The Altima's four-cylinder engines are fine, competitive starting points for acceleration and fuel economy, and Nissan still offers a manual transmission for the shrinking set of buyers who want to shift it themselves in this class. Normally we'd prefer the automatic for cars such as these, but instead of a stepped-gear transmission, the Altima has a CVT.

It's more responsive than the ones in Nissan's past, and the ones we've sampled from other brands, but the CVT tends to amplify the engine noise from both the four-cylinder and the very powerful, 270-hp V-6, while it doesn't quite zip with the ratio-to-ratio changes of a good automatic. Still, the Altima with a V-6 is strikingly fast, and its handling is a cut above most of its competitors, with the ride going a little pitchy in the shorter-wheelbase coupe.

A gimmick-free interior keeps the Altima looking fresh inside. In terms of raw available space, it's somewhere between the vastness of the current Accord and the new VW Passat, but larger than the Fusion. Rear headroom can be an issue in the sedan, and space is cramped in the two-door in most directions; tall drivers will have to adopt a lean-back driving position if they opt for the sunroof.

Every Altima comes with pushbutton start--whether you want it or not--and air conditioning, power windows/locks/mirrors, and intermittent wipers. On SR models, a power driver seat and woodgrain trim are standard. Options range from a moonroof, a navigation system, Bluetooth, satellite radio, and leather seating. Those features pile on Infiniti-like luxury in the more mainstream Altima, and can drive its sticker price to more than $32,000. Our advice: stick with the cleanly styled, swell-handling versions with fewer luxury features for maximum value.