I recently leased a 2015 Honda Civic after two test drives and much research. What the test drives did not show is that the Civic seats are incredibly uncomfortable. The first time I took it on a three hour road trip I was in so much back and neck pain that I was I tears. I've tried all kinds of pillows, lumbar cushions, and even going to chiropractor. No relief.
So I've decided to take my lumps and sell my Civic and lease a full-size car. I drove the Nissan S yesterday and the only thing I wish it had was lumbar but I'm not sure that paying for the SV is worth it just for that. The S I drove had the display audio package as well as the power seat.
How do you all like your S? Is the seat comfortable on long trips without the lumbar support? Are there other features in the SV that would make it worth the price?
I've never driven a base model car but the S is affordable and will help me be able to take the hit in the Civic.
Altima is one of the most comfortable cars I've driven. The zero gravity seats are pretty well made and I never feel fatigued or anything in it.
Just keep in mind, that many people on this forum have had issues with the cars build quality. Transmission issues galore and some other smaller things that can just be annoying to keep going to the dealer to fix
The car drives and handles great. Good brakes, decent power, comfortable, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone due to the reliability issues. Test out a different brand like the accord, camry, and sonata. I've heard people really like the Mazda 6 and it's a very comfortable car so I would take a look at that.
Altima is one of the most comfortable cars I've driven. The zero gravity seats are pretty well made and I never feel fatigued or anything in it.
Just keep in mind, that many people on this forum have had issues with the cars build quality. Transmission issues galore and some other smaller things that can just be annoying to keep going to the dealer to fix
The car drives and handles great. Good brakes, decent power, comfortable, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone due to the reliability issues. Test out a different brand like the accord, camry, and sonata. I've heard people really like the Mazda 6 and it's a very comfortable car so I would take a look at that.
Coming close to 2 years of ownership, and no reliability issues whatsoever.
This is the problem with car forums, much more people will search for solutions/issues when having a problem and joining a forum to get other peoples opinions. Rather then someone who is completely satisfied with their car, their less likely to join a forum to express how satisfied they are with their vehicle.
The other portion of the crowd is the ones that join a forum regardless for tips/tricks... To see how they can mod their car aesthetically and power wise.
I do have back and shoulder problems but just didn't realize that my car seat would make it worse. Came from a Toyota Limited Rav loaded. Thought buying a loaded civic would be fine.
Are the reliability issues hitting the new cars within the first 36,000 miles? Since I'm leasing I'm only concerned about the first few years. I drove an Accord and seats weren't great and have to go to a high trim to get power seat. Had a horrible experience with Toyota so won't be doing that again. The other car in the running is a Chevy Malibu 1LT but the lease deals aren't as good...
So just to give my perspective. I totally understand the concept of how if you come to a forum, you're most likely going to hear about problems. I honestly thought I wouldn't have many problems like people who posted here were having, but here I am with a leased 2015 Altima that just had its transmission replaced with less than 5000 miles. It's now going back to the shop for a loud clicking coming from the power steering rack. In all fairness, my family has owned many many cars both brand new and used and the Altima has been the most troublesome.
It's a pretty awesome car. I'm happy with mine. Has it been a trouble free car? No, but there's not really a such thing as a flawless car. Every car, no matter the price range or brand, will have something that people don't like. In regards to the seats, I've driven the Altima with the cloth and in my opinion the cloth is more on the comfortable / "cushiony" side. I have leather in my car and it does feel more firm but that's expected with the different seat materials. It's an overall comfortable car and one that I would recommend. As others have said, shop around to make sure it's for you, as the mid size sedan market has grown with recent mid-cycle refreshes and redesigns amongst various manufacturers. I'd even consider waiting for the 2016 Altima as some minor changes are expected!
I will say that I have seen a lot more users post here about problems with the 3.5 CVT than the 2.5 CVT.
But the strange thing to me, is how much variation in problematic situations there is with this car. One person has had their CVT replaced multiples times while another does not have one problem with it.
Even with the 2.5... I have not ran into a problem yet (knock on wood) but someone else with the same year and model has had the worst experience.
There seems to be an inconsistency of materials/workmanship.
It's as if the cars are coming off two different assembly lines: a good one; and a bad one. My car was a dealer loaner car for the first 12k miles of its life, so I know it got the crap kicked out of it on a regular basis. Despite this, it's been flawless for the 40k miles we've owned it.
Maybe the transmission is designed for abuse, and babying it causes the "shudder" symptom some are having. I wonder if flooring it a few times would have any impact on the symptom...
If it has the display audio system it's more like an SV, don't think you would miss anything. In fact I wish I had the manual AC controls the S has, the automatic/dual thing is a pain. I have to figure out how to "trick" it into giving me what I want and that takes extra time. Go with the S.
It seemed like the S would meet my basic needs. I would really like a remote start or heated seats but not sure I want to pay $2.000 extra for them. Same thing with lumbar adjustment, why car manufacturers only out that on higher level trims I'll never understand.
Did the 'lumbar' become a feature on the SV / SL starting in 2015? because my 2014 SV doesn't have it.
I have a few minor things with my car (rattle/creak occasionally) but overall I'd give it a thumbs up. Great MPG, seats are the best part IMO, I don't have back problems per say but I spend a lot of time driving and this car is by far the most comfortable. I'd almost buy another one just for the seats lol
Yes the 2015 SV did come with lumbar. I bought mine on Nov 2014 as a 2015 model. I have 9500 miles on it and so far so good except for like minor tach flickering when holding a steady speed like 70 mph.
i have an s with remote to as well, and yes the seats are very comfy i cant speak to reliability because i have only had it for 4700 miles but so far so good.
I have a 2015 Altima 2.5 S with 5,700 miles on it. No problems so far -- just one oil change.
The seats are FANTASTIC. The car is not 'thrilling' to drive or anything, but it is like a reliable appliance and I'll be happy if it continues to perform as such. It is like a poor man's Maxima.
The seats are FANTASTIC. The car is not 'thrilling' to drive or anything, but it is like a reliable appliance and I'll be happy if it continues to perform as such. It is like a poor man's Maxima.