The mainstream press are slamming Nissan and Infiniti on the interior quality of the new Altima and G35

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
46
91
Just saw this over at FreshAlloy.com:

The mainstream press are slamming Nissan and Infiniti on the interior quality of the new Altima and G35


<< The criticism of the new Altima's interior quality just keeps coming. In the latest issue of MotorTrend magazine, The Altima was subjected to a comparison test involving the Ford Taurus, Chevy Impala, Honda Accord, and Toyota Camry. Thanks to its performance attributes, it came out on third. But thanks to an interior with the "lowest-quality" in the test, it ended up behind the aging Accord and newly redesigned Camry.

"We gave its ergonomics a B grade, while fit and finish garner a mere D+. The plastics just look cheap and present edges so sharp you?re sure they?ll draw blood." In their recap section they point out, "the interior?s fit, finish, and materials are reminiscent of a five-year-old Korean car..."

Detroit Free Press scribe Lawrence Ulrich took the hammer to the new G35?s interior as well, noting the " painfully cost-cutting" measures used. "Budget plastics and sickly orange driver's instruments look like something out of a Nissan Sentra. Ditto for the metallic trim inside, where the ghost of Carlos Ghosn, Nissan chief executive officer and cost cutter supreme, clanks his faux-metal chains... That kind of sloppiness is unacceptable in any car, let alone a luxury sedan."
>>



Even the Nissan fanboys that run the site drew blood:


<< As much as it pains us to say this...It appears they still have much work to do.

Altima interior quality was one reason why we didn?t pick it for our new long-term test car. Stay tuned to find out just which Nissan we leased, and to read about our interesting (to say the least!) experience getting the car.
>>



Let's just hope that Nissan hits a home run with the 350Z interior...although it's doubtful if even the Infiniti G35 gets slammed
 

b0mbrman

Lifer
Jun 1, 2001
29,470
1
81


<< Let's just hope that Nissan hits a home run with the 350Z...although it's doubtful if even the Infiniti G35 gets slammed >>


I want them to have a minimalist model...no leather, no abs, no sunroof/moonroof, no air, no spoiler, power nothing...

It would just about bring it into my price range
 

CraigRT

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
31,440
5
0
I don't get it.. my dads Maxima has a great interior.. I really like it... 2 years later, it's totally cheap and crap? that is off the wall.. :confused:
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
56,857
17,731
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I have to agree. The new Altima intrigued me until I saw the interior.

Hell, even Toyota has cheapened their interiors lately. It seems the only car company going in the opposite direction of late has been VW.
 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
46
91


<< I don't get it.. my dads Maxima has a great interior.. I really like it... 2 years later, it's totally cheap and crap? that is off the wall.. :confused: >>


Huh, I don't quite understand what you are saying:confused:

They are talking about the interior quality of the new Altima and G35


<< Hell, even Toyota has cheapened their interiors lately. It seem the only car company going in the opposite direction of late has been VW. >>


Well, I'll agree to a certain degree. I've been in the '97 - '01 Camrys and their interior definitely felt a notch down in "feel" than the '93 - '96 models. However, the new '02 models feel as good if not better as far as materials choice and quality as the '93 - '96 model's sturdy nature and as good as the current Accords. And they most definitely better than the domestics. I still wouldn't rate it as high as VW though.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
56,857
17,731
146


<<

<< I don't get it.. my dads Maxima has a great interior.. I really like it... 2 years later, it's totally cheap and crap? that is off the wall.. :confused: >>


Huh, I don't quite understand what you are saying:confused:

They are talking about the interior quality of the new Altima and G35


<< Hell, even Toyota has cheapened their interiors lately. It seem the only car company going in the opposite direction of late has been VW. >>


Well, I'll agree to a certain degree. I've been in the '97 - '01 Camrys and their interior definitely felt a notch down in "feel" than the '93 - '96 models. However, the new '02 models feel as good if not better as far as materials choice and quality as the '93 - '96 model's sturdy nature and as good as the current Accords. And they most definitely better than the domestics. I still wouldn't rate it as high as VW though.
>>



With toyota it's not the materials, it's the styling. All of a sudden their interiors started reminding me of 1970s Chevys. I HATE the long flat dash look with no center console and no defined driver instrument area.
 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
46
91


<<

<<

<< I don't get it.. my dads Maxima has a great interior.. I really like it... 2 years later, it's totally cheap and crap? that is off the wall.. :confused: >>


Huh, I don't quite understand what you are saying:confused:

They are talking about the interior quality of the new Altima and G35


<< Hell, even Toyota has cheapened their interiors lately. It seem the only car company going in the opposite direction of late has been VW. >>


Well, I'll agree to a certain degree. I've been in the '97 - '01 Camrys and their interior definitely felt a notch down in "feel" than the '93 - '96 models. However, the new '02 models feel as good if not better as far as materials choice and quality as the '93 - '96 model's sturdy nature and as good as the current Accords. And they most definitely better than the domestics. I still wouldn't rate it as high as VW though.
>>



With toyota it's not the materials, it's the styling. All of a sudden their interiors started reminding me of 1970s Chevys. I HATE the long flat dash look with no center console and no defined driver instrument area.
>>


I think the interior looks rather snazzy, especially on the SE models with the titanium colored guages:

Camry SE Interior
Camry SE Interior #2
 

RKS

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,824
3
81
We went to a Nissan dealership to buy a Altima 3.5 SE. Loved the exterior, engine, the stick was ok but the interior really sucked it was worse than my 95 Max. We decided to step up to another loaded Max SE (6M, wife hates autotragics) instead because of the Altima's plastic overkill.
 

Danman

Lifer
Nov 9, 1999
13,134
0
0
My seats in my 95 Altima aren't all that great, that's the only thing that is not so great about my car. Everything else r0xors. :D
 

b0mbrman

Lifer
Jun 1, 2001
29,470
1
81
Also, I can't get myself to like the "lava" interior of the SE-R Spec V...it's a real shame as the rest of its specs are real nice (except for the exterior)