1997 Nissan Altima Affordable chic. By Matthew Phillips, New Car Test Drive .com

Introduced four years ago, the Altima is an ongoing success story for Nissan, filling

the gap between the compact Sentra sedan and the larger Maxima. Assembled

in Smyrna, Tennessee, the mid-size front-wheel drive Altima contends in

the fiercely competitive family sedan market against other smaller mid-size

entries such as the Ford Contour, Mercury Mystique, Mazda 626, Chryler

Cirrus and Dodge Stratus--to name just a few.

Positioned as "The Affordable Luxury Sedan," the Altima promises

Japanese-quality construction, spry performance and a touch of cachet--all

at an affordable price. The car has been a strong player for Nissan ever

since its debut, and was singled out by J.D. Power in 1996 as the Best

Mid-size Car Under $20,000 in terms of initial quality. Although newer

designs have come along since its introduction, and a major makeover is

just around the corner, this is still an appealing sedan that combines

solid engineering, competent performance and value in a stylish package.