2002 Nissan Altima 2.5 S review from North America

Low-beam headlamps blew out repeatedly. Ground plate update kit available from Nissan fixed the problem.

Poor heat at idle. The dealer performed the TSB, and the condition improved, but the heater was still rubbish.

Rattle from driver's seatbelt. Belt was replaced under warranty.

This car needed little other than normal maintenance--oil changes, tires, and brakes. Fuel mileage was about 26 MPG in 25% city, 75% highway driving. It achieved the EPA rating of 29 MPG on a couple of long trips.

The OEM tires were junk made by Continental. Replacement with Michelin HydroEdges in a plus-zero size made the car much safer in the rain.

The heater core was enlarged starting with 2004 model Altimas. Mine may have still had some air in it, causing the poor heat to continue. Most cars I have driven produce good heat after 15 minutes of city driving.

The car is very roomy. The interior materials are cheap. There is no finisher on the inside of the trunklid, but you can purchase one as an accessory. It is extremely easy to manually activate the lock on the door handle as you are using the handle to open the door and exit the car, causing the door to be locked when you return to it, because the door lock (not the electric button) offers very little resistance.

It's a nice family sedan, comparable to the Camry and Accord, but not very much fun. I would not hesitate to recommend it to my friends who are looking for a dependable car to get from one destination to the other.