Mother Proof's view

Have you ever been set up on a blind date, only to be told the guy “has a nice personality”? When I was single, I was introduced to several men with “nice personalities.” I am not alone in the knowledge that “nice personality” equals “no sparks will fly when you go out with him, but he’s single and you’re single, so you must have something in common.” He could be worse, but he also could be better. He’s average.

Average is just how I would describe the 2008 Nissan Altima 2.5 S. Nice, but no sparks, and I’m not dying to see it again. If I did it would be fine, but it would also be OK if I didn’t.

The exterior of the car wasn’t bad. It has sporty yet mature-looking lines, and it has an attractive appearance. From the outside, you’d feel OK if someone you wanted to impress – say, a date you actually do like – saw you driving around in this car. My test car was a lovely Majestic Blue, which I quite liked. With other color options like Sonoma Sunset, Pebble Beach and Winter Frost, you really can’t go wrong (or you might just forget the car, leave the kids with grandma and go on vacation somewhere in northern or central California).

The interior isn’t bad-looking, either. It’s not top-of-the-line posh, but nor does it look cheap. The cloth seats on my test car were speckled gray (read: they hide animal cookie crumbs). They weren’t the most comfortable seats in the world, nor were they the most uncomfortable.

The 2008 Altima is roomy on the inside. I was able to install and uninstall my son’s rear-facing car seat easily enough in the backseat with space left over for two moderately sized adults (OK, maybe one should be on the small side). The interior glove compartment, cupholders and middle console also had enough room for me and my traveling circus, and the trunk fit our bigger contraptions pretty easily.

This largeness, however, also has some drawbacks. Notably, the view of the hood from the driver’s seat made be feel like I was driving a huge car even though the Altima is a midsized sedan. I’m not a small person, but I often felt like I could have used a phone book under my tush to see over the hood while I was driving (a powered height-adjustable driver’s seat is available in several option packages).

The Altima was nicer to drive when I was on a highway going a steady 55 or 60 mph. It comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission (a continuously variable automatic transmission is optional), which allows one to rev her engine more than she might be able to with other midsized sedans. Yeehaw! Add to that a sound system that displays the radio station and time in easy-to-read, large characters, and I started to warm up to the Altima a little.

As this is Mother Proof, though, there’s one major thing I feel compelled to discuss: Antilock brakes are not available on the base, 2.5 model. They’re standard on the 2.5 S, which I drove, as well as the 3.5 versions, but not for those opting for the less expensive Altima.

The strange thing is that something much less necessary, a push-button ignition, is standard. As a woman busy with work, motherhood, wifehood and whateverhood, I understand the importance of keyless ignition. I am sometimes (OK, a lot of the time) harried, and the exact location of my keys eludes me right when I’m trying to get out of the house, though they’re usually someplace easy to find, like deep in my catastrophically messy hand/diaper bag. Keys are tough to keep on my radar, but doing so is not nearly as tough as braking on an icy highway to avoid a spinning semi.

The Altima and I had a fine time. It wasn’t offensive, and I quite liked some of its attributes. The bottom line is that this car is as nice as a blind date: It’s a fine way to spend the evening, but only if nothing better comes along first.

*For more information on the 2008 Nissan Altima 2.5 S and its safety features, visit Cars.com. With questions or comments regarding this review, write to editor@motherproof.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

Latch Connectors: 2

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 5

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great

Fun Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Some

Specs

2008 Nissan Altima

Base price: $20,080

Price as tested: $23,165

Engine: 175-hp, 2.5-liter I-4

Fuel: 23/32

Length: 189.8″

Width: 70.7″

Ground Clearance: 5.2″

Turning Radius: 18.7 ft

Cargo space: 15.3 cu. ft.

NHTSA Crash-Test Ratings

Frontal Impact

Driver’s side: n/a

Passenger’s side: n/a

Side Impact

Front occupant: n/a

Rear occupant: n/a

Rollover resistance: n/a