With two gas engines and a hybrid to choose from, the 2011 Nissan Altima isn’t short on options. Whether you’re looking for something lightweight and efficient, or a V6 with a little more oomph than the next mid-size, Nissan has you covered.
Key Points
- The 2011 Nissan Altima is offered with three different engine options:, a 2.5L inline-four, 3.5L V6, and 2.5L inline-four hybrid.
- With the 2.5L engine, the Nissan Altima is an efficient gas-saver at 23/32 mpg, city/highway.
- A 2011 Nissan Altima equipped with a V6 cranks the horsepower up to a hefty 270 for a legitimately sporty driving experience.
- New Hybrid Altimas are usually a smart buy, but the 2011 Altima Hybrid costs more than the base 2.5, and comes with a dying traction battery that will run you up to two grand to replace.
Headache-free 2.5L Inline-four is the Ideal Daily-driver Delivering 23/32 Miles to the Gallon
A neat thing about Altima trims: they’re named after the engine, so it’s easy to keep track of what’s under the hood. In the 2.5, 2.5 S, and 2.5 SL you’ll find a capable 2.5L inline-four delivering 23/32 miles to the gallon, city/highway. Direct overhead cams, sixteen valves, and a twenty-gallon gas tank. This motor cranks out 180 lb.-ft. of torque and 175 horsepower, which should get you from zero to 60 in around eight seconds.
With its front-wheel drive configuration, you’ve got enough power here to handle some rough weather and loose terrain, but at just 5.4 inches of ground clearance, you’ll want to avoid any real off-road scenarios. The engine can handle it, the suspension can’t.
The transmission is a one-speed Xtronic CVT, but you can add a manual shift mode if you prefer a more hands-on approach to operating your vehicle, and the 2.5 S can be upgraded to a six-speed automatic if you’re just not sold on the whole CVT thing.
The 2.5L is what you’re after if you just want a solid daily driver. Low-maintenance, affordable, efficient, and just a little on the sporty side so you won’t be hesitant to merge, pass, or snatch that open parking space before anyone else can get to it.
Sporty 3.5L V6 is Almost Rally-ready with 270 Horsepower
If you want to feel a bit of rumble under the hood, the 3.5 SR trim level adds a 3.5L V6 to the package, delivering an extra bit of muscle at 270 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. The V6 is a 24v DOHC with a twenty-gallon tank delivering 20/27 mpg. For transmission, you’ve got Xtronic CVT, Xtronic CVT with manual shift mode, or six-speed automatic.
Like the 2.5L trim levels, the 3.5 SR is front-wheel drive. Fresh off the lot, no mods, you can expect a zero to sixty of around seven seconds, with a quarter mile time of just over 14.
Sporty, powerful, and fun to drive, this is the engine you want if you’re trying to pick between an Altima and a Civic Si. With some upgrades, you can trick a 2.5 S out and make it a serious rally car contender, but the 3.5 SR feels like a mini muscle car right out of the box. The Kelley Blue Book puts the 3.5 SR at just a thousand bucks over the 2.5 S, which is less than you’d be spending on some fancy intake and exhaust mods, so you might as well start here if you’ve got a need for speed.
Efficient but Costly 2.5L Hybrid Just isn’t a Good Buy Right Now
At 162 lb.-ft. of torque and 158 horsepower with a twenty-gallon tank, the 2.5L DOHC 16v inline-four hybrid is certainly capable. But at 33/33 mpg, with a hybrid battery that should be on its last legs by now, and a Blue Book price a full grand over the 2.5, it might not be the money saver you want it to be.
The irony of a hybrid: they save the first owner a lot of money, but, by and large, they’re not a great buy on the used market. The traction battery is estimated to last around eight to ten years before it needs to be replaced, and a new battery can cost around $1,600 before you factor in labor. So take that Blue Book price of $8,699, add another $1,649 to it, and you’re spending over ten thousand dollars on a car that isn’t even saving you all that much at the pump.
If you’re buying a 2021 Altima, we can recommend the Hybrid wholeheartedly. But ten years down the road, you can guarantee that the previous owner has already used up all the savings this car had to offer.
Give it another five years, and maybe the price will depreciate enough that it’ll be worth buying the car at four, five grand, and putting another sixteen hundred into the battery. But a decade-old hybrid is just a bad value proposition.
2011 Nissan Altima is a Recommended Mid-size Car with No Wrong Answers (Except the Hybrid)
When it comes to the 2011 Nissan Altima, you probably don’t want the hybrid, but between the 2.5L and the 3.5L, you can’t go wrong. Take the 2.5L if you just need something that’ll get you to work and back. Go with the 3.5L if you want a sports car feel without the sports car price tag. There’s little to complain about with either one.
Photos: Nissan
