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Hyundai Azera Limited vs Nissan Altima SL
rushfan_2112
Member Posts: 3
in Hyundai
Please help! We know that the Azera and the Altima are 2 different animals, but the wife and I are stuck between the 2. The Azera Limited is so nice and luxurious, and has the great warranty along with it. The Altima SL 6-cyl. has awesome sporty looks, nice features, but does not have the terrific warranty like the Azera. My gut says go with the luxury and warranty, but our hearts say the Altima is the car for our small family and our sporty "egos". Any advice is greatly appreciated -- buying within the next week or 2!!!
0
Comments
Go with what you can comfortably afford.
Brad
If I were you I'd decide after an extended (20 mile or more) test drive of both cars. Look for how the steering and handling meet your needs. Also perform at least one full throttle acceleration onto an on ramp and maybe a 'simulated pass' on a backroad (40-60 sprint).
It is a much better car than expected. I did like the Azera though. The Altima felt quicker and more nimble than the Azera but the real clincher for me was resale value. The Altima has pretty good resale value, or at least average, but the Azera's is poor. The Altima also fared better in crash testing when equipped with the side airbag/curtain option which I have.
The Altima is a blast to drive. You feel very "connected" to it. I look forward to driving it whenever I can. It is like an eager, playful puppy - it just wants to run! Sporty and fast when you want it to be, yet quiet, smooth and refined when you just want to cruise.
The Azera is more sedate - pleasantly refined and comfortable but less engaging, somewhat remote and more of an "appliance", in the good sense of the word. It reminds me very much of the old model Toyota Avalon - a good thing. If you intend to keep the Azera for a long time and resale value is not a concern, with that long warranty I can't see you going wrong.
Good choice either way.
So, i would go with the Hyundai, i'd be willing to sacrifice a sporty ride and not much quicker acceleration for a longer warranty and so far, the critics say a better car.
I remember when critics used to say that hell would freeze over before hyundai came up in quality. But they did, and are coming up on everybody else very quickly.
Get the Azera, i think you'll be much more satisfied with it.
altima is a very nice car, but you can get a sonata v6 for about 5k less. and sonata is as good as altima in every catagory IMO.
1> Only Sentra and Altima models equipped with 2.5L 4-cyl motors are involved in the sales halt. Sales of 3.5L V6 Nissan models have NOT been halted.
2> Some 2.5L 4-cyl motors are subject to excessive oil consumption due to faulty oil control piston ring sets provided by one of Nissan's suppliers. When owner neglect resulted in near total loss of oil volume, there were substantiated reports of severe overheating which led to several underhood fires.
3> Nissan has initiated a voluntary recall to replace 2.5L 4-cyl motors that consume oil in excess of 1 qt. per 1,000 miles. In the meantime 2.5L 4-cyl. owners have been instructed to check their engine's oil level at least every 700 miles and report to their dealers if excessive consumption occurs. In those cases in which oil level is excessive, but less than 1 quart/1,000 miles, those engines will be repaired with new piston rings.
While Nissan bears responsibility for the affected engines (and is pro-actively engaged in resolving the problem), owners who dismiss any personal responsibility in periodically glancing at the engine coolant temperature gauge, and checking or having checked something as basic as oil level because, "It's a new car - it shouldn't have to have its oil checked." are clearly candidates for an appearance on "Dr. Phil ", themselves.
My moms owns the car, and received a letter in th mail from Nissan specifically saying that her 3.5 Altima was being recalled, and your telling me i'm wrong.
I sure hope you didn't get your info from the internet....
And i sure hope you own an 03-06 Altima telling me i'm wrong!
By the way, the models recalled which were listed in the recall notice we received were:
2003-2006 2.5 Altimas
2005-2006 3.5 Altimas
2005-2006 SE-R Altimas
2003-2006 SE-R Sentras (2.5)
My moms owns the car, and received a letter in th mail from Nissan specifically saying that her 3.5 Altima was being recalled, and your telling me i'm wrong."
Maybe you're right, maybe not.
Note to acuraking_27: I own an '03 Hyundai Sonata - a fact I've never attempted to hide.
Where to get them for the best price. Saw
message while back, but cannot find it.
The Altima omits some features that the Azera had, but
a) is more comfortable - much more - to sit in (and drive) for long periods of time.
b) has modern amenities like blue tooth, NAV . Google send-to-car, lane change warning,
speed limit warning, blind spot warning.
c) the acceleration in Ds mode kicks a** !
I get more MPG (highway) with the Altima. about 10-15 % more.
With the Azera, there was always a slight wheel hop and lots of tire noise with the original tires. Under-body cover fell off, and dealer declined to replace.
Just out of warantee, the power seat position sensing went 'crazy' - around the time the battery was ending its useful life.
Dealer supposedly replaced the seat rail (with the possibly bad sensor), charged about $400 for labor only (stated that they got a new seat rail from Hyundai - at the end of all this they informed about the battery).
In other posts at this or another site, someone warned about 'crazy electrical stuff happening' when the battery is dying but not quite dead. So who knows for sure about the above?
I liked the switch-operated folding side mirrors, but even Azera dropped it.
And Azera had the rear window screen, which, though rarely used, was nice to have.
Test drive of the new (2013) Azera left my back unhappy.