Model Year | 2011 | 2015 | |
Model | Nissan Altima | Chevrolet Malibu | |
Engine | 3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 270 hp@6000 258 lb-ft@4400 |
turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 259 hp@5500 295 lb-ft@3000 |
|
Transmission | 6-speed shiftable CVT | 6-speed shiftable automatic | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | |
Body | 4dr Sedan | 4dr Sedan | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 2,776 mm | 2,738 mm | 0 mm |
Length | 4,844 mm | 4,864 mm | 0 mm |
Width | 1,796 mm | 1,854 mm | 0 mm |
Height | 1,471 mm | 1,463 mm | 0 mm |
Curb Weight | 1,523 kg | 1,649 kg | 0 kg |
Fuel Capacity | 76 L | 70 L | 6 L |
Headroom, Row 1 | 1,031 mm | 991 mm | -990 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 1,415 mm | 1,461 mm | 0 mm |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 1,443 mm | 1,397 mm | 0 mm |
Legroom, Row 1 | 1,120 mm | 1,069 mm | 0 mm |
Headroom, Row 2 | 935 mm | 953 mm | -18 mm |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 1,410 mm | 1,450 mm | 0 mm |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 1,334 mm | 1,379 mm | 0 mm |
Legroom, Row 2 | 909 mm | 935 mm | -26 mm |
Total Legroom | 2,029 mm (over 2 rows) | 2,004 mm (over 2 rows) | 0 mm |
Cargo Volume | 433 L | 462 L | -29 L |
2011 Nissan Altima Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2012 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
Roomy front seat room. see full Nissan Altima review |
2010 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
I am 6'3", weigh 235. Being a big guy, I find this car VERY comfortable. I use it in my work daily. I drive it multiple trips/day (there have been as many as 8-10 trips/day-from 2 miles up to 50 miles/each trip). So I am in/out of the car multiple times/day. It's very easy to enter and exit and is very roomy for a mid-sized car and also has a lot of rear leg room. The trunk is large as well and the back seat folds down making the useful trunk space all the more. I also like the console and having the iPod connection in the second storage area of the console-out of the way. Hip room of the front seat is very generous as well. Just yesterday I had a rear seat passenger who commented how much leg room they had in the back. see full Nissan Altima review |
2010 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
I am a big guy who at first did not consider Altima because I did not think I would fit in it. I was surprised to find I fit just fine. I am 6'3" and 252lbs. The front seats provide ample room. I also have a lot of head room. see full Nissan Altima review |
2010 | 2dr Coupe 270-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
Nissan has reputation for reliability see full Nissan Altima review |
2011 Nissan Altima Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2012 | 4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD |
Very comfortable. see full Nissan Altima review |
2010 | 2dr Coupe 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed manual FWD |
Very difficult to get in and even more difficult to get out. Only teens in good shape can do it easily see full Nissan Altima review |
2015 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2016 | Chevrolet's designers styled the new Malibu's instrument panel to appear low and out of the way, such that the front seat feels especially roomy and the view forward seems more open than in most competitors, including the Kia (the instrument panel in which seems significantly higher and more imposing). In the tested car, which had every option except the panoramic sunroof, headroom was so abundant I could have worn a fedora. The Kia Optima might have as much front headroom when similarly without a sunroof. The official specs, which often don't reflect real world differences, suggest it should have even more than the Malibu. But you cannot get a highly equipped Optima without the sunroof, as it's part of a large package on the SX and standard on the SX Limited. Though the Malibu's windshield is relatively large, you won't find outward visibility among the reasons to buy one. The Chevrolet's front pillars remain on the thick side, its instrument panel is considerably deeper than the Kia's, and the view to the sides and rear also could be more open. In the Optima, the view to the sides is more open but that to the rear is not. I did find the Cherolet's front seats more form-fitting and comfortable than the Optima's. The Kia's quilted seats aren't as cushy as they appear. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
2015 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2014 | 4dr Sedan 196-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Both front & rear compartments very roomy & comfortable. Again, this is noted improvement over our 2009 Malibu. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |