I don’t think anyone would argue that. I never thought about this car but it was great. Look at what else they had though. The original Q45, a true classic. The 89-94 Maxima. The 300ZX. The 2000nx. The 240sx. The 90s was the hot flame of Nissan…that flame burnt out long before halfway through the 00’s
Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I enjoy watching these old reviews more than the reviews of the newer cars. I was a child in the 80s and grew up watching this show.
I'm the same way growing up in the 90s all 80s and 90s vehicles seem to peak my interest more than brand new cars.for example the brand new c8 is awesome, but at least I can afford a c4 or c5.
My dad bought a 97 Altima SE (5spd) brand new back in 96 for my aunt. Then I got it once my aunt got a new car, been in my family for so many years, until the typical PA rust took over in 2018. Been a great car, I miss it a lot now.
For my fam it was the 99 model 5 speed , it had an OEM strut brace and felt sporty after replacing the wheels with larger ones and lo-pro tires . It did consume gear oil around 2019 , aside from that the car felt like a solid piece of equipment. This had more of a tractor feel instead of the soft feel of newer cars that we had, it dove smooth and solid.
These original altimas were super reliable unlike post 2000 models. Nissan had a great line up in the 90s and it was unfortunate that consumer response was not as expected, even if they were better than most rivals. Their cars were better performers and reliability was outstanding on par with the best.
A lot of things changed in new cars during the 2000’s. That was when digital almost completely replaced analog, and electronic content became overbearing. So did the safety regulations which have never has a positive influence on styling to this day. The 90’s were a sweet spot between driver oriented cars and sophisticated technology. Today, the driving experience is an afterthought, as is longterm reliability.
The first Altimas were actually badged as Stanza Altima due to a lawsuit from a computer company that used the Altima name. Likewise Toyota got sued by legal research firm Lexis (now LexisNexis) over the Lexus name. During it, Lexis ran a contest to give away an Infiniti car, saying "Win an Infiniti from Lexis!"
@@myname9252 stanza hasn't been gone since the 70s I've seen late 80s model stanzas tht were not imported it was a us market car..like an 86 or 87 model nissan stanza
@@myname9252 Wikipedia doesn't mention the lawsuit but does say: Initially, the car's official name was "Stanza Altima," which appears on the early owners manuals. 1993 models can be seen with a sticker reading "Stanza" in small lettering to the right of the ALTIMA emblem on the trunk lid.
@@myname9252 FYI, you're confusing copyright infringement with trademark infringement. The former covers what an entity produces/creates, the latter has to do with its brand including name, logos, etc. There can absolutely be lawsuits or threats of lawsuits around similar names.
I agree! My dad had the 1997, but had problems later on with intake manifold gasket & leaky water pumps & knock sensor. but hey it got 150k in ‘13 years of ownership.
My mama just sold her 93 STANZA altima se had it since new. Absolutely ZERO problems. I learned to drive in it, and my first son took his first drive in it.
They were great cars. I never understood why Nissan threw a small Stanza sticker on the trunk of the early Altimas. Why would you want to be reminded that the Altima replaced the Stanza when the Altima was better in almost every way?
Especially the SE Model Trim. ‘02 was pretty good with the V6. Redesign took about 3 years to grow on me as back then I had ‘02-03 Maxima fever, but I started liking the Altima car after the ‘05 model year facelift. Test Drove an ‘02 SE as a potential first car but parents decided against it. Overall they were good looking cars, save the 2nd Gen, up until about 8 years ago
@@dougedoug2105 hell yea I like the look of them as well that might be because I'm an 80s kid and I realize that these days all the cars look alike..150 hp and 154 lbs of torque..thts not bad for a stock 2.4. I'm sure with the proper tune and some head work its possible to get closer to 180 ish hp and probably 170 plus lbs of torque while still being naturally aspirated... this makes me want to find one in halfway decent condition and tune it up a lil bit...
@@allentoyokawa9068 no there not better these days there far worse with the garbage cvt transmission and the body design is no longer unique..you think what you want I really could care less
The best car my family had growing up was a '97 Altima GXE 5spd. It outlived a 1992 Camry we had when we bought the Altima and a 2001 Camry we got to replace the '92 when its transmission died (the 2001's transmission died too). My mom was heartbroken when she crashed it, in her words "It was the only car that made me forget about my Mustang." At 380,000 miles the only thing that broke on the Altima outside of regular maintenance was an O-ring. We were planning on keeping that car forever.
I remember a comment in one of the car magazines back in the day about the wood trim looking like what you see when you first open a can of Dinty Moore chili, and I was never able to unsee that.
I looked at a few 96 Camrys in late 2002 before eventually leasing a new Accord. I remember that, in all of the Camrys with the plastic wood trim, the printed "wood" pattern on the inside of the plastic had started to decay, and the brown-ish foam on the other side was starting to show. An odd quality slip-up on an otherwise incredibly solid vehicle. I wish automakers would banish piano black plastic to the same dimension they sent this orange "wood" trim.
growing up my mom had a 1993 model just like this except silver and automatic, I remember the soft fabric seats, the weird wood trim and the actual bell sound of the chimes rather than an electronic beeper sound
In 1993, I snatched an Altima SE with 5spd manual -- a unicorn even then -- leather seats, moonroof, allow wheels. It was A LOT of car for the money, and crazy reliable. .
Best Altima they ever made IMO, I call it the Egg. Drove my friends in high school(there were several in the parking lot) the handling/way it drove was impressive, felt tight as a drum despite it having 150k+ miles on it. Or maybe my worn out Buick at the time was that bad lol. Only thing was these were kind of small, especially if you parked it next to a Taurus, Regal, etc. Had to move up to a Maxima if you wanted that type of room
The KA24DE is an absolute workhorse and both it and the firmer suspension in the SE respond great to spirited driving. Where an Accord or Camry would understeer the Altima sticks into corners, even can get it to oversteer and power slide controllably. Not getting rid of mine!
I had one of these as a gently-used car in the late 1990s - same color, same trim level, but with an automatic. The car was comfortable, fun to drive, had quite a bit of oomph for its class. I drove it up and down the East Coast until somebody rear-ended and totalled it. Thanks to MotorWeek for bringing back the memories.
truth!!! my 1st car was a 2000 maxima back in 2012,,, what a sweet ride,, so pure... they were so popular when they were new,,, now nissan is trash,, ESPECIALLY the altima
Not only this is 1992 lol, the design itself was finalized in California design studios in 1988. I personally know the guy who designed it. It debuted end of 1991 in JDM before coming to USA in late 1992. So it’s already 33 years old. Crazy how time flies.
90s Nissan: Hardbody pickup Badass pathfinder 300zx turbo This review makes me want to buy 93 Altima now. Abs airbag well laid out physical controls and mpgs no different than modern cars. In the last 30 years we have made ICe cars bigger faster and more unreliable. It’s time for EVs for all.
I had a 1997 nissan atllima this was a great car very reliable I drove it to 300,000 miles. These were the days when Nissan made High Quality Cars. Not like the Garbage they make today 80s and 90s Nissan cars were Built to last.
Even as a wee little kid I remember seeing these everywhere. The past 17 years have been very rough for Nissan but recently they're seem to be going back to their 90s roots.
Ghosn wanted to "kill" the 'z' car he also wanted to "kill" infiniti...ghosn let these entities wither on the vine because his #1 goal was market share glad he's "ghosn"😄.
Cars from year 1985 - 1997 are prettiest looking, small, fun, reliable, cheap to buy, cheap to maintain. Today cars when break down it cost a fortune to repair.
My parents let me drive their 93 Bronze GXE back and forth to college. Great car, some of the best clothes I've ever experience in any car. The engine was perfect, great torque and hp combined with its curb weight. It was the automatic transmission. My brother ended up getting the car later from me and letting it get illegally reposed by a repair shop(forgot why it was there, the car was super reliable). These cars are very rare, i barely see the 2nd generation altima where i'm at.
Long one of my favorite cars from the 90's. I wanted one back in the early 2000's when I got my license. I did eventually buy a 2007 Altima 2.5 S that I drove for four years. I bought it used with 36k miles for $13k which was a really nice car despite some problems it had including having to replace the CVT at one point, but under warranty thank god. These first gen Altima's I could tell were super reliable since I continued to see many of them on the road for years. Will never buy another Nissan again. Besides my Altima I've been buying nothing but Toyota's/Lexus & none of them have had a single problem.
My first car was a 1993 Nissan Altima GLE. I love the Heads-Up-Display.. I hardly ever looked at the dash. That car was quick too. You'd think it had a v6 the way it took off
The 1st generation Altima was the best model ever used to have a 1997 Altima GXE that was the best car ever was really tough. I was little when this car came out seen few of these at that time. I really didn't care much for 2nd generation they were fun to drive especially abrupt braking with the rear nose going up in the air one thing about these first generation Altima be later years the taillights would burn out for some reason not sure why but used to see ton of these Altima's with that problem also had that problem as well. Learned how to drive in a Altima that what made me huge Nissan fan. I am so glad MW did a review of 1993 Nissan Altima got so excited now this makes me miss my 1997 again so many fond memories.
@Jonathan A I know liked the body style on 93-97 than the 98-01. This and the 4th generation owned was my favorite styles had a '07 was another great car now driving a 2015 Rogue that has been great for 6 years other day almost crashed it by motorists didn't see me dodged the bullet wish they would throw away the CVTS put in traditional automatic trannies in those cars same did for the new Pathfinder which considering as my next car.
@@allentoyokawa9068 Is this type of comment called trolling? What the hell is wrong with you? It is a known fact with the awful CVT transmissions from Nissan.
There used to be a ton of these cars on the road. Maybe not as diehard as the Toyotas and Hondas in the long run, some of these Altimas are still running around trouble free.
I love these ancient motorized seatbelts. Saves you from having to fasten your seatbelt ..unless you want it to actually work as a seatbelt, as you would still have to search for and fasten the lower half. Brilliant. I remember more than one person in highschool with these early 90’s cars leaving the motorized upper half unplugged while diligently using the lower half. ..also “brilliant”.
I brought this Nissan sedan second hand in the early 2000s. It has great performance and great reliability. In Australia, they called it the Nissan bluebird. Either way was a great car
My family had a 96 altima and I would later own a 2016 sentra. They were both roughly the same size but the 96 was way more reliable then my 2016. When we sold the 96 Altima in 2009, it had 160,000 miles and the only thing we did too it was change the motor mounts and the AC still blew ice cold. When I had my 2016 Sentra right before I prematurely ended it’s life in a head on collision, The transmission was already starting to go out on me and I had around 50,000 miles. Thankfully the dealer was able to replace it under warranty but still it says a lot about Nissan reliability. Nowadays I tell people don’t ever ever get a Nissan especially with that sorry excuse of a transmission
Regurgitating 15 year old cvt stories isn’t indicative of today. Everyone uses a cvt today. Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Subaru to name a few. The only brand that currently has cvt issues is Subaru, due to not recommending cvt fluid changes. Everyone else has reliable, long lasting cvts.
@@haroldbeauchamp3770 i currently drive a 2014 mazda 3 with 6 speed auto. I’m glad that company hasnt gone the cvt route yet. The fuel mileage from both cars are pretty much the same and it doesnt that droning sound like in the CVT
I remember when these came out they made quite a splash. People like my parents, who don't really care about cars at all, would stop and say "that's a great looking car." It's always odd to me that Nissan went from this to total junk so quickly.
I remember racing a guy that had one of these in my 93 Grand Prix, we were dead even from a stop until we both let off at 100mph. I was shocked at how quick the Altima was.
@@oldtwinsna8347 I guess I'm pretty old. A buddy of mine had a couple 510s and my sister had a 210 wagon as a young bride. Both got really good service. Several friends had 240 & 260 Zs and 2000 roadsters. None broke down like modern Nissans. Too bad when quarterly profit statements ruin good companies.
Current reliability ratings list Nissan products as above market average for reliability. New Nissans today rank about 4th in quality control, beating out the likes of *Lexus*
I learned to drive a manual transmission in my mom's 1992 Stanza just before the name and model change. That was one smooth and sweet ride. And that 2.4L just wanted to rev.
Big time. I've been in a 1992 Stanza and a 1993 Altima. Night and day differences. The Altima felt more solid, more refined, and overall had a much more premium vibe. That was reflected in Nissan's early commercials for the car as well. They essentially mocked Lexus ads.
The reliable Altima!! My uncle had a 94 GXE in champagne. It felt more expensive than it's MSRP! To drive home that point they used the stack of champagne glasses trick in advertisements to prove how smooth it idled (like Lexus did with the LS debut). I was inspired so much by that and my uncle's car that I purchased a 99' SE Limited in Ultra Red. Lasted 224k miles until the timing chain jumped time. 😍
I loved the Altima’s of this era I haven’t seen one in a while two neighbors of mines had a 93 fully loaded and a 95 Gxe and back when Nissans was reliable as Honda and Toyota
I like the smooth lines and rounds on these 1990s cars. Yet they make the car look coherent and don't have an abnoxious feature like a large size grille of today's 2020s cars.
The Altima predecessor, the Stanza, lasted for 30 years for me. Of interest: all Nissan engines up until the last ten years (incl pickup trucks) seem to have a timing chain / cam shaft problem that requires servicing around 80k miles (as did mine). But, at least the old engines were not 'interference' engines so if the timing chain messes up, it won't ruin your engine completely like in modern cars.
Someone must of finally told him at this point it's "Cam-ree". This car was pretty cutting edge at the time, putting The Ford Tempo and Chevy Corsica to shame.
Those cars were about 10 and 6 model years old, respectively, by the time the Altima debuted. In the case of the Corsica, very few changes or improvements had been made over its model run, so both of those cars were competing on price basically. I’m not sure Altima shoppers were looking at Corsicas/Tempos, and vice versa but who knows. The Altima was interesting because it was a step up from the Civics, Corollas and Protégés of the time, but a smaller car and perceived as a step down from the Accords, Camrys and 626s it ultimately competed against. I actually liked the sleek, rounded and somewhat anonymous looks of this car, which in my opinion, have got progressively worse with each passing generation of the Altima.
@@kingkatradio Ironically, this Altima was built in Tennessee and included many American parts! In fact, this car was styled in California by and for Americans, and was quite different from any other global Nissans of the time. But I hear you, loyal American car buyers typically only looked at those cars with a blue oval or bowtie on the front. Oh, and John couldn't help himself at 05:30 with one last "Cam-ray" call out!
@@kingkatradio I consider myself a little knowledgeable about cars but it can be difficult to know who and where cars are made. Some Fords are made in Mexico, many Kias are made in Georgia, but the profits of each company obvious to go different places. Buying a car based on the final point of assembly is kind of silly to me. In my humble opinion, you pick the vehicle that is right for you and is the best for the job, regardless of where it is made. (The market will react accordingly.) The auto industry, like aircraft manufacture, is a global industry these days, and all car manufacturers require huge supply chains.
This is one of Nissans best moves making the Altima. Cheap but fun to drive and ready to maintain. I had a 98 Altima SE and it was a blast to drive. Unfortunately rust killed it but with almost 245k it was still kicking
So crazy that these sedans are about to soon phase out ... But the Altima being the last family sedan to touch out of Japan in the 90's era makes a big statement as always ..
My very first car. That KA engine is very Tourquey and boosted can be a lot of fun. That was my plan but unfortunately the Canadian salt roads destroyed it and sent it to the junkyard as it was too far gone when I got it. Thankfully I'm restoring my very first new car I ever own. A 2007 Pontiac G5 gt sedan that im doing a stage 2 supercharger build plus performance suspension. Fun little project so far.
These Altimas were very capable compact sedans. The 94+ models lost the motorized seatbelts and gained a darker shade of fake wood which looked classier and far more convincing. The SE had an understated body kit and interior upgrades; its suspension was slightly firmer but in no way did it beat you up on bumpy roads. Really a great, well-rounded sedan for its time.
My brother and I bought a 1993 Altima about 13 (2009) years ago and sold it. The car had like 35k miles on it and was immaculate. What I was most impressed by and didn’t know Nissan offered - the car had a heads up display in the drivers window. I couldn’t believe it, and it was totally functional! These old Nissans were awesome. What happened to Nissan now?!?
I had the First Altima SE and enjoyed driving it for seventeen years. Struts and fuel injectors went a bit early but otherwise the car was a great ride.
I had a 97 with the stick shift. I thought top speed was 110mph but nope automatic trans was 110. I had mine up to 130 mph while my brother on a motorcycle beside me 1000rr.
130 mph? Stock? That motor had to been screaming around 7000rpms...I'm not completely doubtful of it but man you must filled it with premium and had a tune up recently lol
@@jdubskiwright2380 lol you are correct. It took a long time to get there but it does it. My brother screamed over to me from his bike you're doing 130 lol
My middle-school math teacher had a GXE in black, 18 years ago. I could probably count the number of times I've seen another one on the fingers of one hand here in VT, but I could say that for a lot of cars from that time period lol
It's hard to believe, but the original Altima was the car that first introduced “luxury appointments” in a sub-compact car. It had a “Lexus interior” for the price of a Corolla. It took a long time, but every other manufacturer eventually followed suit, and what you expect in entry-level cars today, is due to the original Nissan Altima.
I knew these as the Nissan Bluebird when I lived outside the US. They were really cool! They even came with the turbo 2.0 'SR20DET'. But here we got like really boring base models with hubcaps, drum brakes in the rear, and the slower 2.4. People never knew how cool these really could be.
Jatco was the supplier for Nissan transmissions since the 1970’s. They have always been in the Nissiniti DNA, its just became popular and simpler to complain about them as some form of rogue element
These first Altimas were very nice at the time. It was a serious attempt by Nissan. I know a couple people who drove and loved these. And I still see them here and there with no clear coat and a loud exhaust😂😂 but still rolling.
My mom had a 93 SE auto in gray. Great looking car and strong performance for the era. Looking at this gxe it seems surprisingly dated though the SE always was the best looking with the fog lights, spoiler, and aero kit.
Had one when it came out in '93 and it was a very decent car. Not as good as an Accord (power isn't everything), but a huge improvement over the Stanza it replaced. Hard to believe a mid-sized car back then weighed 2800 pounds. The current day Sentra is probably both larger and heavier.
My mum and I had one of these from new when I was little. A 94 black GXE with a spoiler. Only ever had the starter die on it (that took 9 years), was flawless otherwise.
Mine was teal, awful color, with a silly trunk spoiler. But it had a stick and a moonroof and three-disc changer (in dash) and the lease was $199.99/month.
This was arguably the golden age of Nissan.
Golden age for all car brand, cars from year 1990 - 1997 are prettiest looking, small, cute, reliable, cheap to maintain.
I don’t think anyone would argue that. I never thought about this car but it was great. Look at what else they had though. The original Q45, a true classic. The 89-94 Maxima. The 300ZX. The 2000nx. The 240sx. The 90s was the hot flame of Nissan…that flame burnt out long before halfway through the 00’s
I once own a svx, subaru svx
💯💯💯💯
Golden age of anyone.
Have you seen the crap that comes out now James?
Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I enjoy watching these old reviews more than the reviews of the newer cars. I was a child in the 80s and grew up watching this show.
My sister had one of these it was probably a seafoam green.
I'm the same way growing up in the 90s all 80s and 90s vehicles seem to peak my interest more than brand new cars.for example the brand new c8 is awesome, but at least I can afford a c4 or c5.
My dad bought a 97 Altima SE (5spd) brand new back in 96 for my aunt. Then I got it once my aunt got a new car, been in my family for so many years, until the typical PA rust took over in 2018. Been a great car, I miss it a lot now.
For my fam it was the 99 model 5 speed , it had an OEM strut brace and felt sporty after replacing the wheels with larger ones and lo-pro tires . It did consume gear oil around 2019 , aside from that the car felt like a solid piece of equipment. This had more of a tractor feel instead of the soft feel of newer cars that we had, it dove smooth and solid.
My friend had a 93 with the big ass shift lever
That orange wood trim is actually harvested from the Oompa Loompa tree which is endemic to Wonkaland.
The designers when asked “why orange wood trim?” Their response “We are the music makers, we are the dreamer of dreams”.
U mean the fake orange wood?
@@kamrankhan-lj1ng Oompa Loompas are definitely real. I saw a movie once.
These original altimas were super reliable unlike post 2000 models. Nissan had a great line up in the 90s and it was unfortunate that consumer response was not as expected, even if they were better than most rivals. Their cars were better performers and reliability was outstanding on par with the best.
It’s a shame that Renault came along and ruined a good brand like Nissan. Wouldn’t own one now.
@@michaeldierks3708 but lately they have improved a lot after the exit of gosen .
Aside from some occasional CVT issues, Altimas are still outstanding cars.
umm the still are great stop the bs
A lot of things changed in new cars during the 2000’s. That was when digital almost completely replaced analog, and electronic content became overbearing. So did the safety regulations which have never has a positive influence on styling to this day. The 90’s were a sweet spot between driver oriented cars and sophisticated technology. Today, the driving experience is an afterthought, as is longterm reliability.
The first Altimas were actually badged as Stanza Altima due to a lawsuit from a computer company that used the Altima name. Likewise Toyota got sued by legal research firm Lexis (now LexisNexis) over the Lexus name. During it, Lexis ran a contest to give away an Infiniti car, saying "Win an Infiniti from Lexis!"
Lexis Nexis sounds like a lame ass Honda NSX clone from Grand Theft Auto
Interesting.
They can sue for names?
@@myname9252 stanza hasn't been gone since the 70s I've seen late 80s model stanzas tht were not imported it was a us market car..like an 86 or 87 model nissan stanza
@@myname9252 Wikipedia doesn't mention the lawsuit but does say: Initially, the car's official name was "Stanza Altima," which appears on the early owners manuals. 1993 models can be seen with a sticker reading "Stanza" in small lettering to the right of the ALTIMA emblem on the trunk lid.
@@myname9252 FYI, you're confusing copyright infringement with trademark infringement. The former covers what an entity produces/creates, the latter has to do with its brand including name, logos, etc. There can absolutely be lawsuits or threats of lawsuits around similar names.
One of the better or best Altima’s Nissan ever made
Very true. Had a '95, and kept it for a decade. Too bad the current Altima grew too large.
This is Nissan's best generation early 90s
I agree! My dad had the 1997, but had problems later on with intake manifold gasket & leaky water pumps & knock sensor. but hey it got 150k in ‘13 years of ownership.
My mama just sold her 93 STANZA altima se had it since new. Absolutely ZERO problems. I learned to drive in it, and my first son took his first drive in it.
That's awesome!
They were great cars. I never understood why Nissan threw a small Stanza sticker on the trunk of the early Altimas. Why would you want to be reminded that the Altima replaced the Stanza when the Altima was better in almost every way?
@@jasonschneider3715 i agree.. Im 40 now. She got that car when i was almost 13. Im kinda mad she got rid of it
@@UNCFIPP why did you let her sell it smh
@@aayonce4 its kinda small for me
My goodness the Altima has fallen a long way. These first-gen models were excellent.
I'd rather have one of these over any model from 02 or later
Especially the SE Model Trim. ‘02 was pretty good with the V6. Redesign took about 3 years to grow on me as back then I had ‘02-03 Maxima fever, but I started liking the Altima car after the ‘05 model year facelift. Test Drove an ‘02 SE as a potential first car but parents decided against it. Overall they were good looking cars, save the 2nd Gen, up until about 8 years ago
@@dougedoug2105 hell yea I like the look of them as well that might be because I'm an 80s kid and I realize that these days all the cars look alike..150 hp and 154 lbs of torque..thts not bad for a stock 2.4. I'm sure with the proper tune and some head work its possible to get closer to 180 ish hp and probably 170 plus lbs of torque while still being naturally aspirated... this makes me want to find one in halfway decent condition and tune it up a lil bit...
no they have not they gotten way better fool
@@allentoyokawa9068 no there not better these days there far worse with the garbage cvt transmission and the body design is no longer unique..you think what you want I really could care less
The best car my family had growing up was a '97 Altima GXE 5spd. It outlived a 1992 Camry we had when we bought the Altima and a 2001 Camry we got to replace the '92 when its transmission died (the 2001's transmission died too). My mom was heartbroken when she crashed it, in her words "It was the only car that made me forget about my Mustang." At 380,000 miles the only thing that broke on the Altima outside of regular maintenance was an O-ring. We were planning on keeping that car forever.
I remember a comment in one of the car magazines back in the day about the wood trim looking like what you see when you first open a can of Dinty Moore chili, and I was never able to unsee that.
I looked at a few 96 Camrys in late 2002 before eventually leasing a new Accord. I remember that, in all of the Camrys with the plastic wood trim, the printed "wood" pattern on the inside of the plastic had started to decay, and the brown-ish foam on the other side was starting to show. An odd quality slip-up on an otherwise incredibly solid vehicle. I wish automakers would banish piano black plastic to the same dimension they sent this orange "wood" trim.
it's crazy that 28 years later you don't see these cars anymore. they were everywhere!
Got exported away to the developing world countries or totaled.
growing up my mom had a 1993 model just like this except silver and automatic, I remember the soft fabric seats, the weird wood trim and the actual bell sound of the chimes rather than an electronic beeper sound
These were a breath of fresh air when first released... Very nice car with lots of trims and options.
In 1993, I snatched an Altima SE with 5spd manual -- a unicorn even then -- leather seats, moonroof, allow wheels. It was A LOT of car for the money, and crazy reliable. .
Best Altima they ever made IMO, I call it the Egg. Drove my friends in high school(there were several in the parking lot) the handling/way it drove was impressive, felt tight as a drum despite it having 150k+ miles on it. Or maybe my worn out Buick at the time was that bad lol. Only thing was these were kind of small, especially if you parked it next to a Taurus, Regal, etc. Had to move up to a Maxima if you wanted that type of room
The KA24DE is an absolute workhorse and both it and the firmer suspension in the SE respond great to spirited driving. Where an Accord or Camry would understeer the Altima sticks into corners, even can get it to oversteer and power slide controllably. Not getting rid of mine!
I had one of these as a gently-used car in the late 1990s - same color, same trim level, but with an automatic. The car was comfortable, fun to drive, had quite a bit of oomph for its class. I drove it up and down the East Coast until somebody rear-ended and totalled it. Thanks to MotorWeek for bringing back the memories.
Nissan was killing it with the Altima and Maxina. Then around mid-2000s ir started to fall apart.
truth!!! my 1st car was a 2000 maxima back in 2012,,, what a sweet ride,, so pure... they were so popular when they were new,,, now nissan is trash,, ESPECIALLY the altima
Agreed, the early 90’s Sentra, first gen Altima and late 90’s Maxima were cars of greatness
I praise the way the contours flow together.
This is a great looking car! I think it's aged pretty damn well for a near 30 year old design. 1993....nearly 30 years....Oh gawd.
Not only this is 1992 lol, the design itself was finalized in California design studios in 1988. I personally know the guy who designed it. It debuted end of 1991 in JDM before coming to USA in late 1992. So it’s already 33 years old. Crazy how time flies.
Yeah
90s Nissan:
Hardbody pickup
Badass pathfinder
300zx turbo
This review makes me want to buy 93 Altima now. Abs airbag well laid out physical controls and mpgs no different than modern cars. In the last 30 years we have made ICe cars bigger faster and more unreliable. It’s time for EVs for all.
I used to see these everywhere, not so much these days, I've seen more Camry's and civics of that era.
I very rarely see any car from that era anymore. If I do see one, It’s usually a rusted out Camry with a bad transmission and blowing white smoke.
Oh god.. I just read “Camry’s” in my head in John’s voice that pronounced it as “CamRay” (5:30) until the mid 90’s😂
Probably because Camry and Accord far outsold it, also rust. Otherwise just as durable.
@@aaronmacy9134 John said Camri here, not Camray! So he had already shunned that ray thing somewhere in the early 90s!
@@anthonybha4510 umm no they are not fool
I had a 1997 nissan atllima this was a great car very reliable I drove it to 300,000 miles. These were the days when Nissan made High Quality Cars. Not like the Garbage they make today 80s and 90s Nissan cars were Built to last.
4:25 I remember seeing these driving around with the Nissan logo flipped up all the time on the trunk
Ha yea or completely broken off
I remember seeing these in the 90s, and 2000s! Nissans looked cool back then!
Even as a wee little kid I remember seeing these everywhere. The past 17 years have been very rough for Nissan but recently they're seem to be going back to their 90s roots.
Nissan is junk now,sad really.
Keeping the new Z a stick shift was a great thing.
Nissan can finally swim now that they've gotten rid of "le'cost cutter" carlos ghosn...
Ghosn wanted to "kill" the 'z' car he also wanted to "kill" infiniti...ghosn let these entities wither on the vine because his #1 goal was market share glad he's "ghosn"😄.
@@richardsanders3750 He actually approved the design buck for the new Z in 2018 and the associated $300 million investment for it.
Cars from year 1985 - 1997 are prettiest looking, small, fun, reliable, cheap to buy, cheap to maintain. Today cars when break down it cost a fortune to repair.
For the first time motorweek has a gentle gear change test!!! Bravo!
My parents let me drive their 93 Bronze GXE back and forth to college. Great car, some of the best clothes I've ever experience in any car. The engine was perfect, great torque and hp combined with its curb weight. It was the automatic transmission. My brother ended up getting the car later from me and letting it get illegally reposed by a repair shop(forgot why it was there, the car was super reliable). These cars are very rare, i barely see the 2nd generation altima where i'm at.
Long one of my favorite cars from the 90's. I wanted one back in the early 2000's when I got my license. I did eventually buy a 2007 Altima 2.5 S that I drove for four years. I bought it used with 36k miles for $13k which was a really nice car despite some problems it had including having to replace the CVT at one point, but under warranty thank god. These first gen Altima's I could tell were super reliable since I continued to see many of them on the road for years. Will never buy another Nissan again. Besides my Altima I've been buying nothing but Toyota's/Lexus & none of them have had a single problem.
One of my military buddies had one with a manual. It was a smooth ride. Definitely better quality than the cvt junk piles.
My first car was a 1993 Nissan Altima GLE. I love the Heads-Up-Display.. I hardly ever looked at the dash. That car was quick too. You'd think it had a v6 the way it took off
The 1st generation Altima was the best model ever used to have a 1997 Altima GXE that was the best car ever was really tough. I was little when this car came out seen few of these at that time. I really didn't care much for 2nd generation they were fun to drive especially abrupt braking with the rear nose going up in the air one thing about these first generation Altima be later years the taillights would burn out for some reason not sure why but used to see ton of these Altima's with that problem also had that problem as well. Learned how to drive in a Altima that what made me huge Nissan fan. I am so glad MW did a review of 1993 Nissan Altima got so excited now this makes me miss my 1997 again so many fond memories.
@Jonathan A I know liked the body style on 93-97 than the 98-01. This and the 4th generation owned was my favorite styles had a '07 was another great car now driving a 2015 Rogue that has been great for 6 years other day almost crashed it by motorists didn't see me dodged the bullet wish they would throw away the CVTS put in traditional automatic trannies in those cars same did for the new Pathfinder which considering as my next car.
The one that started it all.
This Was The 1st & Last High Quality Nissan Altima! These Altimas Feel So Solid
Hard to believe that the Nissan Altima has been around for 30 years as of this time.
I used to see a lot of these as a kid in the 1990s. At least it didn't have a CVT up to the 2006 model year.
In 2006 As A 2007 Model
nothing wrong with the cvt fool
@@allentoyokawa9068 Is this type of comment called trolling? What the hell is wrong with you? It is a known fact with the awful CVT transmissions from Nissan.
There used to be a ton of these cars on the road. Maybe not as diehard as the Toyotas and Hondas in the long run, some of these Altimas are still running around trouble free.
I love these ancient motorized seatbelts. Saves you from having to fasten your seatbelt ..unless you want it to actually work as a seatbelt, as you would still have to search for and fasten the lower half. Brilliant. I remember more than one person in highschool with these early 90’s cars leaving the motorized upper half unplugged while diligently using the lower half. ..also “brilliant”.
I bought a 96 SE as a beater for $700, had the 5spd manual and I drove it until the motor went. It was the best beater ever.
I brought this Nissan sedan second hand in the early 2000s. It has great performance and great reliability. In Australia, they called it the Nissan bluebird. Either way was a great car
When the Altima was actually pretty good. But now being equipped with that garbage CVT now. I wouldn't give one to my worst enemy.
You rather let your enemy walk ha
Mine crapped out at 70k but the dealer fixed it free
My family had a 96 altima and I would later own a 2016 sentra. They were both roughly the same size but the 96 was way more reliable then my 2016. When we sold the 96 Altima in 2009, it had 160,000 miles and the only thing we did too it was change the motor mounts and the AC still blew ice cold. When I had my 2016 Sentra right before I prematurely ended it’s life in a head on collision, The transmission was already starting to go out on me and I had around 50,000 miles. Thankfully the dealer was able to replace it under warranty but still it says a lot about Nissan reliability. Nowadays I tell people don’t ever ever get a Nissan especially with that sorry excuse of a transmission
Regurgitating 15 year old cvt stories isn’t indicative of today. Everyone uses a cvt today. Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Subaru to name a few. The only brand that currently has cvt issues is Subaru, due to not recommending cvt fluid changes. Everyone else has reliable, long lasting cvts.
@@haroldbeauchamp3770 i currently drive a 2014 mazda 3 with 6 speed auto. I’m glad that company hasnt gone the cvt route yet. The fuel mileage from both cars are pretty much the same and it doesnt that droning sound like in the CVT
In Japan, the Nissan Stanza Altima is sold as the Bluebird and Bluebird ARX hardtop sedan.
@@67tomcat I agree. Wish that Nissan offered the ARX hardtop in the USA.
Bluebird in Oceania too
These cars sold really well. I remember them being everywhere in the mid 90’s.
I remember when these came out they made quite a splash. People like my parents, who don't really care about cars at all, would stop and say "that's a great looking car." It's always odd to me that Nissan went from this to total junk so quickly.
This was my first car so much memories
I remember racing a guy that had one of these in my 93 Grand Prix, we were dead even from a stop until we both let off at 100mph. I was shocked at how quick the Altima was.
My mom had a 96 purple altima. I actually learned how to drive in this car
This is the one I have GXE with some GLE tech on my car and adding a five speed manual and it’s lower and have tasteful wheels
My favorite was the 95 Altima SE...Yea baby! That thing was bad ass in the day. A real great car of the time.
I have this car still running like new 28 years later
Remember when Nissan reliability rivaled Toyota and Honda? What happened?
Carlos Ghosn and Renault came in, Introduced to CVT to Nissan and pretty much ruined the company
Carlos Ghosn and Renault came in, Introduced to CVT to Nissan and pretty much ruined the company
Had two Nissans in the 90s. I'd say they were still a good solid notch below those two.
@@oldtwinsna8347 I guess I'm pretty old. A buddy of mine had a couple 510s and my sister had a 210 wagon as a young bride. Both got really good service. Several friends had 240 & 260 Zs and 2000 roadsters. None broke down like modern Nissans. Too bad when quarterly profit statements ruin good companies.
Current reliability ratings list Nissan products as above market average for reliability. New Nissans today rank about 4th in quality control, beating out the likes of *Lexus*
I learned to drive a manual transmission in my mom's 1992 Stanza just before the name and model change. That was one smooth and sweet ride. And that 2.4L just wanted to rev.
This car really was a totally new styling direction, and seemed to be an improvement in quality as well.
Big time. I've been in a 1992 Stanza and a 1993 Altima. Night and day differences. The Altima felt more solid, more refined, and overall had a much more premium vibe. That was reflected in Nissan's early commercials for the car as well. They essentially mocked Lexus ads.
The reliable Altima!! My uncle had a 94 GXE in champagne. It felt more expensive than it's MSRP! To drive home that point they used the stack of champagne glasses trick in advertisements to prove how smooth it idled (like Lexus did with the LS debut). I was inspired so much by that and my uncle's car that I purchased a 99' SE Limited in Ultra Red. Lasted 224k miles until the timing chain jumped time. 😍
I loved the Altima’s of this era I haven’t seen one in a while two neighbors of mines had a 93 fully loaded and a 95 Gxe and back when Nissans was reliable as Honda and Toyota
I like the smooth lines and rounds on these 1990s cars. Yet they make the car look coherent and don't have an abnoxious feature like a large size grille of today's 2020s cars.
Surprising amount of power
When cars were made with quality not like today's junk
That Nissan chime. Love it.
Common car that was around back in the 90s. Good car to drive. Still see them around today.
I haven't seen one in years. I thought this was a great looking car.
@@dontelindsey5846 it still is a great looking car to this day.
@@MarkMeadows90 very true
Cool, I had a Dark blue 1995 Nissan Altima GXE I bought in June 1998 and drove till October 2006😀
The Altima predecessor, the Stanza, lasted for 30 years for me. Of interest: all Nissan engines up until the last ten years (incl pickup trucks) seem to have a timing chain / cam shaft problem that requires servicing around 80k miles (as did mine). But, at least the old engines were not 'interference' engines so if the timing chain messes up, it won't ruin your engine completely like in modern cars.
Someone must of finally told him at this point it's "Cam-ree". This car was pretty cutting edge at the time, putting The Ford Tempo and Chevy Corsica to shame.
Those cars were about 10 and 6 model years old, respectively, by the time the Altima debuted. In the case of the Corsica, very few changes or improvements had been made over its model run, so both of those cars were competing on price basically. I’m not sure Altima shoppers were looking at Corsicas/Tempos, and vice versa but who knows.
The Altima was interesting because it was a step up from the Civics, Corollas and Protégés of the time, but a smaller car and perceived as a step down from the Accords, Camrys and 626s it ultimately competed against. I actually liked the sleek, rounded and somewhat anonymous looks of this car, which in my opinion, have got progressively worse with each passing generation of the Altima.
@@kingkatradio Ironically, this Altima was built in Tennessee and included many American parts! In fact, this car was styled in California by and for Americans, and was quite different from any other global Nissans of the time. But I hear you, loyal American car buyers typically only looked at those cars with a blue oval or bowtie on the front.
Oh, and John couldn't help himself at 05:30 with one last "Cam-ray" call out!
@@kingkatradio I consider myself a little knowledgeable about cars but it can be difficult to know who and where cars are made. Some Fords are made in Mexico, many Kias are made in Georgia, but the profits of each company obvious to go different places. Buying a car based on the final point of assembly is kind of silly to me. In my humble opinion, you pick the vehicle that is right for you and is the best for the job, regardless of where it is made. (The market will react accordingly.) The auto industry, like aircraft manufacture, is a global industry these days, and all car manufacturers require huge supply chains.
He slipped up with a "Cam-RAY" in the "What Others Say" segment at the end, but he was starting to get it.
A true classic
This is one of Nissans best moves making the Altima. Cheap but fun to drive and ready to maintain. I had a 98 Altima SE and it was a blast to drive. Unfortunately rust killed it but with almost 245k it was still kicking
While nothing exciting, you do get basic, reliable transportation, comfort, decent handling and safety at an affordable price with an Altima.
The SE had a little more pizazz with firmer suspension and extra bolstering on seats, albeit at the cost of ride and seat comfort.
I remember these looking as wild as the '02 redesigned Altima, which was basically the car to have when I was in highschool.
So crazy that these sedans are about to soon phase out ... But the Altima being the last family sedan to touch out of Japan in the 90's era makes a big statement as always ..
A manual equipped GXE is so rare
Enjoyed driving this body style of Altima.
Unfortunately couldn’t afford one as I was too broke and young.
Is that the largest hazard light button ever in a production car???? Lol
My very first car. That KA engine is very Tourquey and boosted can be a lot of fun. That was my plan but unfortunately the Canadian salt roads destroyed it and sent it to the junkyard as it was too far gone when I got it. Thankfully I'm restoring my very first new car I ever own. A 2007 Pontiac G5 gt sedan that im doing a stage 2 supercharger build plus performance suspension. Fun little project so far.
These Altimas were very capable compact sedans. The 94+ models lost the motorized seatbelts and gained a darker shade of fake wood which looked classier and far more convincing. The SE had an understated body kit and interior upgrades; its suspension was slightly firmer but in no way did it beat you up on bumpy roads. Really a great, well-rounded sedan for its time.
Back when an Altima wasn't... an Altima.
My brother and I bought a 1993 Altima about 13 (2009) years ago and sold it. The car had like 35k miles on it and was immaculate. What I was most impressed by and didn’t know Nissan offered - the car had a heads up display in the drivers window. I couldn’t believe it, and it was totally functional! These old Nissans were awesome. What happened to Nissan now?!?
A French company got ahold of them. The world hasn't been the same.
I test drove one of these new way back when, don't remember why I decided not to buy it.
I had the First Altima SE and enjoyed driving it for seventeen years. Struts and fuel injectors went a bit early but otherwise the car was a great ride.
I had a 97 with the stick shift. I thought top speed was 110mph but nope automatic trans was 110. I had mine up to 130 mph while my brother on a motorcycle beside me 1000rr.
130 mph? Stock? That motor had to been screaming around 7000rpms...I'm not completely doubtful of it but man you must filled it with premium and had a tune up recently lol
@@jdubskiwright2380 lol you are correct. It took a long time to get there but it does it. My brother screamed over to me from his bike you're doing 130 lol
My middle-school math teacher had a GXE in black, 18 years ago. I could probably count the number of times I've seen another one on the fingers of one hand here in VT, but I could say that for a lot of cars from that time period lol
These things were everywhere, where are they now?
It's hard to believe, but the original Altima was the car that first introduced “luxury appointments” in a sub-compact car. It had a “Lexus interior” for the price of a Corolla. It took a long time, but every other manufacturer eventually followed suit, and what you expect in entry-level cars today, is due to the original Nissan Altima.
I knew these as the Nissan Bluebird when I lived outside the US. They were really cool! They even came with the turbo 2.0 'SR20DET'. But here we got like really boring base models with hubcaps, drum brakes in the rear, and the slower 2.4. People never knew how cool these really could be.
Back before Renault and Jatco ruined Nissan. And of course SUV mania!
Jatco was the supplier for Nissan transmissions since the 1970’s. They have always been in the Nissiniti DNA, its just became popular and simpler to complain about them as some form of rogue element
These first Altimas were very nice at the time. It was a serious attempt by Nissan. I know a couple people who drove and loved these. And I still see them here and there with no clear coat and a loud exhaust😂😂 but still rolling.
This brings back memories.
My mom had a 93 SE auto in gray. Great looking car and strong performance for the era. Looking at this gxe it seems surprisingly dated though the SE always was the best looking with the fog lights, spoiler, and aero kit.
Best generation Altima ever made
So the Altima replaced the Stanza. I may have known that once but I'm not sure.
My uncle has a 1997 Nissan Altima gxe 2.4l k24de same motor in the 240sx with 87,145 miles runs good
Had one when it came out in '93 and it was a very decent car. Not as good as an Accord (power isn't everything), but a huge improvement over the Stanza it replaced. Hard to believe a mid-sized car back then weighed 2800 pounds. The current day Sentra is probably both larger and heavier.
My mum and I had one of these from new when I was little. A 94 black GXE with a spoiler. Only ever had the starter die on it (that took 9 years), was flawless otherwise.
8.2 seconds isn't bad for the early 90's on a mainstream sedan.
Classic ride i remember seein em around alot my homie used to have one with 2 jl audio w3's 12 lol it was reliable and it bumped 🎵 😏
Back when Nissan was good
Mine was teal, awful color, with a silly trunk spoiler. But it had a stick and a moonroof and three-disc changer (in dash) and the lease was $199.99/month.
I had a 2000 Altima SE and if was fun to drive. It had a 5sp manual. Third gear was the sweet spot for that car.
My cousin used to have a 1997 Altima SE in the blue emerald color as her first car in 2005 during her senior year in high school.