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As mid-size sedans go, the Nissan Altima is a big car. Its wheels are pushed to the far corners of the car, giving it a long wheelbase and wide track for stability at high speeds. The long wheelbase leaves plenty of room for large doors and passengers as well.

When compared to Japanese sedans, the Altima is cast in the more aggressive style of a German car. Attentive observers may spot styling cues from the Volkswagen Passat or the Audi A6. The grille and front bumper protrude a bit, but they're set off nicely by multi-parabola projector-type headlights, with four bulbs set behind large triangular covers. Altima's grille is large by contemporary standards, but not the least bit awkward. Big 16-inch wheels (standard) improve both looks and handling.

The rear half is even more striking, featuring a sloping roofline more reminiscent of a coupe than a four-door sedan. The high trunk lid is set off by bold round taillights, turn signals, and backup lights set in a triangular-shaped clear cover. The various lights are surrounded by silver, which is the rage among youthful hot-rodders.

The trunk has a large opening and low lift-over height. Its trunk is generous at 15.6 cubic feet, putting the Nissan Altima near the top of the mid-size class in trunk space. Flexibility is increased by the standard split-folding rear seat (with a lock on all but the base car). The trunk lid lifts on its own when popped with the remote key fob, and the gooseneck hinges that allow this action intrude minimally into the usable trunk space.

Altima is assembled with a one-piece bodyside structure for more consistent build quality. The Altima has gained on the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in exterior build quality and Nissan claims panel-fit accuracy within 1.0 mm. The Nissan Altima also has more exterior design detail than either of those competitors, with creased mirrors, integrated foglamps, and other subtle cues. Some may call these details distinctive; others may consider them excessive. Either way, Altima is styled more aggressively than most if its competitors. For 2004 the new Smoke gray paint brings color choices to eight.

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The Nissan Altima's interior complements the bold exterior styling nicely. A few journalists have described the cabin design as brilliant. The dashboard is set relatively low, with a three-gauge binnacle directly in front of the driver containing speedometer, tachometer, and water temperature, and fuel gauges. The instruments glow orange in the dark. This is the preferred color among enthusiast drivers; in theory it should interfere with night vision less than standard white backlighting does.

Audio controls are clustered in a raised, ovoid panel in the center of the dash. Climate control knobs lie directly below, and very easy to locate with minimal distraction. Air conditioning vents are flush-mounted on the dash, rather than in the protruding pods on some other cars. Seams for the passenger-side airbag are invisible, cleverly hidden in a large expanse of unembellished dashboard surface.

In general, the interior design gives the Nissan Altima a spacious feel, and the feeling is no illusion. The Altima ranks near the top of the class measured by virtually any interior dimension. There's more front legroom here than in all but the largest vehicles on the road. Its front seats are good sized, which is good for larger bodies, and quite comfortable. Getting in and out of the Altima is easy, thanks to wide doors and a slightly higher-than-average front seating position.

The same applies in back. The rear seats are both supportive and comfortable, with good legroom and sufficient headroom. A 6-foot, 4-inch passenger can sit comfortably behind a 6-foot, 4-inch driver. Rear center passengers have a three-point seat belt with shoulder harness; when the center spot is empty, an armrest drops and presents cupholders. Getting in and out of the rear seats is easier in the Nissan Altima than it is in many mid-size sedans. The long wheelbase and large doors make it less likely that a rear passenger will get dirty by dragging clothes across the fender well.

Unfortunately, there are no perfect cars. The year after this Altima was launched, Nissan began working on one of its most obvious shortfalls versus the competition. Interior textures, colors, and trims were improved substantially for 2003. Nonetheless, the 2004 Altima cabin still doesn't match some competitors in fit, finish, overall refinement or attention to detail. Its interior panels match a little less precisely, or resonate with slightly more hollow sounds. The differences are small, and the Altima offers a lot in exchange. But they are noticeable.

Either way, this sedan provides plenty of nice details, and room to stuff stuff. The parking brake is a proper handbrake, located front and center. The center console has cupholders large enough for one-liter bottles, as well as an adjustable elbow rest and a small storage bin. There's a small, covered cubbyhole at the front of the console under the climate controls, and it suffers only a little from the flimsy lid.