Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Is it really just a preference thing when it comes to these 2 cars? I have a 07 camry right now and love it. It's my work car and 170k miles, mostly highway miles, it really hasn't given me any trouble. Now it's coming time for a new work car. I wouldn't hesitate to get a new camry again but I just don't like the looks of the new camry. I've seen the new Altima and really like the looks of them but are they just as reliable as the camry? First and foremost, I'm looking for realibilty but if those are equal, of course I would like to like the looks of the car. I'm looking at the 4 cylinder models if that changes anything. Thanks
Might want to buy the current issue of Motor Trend. They did a test on the Camry and they rated it as a fail. Not that it's a bad vehicle prone to issues, just that Toyota had the opportunity to install content like the previous models but didn't. They were highly disappointed with the car. My SIL drove a Camry, the top of the line with the gold package. She drove the new Camry and said she wouldn't trade them even up for her old one with 90,000 miles on the clock. Per her, it's a cheap car making a ton of bucks off of the previous models reputation. And that comes from a woman. The Altima is going to nickel and dime you like they have forever. I'm not a fan of the troublesome 2.5 4 banger but the 3.5 V6 is a top shelf engine but a little on the noisy side. I'd look at some of the domestics in this segment. If you like the looks and can swing the bucks, the Ford Fusion or the Taurus are awesome cars and will compete with the reputation of the old Camrys. Conspicuously, Motor Trend, in their article of Best Sellers, there are no Toyotas but here's the article anyway: 2012-2013 Midsize Sedan Comparison - Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, and Volkswagen Passat - Motor Trend
I'm not really a fan of either. The Camry as TrapperL said is not the car it used to be. It's still reliable, but simply not as good a car overall as the competitors. The Altima has been gaining popularity for awhile now, but I'm not a huge fan of the CVT or the 2.5L engine. The 3.5L Altima's are a compelling package though. If reliability was a major concern, I would avoid the Altima, especially on a long ownership period.
My two favorites in the midsize category are the Fusion and Accord.
Might want to buy the current issue of Motor Trend. They did a test on the Camry and they rated it as a fail. Not that it's a bad vehicle prone to issues, just that Toyota had the opportunity to install content like the previous models but didn't. They were highly disappointed with the car. My SIL drove a Camry, the top of the line with the gold package. She drove the new Camry and said she wouldn't trade them even up for her old one with 90,000 miles on the clock. Per her, it's a cheap car making a ton of bucks off of the previous models reputation. And that comes from a woman. The Altima is going to nickel and dime you like they have forever. I'm not a fan of the troublesome 2.5 4 banger but the 3.5 V6 is a top shelf engine but a little on the noisy side. I'd look at some of the domestics in this segment. If you like the looks and can swing the bucks, the Ford Fusion or the Taurus are awesome cars and will compete with the reputation of the old Camrys. Conspicuously, Motor Trend, in their article of Best Sellers, there are no Toyotas but here's the article anyway: 2012-2013 Midsize Sedan Comparison - Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, and Volkswagen Passat - Motor Trend
Alternately, you might want to look at this month's Consumer Reports. They rate the Altima as distinctly substandard to the Camry and the Accord. Oh well, c'est la vie!: 2013 Nissan Altima
BTW: I trust CR's objectivity MUCH more than I do MT's. I read that review, and I didn't recognize the car I drive. I'm someone who bought a "cheap" 2012 Camry SE and is loving every second of the "cheapness."
Might want to buy the current issue of Motor Trend. They did a test on the Camry and they rated it as a fail. Not that it's a bad vehicle prone to issues, just that Toyota had the opportunity to install content like the previous models but didn't. They were highly disappointed with the car.
I read that issue of MT, but I don't agree with everything they said about the Camry. They said their car had too many rattles and squeaks, but the '12 Camry I rented was very solid and rattle free. I was actually impressed at how well potholes and bumps were muted. I agree with what they said about the engine whine, but the OP probably already hears that in her '07, and it's not a problem for most people.
I like the new Altima, but the CVT would be a deal breaker for me.
I read that issue of MT, but I don't agree with everything they said about the Camry. They said their car had too many rattles and squeaks, but the '12 Camry I rented was very solid and rattle free. I was actually impressed at how well potholes and bumps were muted. I agree with what they said about the engine whine, but the OP probably already hears that in her '07, and it's not a problem for most people.
I like the new Altima, but the CVT would be a deal breaker for me.
Thanks for the replies. Admittedly, I don't know much about the altimas so could someone tell me what is 'cvt' and why the negativity against it.
Camry and Altima are really kind of on opposite ends of the family sedan segment. Camry is comfortable (although there's lots of complaints about the ride quality not being nearly as good in the new models) and well-packaged but pretty abysmal to drive, Altima is the best driver but has a wheezy CVT and is space-challenged and pricey. CVTs are both noisy and "rubber-bandy"... they just don't feel natural to me. Just test drive it and give it a few good runs both from a stop and while cruising at low speeds. Some people don't mind them.
JD powers rated the '07 Camry as average for dependability (not surprising, it was during Toyota's volume-first years). The '07-'09 Altimas were all below average or average. Nissan isn't renowned for making the most reliable cars. As a point of reference, the Accord was also rated average. The reliability of Honda and Camry is grossly overstated. They aren't the hands-down reliability winners they once were, although Toyota is still better -- both the '08 and '09 Camry were above average. If that's your primary concern, the Fusion and Camry are the class-leaders for reliability these days. The Fusion is new for this year which is always a reason not to buy it, first model year often has a few issues.
Thanks for the replies. Admittedly, I don't know much about the altimas so could someone tell me what is 'cvt' and why the negativity against it.
Someone else can probably explain the mechanics of it better than me, but CVT transmissions dont have gears that change like a normal automatic. Instead they have some type of metal belt that expands and contracts according to throttle demand. Driving a CVT, it almost seems like its stuck in first gear, but then the rpm falls gradually as you build speed. A friend of mine has an Altima with a cvt and she says when she passes someone the engine shoots up to the redline and doesn't come down until she lets off of the gas.
I just don't like them because I like being able to feel and hear the transmission shift.
As for the Camry, your '07 should have a 5 speed automatic, and all '10 and later models have a 6 speed automatic.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
