone is impressive to me, for a five-year old design destined for a replacement in 6-8 months. Usually sales are sliding at this point, no?
  • stevehechtstevehecht Member Posts: 96
    Honda has been very aggressive with supporting its dealers to give good sale and lease pricing over the past couple of months--and it's clearly working. At this point in the lifetime of Gen7, Honda can afford to give the consumers some breaks--it's already made a bundle on this iteration. Along with Honda's reputation you're getting an awful lot of value for relatively few dollars. That's why I went with the SE V6 over the Legacy GT, VW GLi & Passat, and Mazda6. $20.5K ($22.4K OTD) for the V6 in the color I like best on the planet was just too good to pass up. I may well sell in about four years for a clean diesel with twice the mpg, but I'll still get a great resale value for the base V6. And introducing the Accord to a first time Honda buyer like me will make me more prone to consider the Honda diesel >2009.
  • aamixyaamixy Member Posts: 69
    I searched another thread trying to find more information but didn't get too much information. The Altima's 3.5L 270hp engine with a 6-speed transmission really sounds attractive compared to Accord's 3.0L 244hp with a 5 speed. I am gonna test-drive a 3.5SE tomorrow but would like to have some inputs here first, since a very short testdrive sometimes doesn't say too much.

    Previous testdrive of a 2.5S (I4) didn't impress me too much. The CVT does feel a little smooth at acceleration but the ride is not that solid as in an Accord, plus the Altima feels a little light.

    Thanks!
  • aamixyaamixy Member Posts: 69
    Got some information already from the Nissan forum. Thoughts are welcome from Accord owners...
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I have the V6 Accord, and I wouldn't trade it for anything, at least anything under $30,000. I think if I was shopping for a car now, I would try to wait for the new 08 Accord, coming in the fall. You could probably get a great deal on an 07 at clearance time though.
  • aamixyaamixy Member Posts: 69
    The problem is that I can't wait. :( Have to buy a car within a month or so. Any photos about the new Accord?
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    All they have is pictures of the coupe so far. You can probably get a great deal on an 07 model right now. The V6 engine is perfectly matched to the suspension, and size of the car. Do some test drives, and read some magazine reviews.
    Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    A note:

    The 270 horsepower Altima with a 6-speed Manual tested at 0-60 in 5.9 seconds.

    The 244 horsepower Accord with a 6-speed Manual tested at 0-60 in 5.9 seconds.

    Same magazine tested them (Car and Driver).

    The Accord V6s are coming in at $500-$750 under invoice (a loaded model for under $25k regularly if you don't want NAVI, if you do, add $2k).

    Altimas are hot commodities being so new, I'll be surprised to see much off of sticker on those at the moment (Figure $2k+ more than a comparable equipped Accord).

    If you are buying the Altima to be quicker, I'm not sure you'll find it a whole lot more appealing. And that Honda manual is one of the best in the business. Make sure you test both of them!
  • aamixyaamixy Member Posts: 69
    Thanks for the picture. It looks like a concept to me. :)
    I test-drove the SE V6 twice which gave me different
    feeling. The first time was good but the second time is a little worst since it rides a little bumpy.
  • aamixyaamixy Member Posts: 69
    I am gonna go with Accord since Altima with the similar options would cost over $25k+ttl which is beyond my OTD budget. Like I said in the previous post, my first test drive of the Accord was quite good compared to an earlier test drive of a Camry LE V6 (bumpy ride and thin chassis); but after the second test of both cars, my impression was reversed: the Camry rides very smooth and less bumpy than the Accord. Anyway, these are just my personal feelings.

    My current concern is that I probably have missed the $750 incentive since it ends today. I'll try sending out the internet bid next week. Thanks for all you guys' inputs!
  • stevehechtstevehecht Member Posts: 96
    The ride on the V6 Accord is harsher than the Camry, no doubt. But (IMO) the improved driving dynamics more than make up for it. Sounds like you have the same budget I had and I decided to go with the SE V6 Accord and save a few grand. I have no trouble living without the bells & whistles--I just want a good driving car. I wouldn't go over $22K OTD for the SE right now and you can probably get under that if you try ($22.4K for me in 11/06).
  • aamixyaamixy Member Posts: 69
    That sounds like an unbelieveably low OTD price. I am in the bay area, CA. My first time rough negotiation with a dealer quoted me $24k OTD. Good to know this $22k. One other thing is I feel I can get in and out the Camry much easier than the Accord since the Camry's steering wheel can be tilted more towards the panel, leaving enough space between the bottom arc of the wheel and the seat for my legs (I am 6'2"). I've already tried hard to adjust the wheel and the seat in the Accord and still there is a little bit difficulty. Hopefully I can get used to it.
  • jehujehu Member Posts: 5
    Just bought an SE V6 in Bay Area last weekend. Get quotes from different dealers websites. You'll probably ending up working w/ fleet managers who can give you a lower price than showroom floor. $22K OTD. Maybe can get lower if you play dealers off each other.
  • aamixyaamixy Member Posts: 69
    Thanks for the information. Which dealer did you end up buying from? The dealer at Stevens Creek told me they will beat price from other dealers. :)
  • gaccordgaccord Member Posts: 2
    I just bought an LX V6 from University Honda in Davis. Paid $22800+t+l. I love this car! Everything about it is quality. It's fast and handles well, ride could be better but you have to trade off ride for handling. This is my 2nd Accord of this generation. Went from a 03 EX V6 6 speed coupe to to the 07 LX V6 sedan and both are great cars. IMO even with the redesign the Altima interior looks and feels cheap and the Accord will always have better resale.
  • jehujehu Member Posts: 5
    Larry Hopkins in Sunnyvale. They said they'd beat anyone's price by $100. Of course, this was a couple of weeks ago when they probably had to meet their month-end quotas. :D
  • stevehechtstevehecht Member Posts: 96
    Good deal! That's $1500 over what I paid for my SE V6. That's about right. I like the interior except for the grey cloth on the seats. Just ordered some classy seat covers to spice things up and keep the seats clean for resale when the '09 diesel comes out! :)
  • aamixyaamixy Member Posts: 69
    I went there a week before the end of Jan. A saleswoman introduce the SE to me in great details. I was very impressed.

    $100 doesn't sound that generous...:)
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858


    ...I just bought an LX V6 from University Honda in Davis. Paid $22800+t+l. Went from a 03 EX V6 6 speed coupe to to the 07 LX V6 sedan and both are great cars........

    ....you know, I test drove the AV6 6M at University.......
    ..was so impressed with the car (not too impressed with UH's General Sales honcho).......I bought an '05 for $23.4 plus tx/lic........(but not in Davis..or even Sac)...

    ..actually CarsD was the low bid.

    ..now the car faces two new coupes. Both Altima and an 8th Gen Honda are vying for my Naval Reserve pay...........

    Be as it may, IMHO the 6M has raised the bar big time. Should be an interesting summer and fall.

    best, ez...
  • jehujehu Member Posts: 5
    No $100 isn't much, but it's a nice dinner with the family. :)
  • gaccordgaccord Member Posts: 2
    That's too bad about the GM at UH. My experience there was the best car purchasing experience I've ever had but then again I didn't deal with the GM.

    The 6M is incredible, I really hated giving it up but fortunately the automatic is very responsive.

    I was planning on buying the next gen TSX for my next car but the 8th Gen Accord looks so good it's making me rethink my plans. If the 8th Gen sedan looks half as good as the coupe I'm there.

    I find it interesting that the Altima and Camry are both total redesigns and yet the Accord is on C&D's 10 best list yet again.
  • oldmansioldmansi Member Posts: 40
    yes, agreed, the ride on the 06/07 V6 coupe (dont know about the sedan) is VERY firm. You can FEEL every bump in the road. Also, the steering is a bit on the heavy side. But, for 25K for an 06 EX V6, it would be hard to beat. yes, the styling is conservative but thats ok, makes a great sleeper car. :D
  • stevehechtstevehecht Member Posts: 96
    I believe that the suspension tuning on the V6 is the same for the coupe and the sedan except that the RSB is one millimeter thicker (13mm sedan/14mm coupe). That might account for a slightly firmer ride for the coupe. I think the steering feels a bit heavy because of the mediocre stock tires.
  • aamixyaamixy Member Posts: 69
    Just realized this $22k OTD means the selling price is around $1600 lower than the invoice. Here is how I came up with the number:

    1. $22000/(1+10%)=$20000 (selling price)
    where 10% is the ttl
    2. MSRP of the SE V6 is $21638 including destination charge
    3. $20000-21638=$-1638

    Is this right? I guess there was a $750 manufacturer to dealer incentive included. But that still means they are selling the car around $900 below invoice. I am going to talk with them this weekend. Hopefully I can get similar price.
  • jehujehu Member Posts: 5
    That's correct. I got a quote from another dealer for $20K flat before tax/license/etc.

    I don't know if timing makes any difference, but we got our car at the end of the month. Maybe if you can wait til month-end, you can get a better deal (when the dealers have to meet their quotas)?

    Good luck!
  • stevehechtstevehecht Member Posts: 96
    You made a mistake on (2). The MSRP is $23,490 or something like that, the INVOICE is $21,638 including destination charge or $21,043 without. I got my SE V6 at the end of the month for $543 under invoice ($20,500 + destination). If the incentives are now $750 for dealers you should be able to do at least that well.
  • bodybuiltbrockbodybuiltbrock Member Posts: 13
    It still feels less well-built inside than my Accord does after over 70,000 miles. Buttons that wobble around in their holes just drive me insane.

    BB Brock
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