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MT roundup. Camry SE vs Altima SE vs Accord vs Taurus vs Impala....Camry SE winner

NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Put a smile on my face 😉 I will agree with MT though, the Camry was a bit overpriced ringng in at over $30k (the reason for this was the $4,745 luxury package which adds leather, navigation system, moonroof, and premium audio). The Altima was @ $27,400 but it didn't even have leather or automatic climate control!!!!!!

Motor Trend said that Altima spent so much on the engine that they forgot about the rest of the car. They gave the interior construction/quality of the Camry and Accord an A. The Impala and Taurus got a C+. The Altima got a D+. That just cracked me up.



<< Yet with the Altima come two significant downsides. In spite of sound ergonomics and plenty of passenger room, the interior's fit, finish, and materials are reminiscent of a FIVE YEAR OLD KOREAN CAR, not a new from the ground up circa '02 Japanese offering. The other downer is the as tested price of $27,462...the Altima doesn't fare well in the value race as others >>



In the engineering report, the Camry got nothing but A's and B's. The Nissan got A's, B's, C's, and that one D+
 
I don't know about you all, but I love the inside of my Altima - in fact one of the reasons I bought it was that the dash was recessed enough that it gave room for my long legs and knees. I tried the 02 Camry, Accord, and Taurus. and all of them had these huge dashboards that got in the way so I couldn't sit comfortably. I don't see what's wrong with the Altima interior, why everyone has a problem with it.
 
I think it just goes to show that it's not always about strapping an engine to a taut chassis and selling it. You need to have a great OVERALL package which the Camry/Accord most definitely serve up. Can't argue with the #1 and #2 seller for the past 5 years 😀
 
Well the Altima would still smoke the Camry at the lights so I guess that it's a personal choice and you have to guage the importance of an interior vs. the performance of your car. Personally I think I'm performance oriented if I had to pick. Afterall you're not looking at neat shapes and textures when you're racing down the highway.
 


<< Afterall you're not looking at neat shapes and textures when you're racing down the highway. >>


IMHO, that's a cop-out to make up for an OBVIOUS shortcoming. I could easily say that I don't notice the outside of an Aztek when I'm driving down the street, but it's a good vehicle. But when the American's interiors are better constructed and have higher quality materials for less money, I don't think that you can take up for that...especially at $27,000.


<< Hmmmm if the engine is good who cares about the rest of the car? >>


WTF??? Strapping a VQ V6 in a Hyundai does not make it a better vehicle. That's about the most crazy thing I've heard all day 😀 It's not just the engine that matters. It's the WHOLE package.
 
That is ridiculous. Someone said Altima had cheap interior, and all these monkeys are getting on the bandwagon. Camry interior looks like a buick. I don't see how any part of that car would appeal to anyone under 40.
Altima interior is way nicer than camry, even with the cheap plastics. It looks sporty. Kinda like Celica interior. Telescoping steering wheel is awesome. It's a little bit on the plasticky side, and I wouldn't mind seeing some of that titanium colored plastic replaced with aluminium, or getting real chrome door handles. Regardless, if I paid 25-30K for a sedan, I would want that money spent on things I care about, such as power and suspension, nice comfy seats, and good stereo. Did I mention Horsepower and acceleration? Altima hits the mark on all. Subjective things like "interior materials quality" I would spend a few bucks on, but it's not very important to me. Other people, of course want a nice couch to drive around, and they can get their buicks and camry's. Leave the Altima alone, so those of us who care about performance have a choice. The people who buy Altimas don't really care about sacrificing some interior appearance for extra 50 HP, and I don't think any red blooded person with an ounce of adrenaline would.
 
A $30k Camry? Why didn't they compare that with, say, a TL-S rather than the Accord? Not that I'm a Honda fanboy or anything, just curious why the CL & TL always get compared with offerings from BMW, Lexus, etc that are usually several thousand more....I really think that they should be compared with cars of this class more often.
 


<< That is ridiculous. Someone said Altima had cheap interior, and all these monkeys are getting on the bandwagon. Camry interior looks like a buick. I don't see how any part of that car would appeal to anyone under 40.
Altima interior is way nicer than camry, even with the cheap plastics. It looks sporty. Kinda like Celica interior. Telescoping steering wheel is awesome. It's a little bit on the plasticky side, and I wouldn't mind seeing some of that titanium colored plastic replaced with aluminium, or getting real chrome door handles. Regardless, if I paid 25-30K for a sedan, I would want that money spent on things I care about, such as power and suspension, nice comfy seats, and good stereo. Did I mention Horsepower and acceleration? Altima hits the mark on all. Subjective things like "interior materials quality" I would spend a few bucks on, but it's not very important to me. Other people, of course want a nice couch to drive around, and they can get their buicks and camry's. Leave the Altima alone, so those of us who care about performance have a choice. The people who buy Altimas don't really care about sacrificing some interior appearance for extra 50 HP, and I don't think any red blooded person with an ounce of adrenaline would. >>



Well tell me this hot shot 😉 If the Altima is SO much better than the Accord/Camry in performance/looks/handling/price and every other thing that you say, why don't more people by them? I mean, you've got a Camry on one hand and for comparable money you can get a faster/better handling Altima with more interior space. Who WOULDN'T go for that?

Obviously, there is something that people want other than balls out performance. Until Nissan can figure out what that is, Camrys and Accords EACH will continue to outsell the Altima 2:1

That being said, the 3.5SE is a niche model anyway. The 2.5 models outsell it 2:1
 
Camry you can't really go wrong with for a good sized commuter.

Wow that Altima is only $600 less then what I got my fully loaded truck even after taxes included :Q seems expensive to me for just being a regular car.

I can kinda see why it got a D+ my brothers might just be a lemon but it sure has had some weird problems with it. (door seals, faulty security system, weather trim)
 
The new Camry looks very similar to a Daewoo Leganza from the rear. 😛

For anyone asking why people buy Camry's, statistics show the demographics for those purchasers are mainly middle-aged adults. They could care less about styling or performance, and simply care about reliability/maintenance.
 
Well a lot of it is habit or marketing or just brand loyalty. Altima has been a boring as HELL car until this year afterall. Just as boring as camry and accord.

It's kind of like asking why mustangs with v8 sell less than camrys. Less people want them, although for some people the camry won't cut it. Altima/camry/accord (I won't shame us by mentioning taurus and impala) are more closely matched but the altima is the ugly inside faster version of them.
 


<< Well a lot of it is habit or marketing or just brand loyalty. Altima has been a boring as HELL car until this year afterall. Just as boring as camry and accord.

It's kind of like asking why mustangs with v8 sell less than camrys. Less people want them, although for some people the camry won't cut it. Altima/camry/accord (I won't shame us by mentioning taurus and impala) are more closely matched but the altima is the ugly inside faster version of them. >>



I understand what you are saying. That being said, I have the STRONG suspicion that the '03 Accord will stomp the ALL in looks/quality/interior/safety/price and possibly come close to the Altima in performance. The current 200HP V6 Accord is only .8 seconds behind the auto 3.5 Altima. Strap in the 225HP 3.2 liter TL engine and the Nissan might have to watch its back.
 
Camry = grandpa's car. Overpriced, underperforming, soft suspension, crappy handling, FUGLY boring exterior.


They complain about the Altima not having leather and a few other things, well guess what? For that 3K $ difference with the Camry, you can get all that... And they must be on crack if they think the Altima's interior is worse than a Taurus. 🙂




<< I think it just goes to show that it's not always about strapping an engine to a taut chassis and selling it. You need to have a great OVERALL package which the Camry/Accord most definitely serve up. Can't argue with the #1 and #2 seller for the past 5 years >>



Hmm, the Altima was a completely different car before this year, so who cares what sold well 5 years ago... All the Camry/Accord serve up is a higher price tag for a slightly better interior, while sacrificing performance/handling.

They should've compared those puny 6's to the 2.5SL... 😉
 


<< That being said, the 3.5SE is a niche model anyway. The 2.5 models outsell it 2:1 >>




I was gonna say that. According to the Nissan salesman here, the 3.5 only represents 5 % of the Altima sales... :Q


3 month waiting list for it too.
 
spicedaddy, Camry isn't "Grandpa's car" it's actually the #2 need for people in the US, a "COMMUTER CAR" #1 is not "PERFORMACE" I'll give you a hint, it's a work vehicle.

Camry and Accord gained their loyalty by being the 1st cars to provide the best alternative especially during the 80's when Domestic cars REALLY sucked, you know the Pontiac 6000's and Buick Centuries, when they came out with the 2.8, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2 yeah they repeated many sizes and NEVER got it right.

But that need that needed an answer was a Commuter car that got good milage that lasted a long long time.

Performance while there are some of us here on the forums that really dig it, are not at all a primary consern of many many many more people in the US.


Grandpa's car is usually a Caddie or Lincoln though 😉
 


<< Camry = grandpa's car. Overpriced, underperforming, soft suspension, crappy handling, FUGLY boring exterior. >>


Hey, watch it bud. I drive a Camry and I'm nobody's grandfather. 🙂

Alright, I hear all about how the Camry has a really soft suspension and, while I haven't had too much time driving the newer ones, my 92 has an incredibly stiff suspension. That car tears up the road. I've put it into some incredibly iffy situations and it's always pulled through for me. I drove a family friends 2000 Camry for a couple miles once and I really didn't see that much difference in the suspension. Why does everybody say that about Camrys?

edit: forgot the end slash on the quote
 


<<

<< Afterall you're not looking at neat shapes and textures when you're racing down the highway. >>


IMHO, that's a cop-out to make up for an OBVIOUS shortcoming. I could easily say that I don't notice the outside of an Aztek when I'm driving down the street, but it's a good vehicle. But when the American's interiors are better constructed and have higher quality materials for less money, I don't think that you can take up for that...especially at $27,000.


<< Hmmmm if the engine is good who cares about the rest of the car? >>


WTF??? Strapping a VQ V6 in a Hyundai does not make it a better vehicle. That's about the most crazy thing I've heard all day 😀 It's not just the engine that matters. It's the WHOLE package. >>



Dissing on Hyundai, now that's where I draw the line 😀
 


<< spicedaddy, Camry isn't "Grandpa's car" it's actually the #2 need for people in the US, a "COMMUTER CAR" #1 is not "PERFORMACE" I'll give you a hint, it's a work vehicle.

Camry and Accord gained their loyalty by being the 1st cars to provide the best alternative especially during the 80's when Domestic cars REALLY sucked, you know the Pontiac 6000's and Buick Centuries, when they came out with the 2.8, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2 yeah they repeated many sizes and NEVER got it right.

But that need that needed an answer was a Commuter car that got good milage that lasted a long long time.

Performance while there are some of us here on the forums that really dig it, are not at all a primary consern of many many many more people in the US. >>




Hence the 2.5S/SL... 🙂 I know performance isn't a deciding factor in that class of cars, that's the reason most of the models they tested aren't big sellers. But if they're gonna test the highest performing car for each model, they should base their results on performance/handling a little, rather than give the old "the interior is better"...



<< Hey, watch it bud. I drive a Camry and I'm nobody's grandfather. >>



Sorry gramps. 😉😛 Seriously though, all the reviews I've seen don't give the Camry very good marks on the skid pad and slalom test...
 
Car and Driver achieved a 0.79g on the skidpad which is quite acceptable.



<< At the track, it sauntered to 60 in 8.4 seconds, on its way to a 16.5-second quarter-mile at 85 mph. These are exactly the numbers you'd expect of a mainstream sedan, as is skidpad adhesion at 0.79 g. No thrills here, just the benign composure you'd hope for in one of those "expletive deleted" moments when the way around looks iffy. Cornering forces are nicely balanced between the front and rear tires, and the new chassis is not easily flummoxed by abrupt inputs from the driver. "Trusty" is the one-word description. >>



These are all pretty good numbers for the kind of car that the Camry is. The article is here.
 


<< Can't argue with the #1 and #2 seller for the past 5 years >>

taurus/sable continues to be the number 1 seller.

of course, if ford claimed that then gm would start claiming the chevy/gmc truck outsold the f-150.

taurus is a lame duck anyway... getting replaced by the 500... hopefully bill ford can un-cluster-fsck what nasser did.
 
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