Altima vs. Accord Coupe - Back-to-back drive

Okay so today I drove the Altima then the Accord back to back about 20 minutes apart. Here is what I observed:

Altima:

- The Altima has a very good suspension, it's brakes are firm, the steering while somewhat overboosted does have pretty good road feel. The handling is predictable and tight, with minimal lean. This car can go fast very well when you need it too.


- I commented on the CVT's throttle response in past as being "less responsive" than Accord, but now I'm not sure that's true. This CVT responded quite well to throttle input and changes. I found the acceleration to be very good for 175HP/180 ft. lbs torque. There's plenty there to keep me smiling for a long time.


- With the A/C on, the 2.5s seems to handle the load just fine, while the Honda seemed sluggish. I think this may be due to the torque curve advantage on the Nissan (builds more torque sooner in the rev. range). There is still very ample power from a stop with the A/C on.


- It's easier to pull into and back into parking spots because it is slightly smaller in width and length.


- While I talked about the dashboard not being as "sporty" or well laid out as in the Honda, after my fourth look at the Nissan I'm beginning to think they wanted to focus on simplicity.


- The radio is intuitive and easy to control. To adjust audio control just hit "audio" and toggle through the controls, set the value with up/down arrow and DONE! I also think I prefer the backlit orange LCD style over the flourescent screen on the Honda.


- The HVAC controls take no time to figure out. You don't have to take your eyes of the road for long to make adjustments.


- I really love the suede like seat fabric in this car, it's definitely a step above the Honda.


- The shifter in the Altima is nearly the perfect height and placement relative to the driver. I find the release button to be easier to operate too.


- I like the manu-matic feature on the CVT, though it feels like you have to drop too many simulated "cogs" to get any significant engine braking out of it. But in the twisties it's fun to shift yourself in and out of curves on the power.


Accord:


- The Accords suspension is probably a bit firmer and better balanced than the Altima. But I don't think the Accord handles better, just tighter. It absorbs bumps differently and quickly dampens them.


- Steering control and road feel are slightly better than Altima too.


- The brakes in Accord are smoother with an ease of modulation and pedal travel (farther travel). I think though that both cars have about the same stopping power.


- With the A/C on the Lx-s test car felt sluggish under 30 MPH, but a bit better with A/C off. Overall I think the Accord is slower off the line, probably due to the higher RPM required to generate low end torque and the fact the the transmission can't adjust for this to add to acceleration like the CVT can.


- The Honda HVAC controls feels too button heavy and the BMW-esque I-Drive knob to control the stereo is starting to feel like too much work. Even after you figure it out there's too many steps involved (hit menu, then rotate knob to select audio control, then hit knob center button, then adjust value, then hit menu to exit).


- No Fuel economy computer on Accord. I definitely will miss that.


- Accord since it is larger is a bit harder to park easily. I can see my wife mis-judging things and poking the front end into other cars (ouch!)


- Really like the steering wheel cruise and audio buttons, I also like the look of the wheel better than Altima. It seems more sporty to me.


- The Accord trunk is much larger and easier to use (11.9 cu ft vs. 8.4), and the back seat is more comfortable too. Though the Altima has a full size spare.


So how have I decided? In the end I think the Altima is a better fit for me. It doesn't hurt that Nissan seems to be coming in at a lower payment too. The jury is not totally settled yet, but heres a quick summary:


Altima Pros:


- 120K CVT warranty, vs Accord 60k 5 speed auto warranty

- CVT feels more responsive, and quicker

- Better exterior styling than Accord

- Better seat fabric

- Great dead pedal placement

- Simplistic opearation of stereo and HVAC

- Larger fuel tank (20 gal. vs. 18.5)

- Lighter car (handling & mileage pros)

- Better mileage (2-5 MPG all around)