Used Luxury Cars | 2010 Nissan Altima Sedan Test Drive Review

If you haven't paid attention to the Altima since Bill Clinton was president, know it's grown from a compact economy car into a powerful, confident-handling, midsize, entry-level luxury sedan that maintains Nissan's sporty flavor and, especially for 2010, offers assertive styling.

The four-door Altima Sedan comes as the 2.5 CVT, 2.5 S and 3.5 SR CVT. Also, under the Altima umbrella is the Altima Coupe and Altima Hybrid sedan. (We'll leave the coupe and hybrid sedan for future reviews.) Here's how to decode Nissan's model nomenclature. The "2.5" indicates the car is fitted with a very strong 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter, four-cylinder. The "3.5" means it enjoys the awesome 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine. All Altimas are fitted with a "CVT," which stands for "continuously variable transmission." More on CVTs later. Prices start around $20,000 and go to almost $30,000 for the gas-engine cars.

If you're looking for an affordable, very roomy sedan, consider the 2.5 CVT. If you're willing to pay a bit more for Nissan's sporty feel, the 2.5 S CVT is an excellent choice. Those who like to go BMW hunting in the stoplight Grand Prix or on a curvy back road will be very entertained by the 270-horsepower 3.5 SR CVT.

Changes for 2010 feature a more assertive hood, grille and front bumper cover. Inside, the Altima received new fabrics. Electronic stability control, which Nissan calls VDC, now comes on all Altimas, but that's not too newsy as it will soon be government-required on all passenger vehicles. The 3.5 SR CVT (formerly called the SE) now comes with high-intensity discharge headlights.

Rather than physically changing gears like a conventional automatic, a CVT uses a belt and pulley system. It's designed to keep the engine at its most-efficient speed for the task required, regardless of whether that's optimum fuel mileage during highway cruising or maximum acceleration for merging into traffic. Few drivers will notice a difference between a CVT and a regular automatic, except for improved fuel economy and strong acceleration. Gearheads: The Altima's CVT also employs a small gearset to increase its effective ratio range. Don't take this too hard, gearheads, but the CVT does a far better job of maximizing the engine's performance than you could with a manual transmission.

The four-cylinder delivers 23 miles per gallon in the government's city driving test and a very impressive 32 mpg on the highway. The V6 is rated at 20 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway. Altimas are made in Tennessee and Mississippi.

The 2010 Altima received "Good" crash safety ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in both front offset and side impact tests. In the government's crash test studies, the Altima Sedan scored high marks—five stars—in both driver and passenger frontal impacts, as well as side driver impacts, and four out of five stars in the rollover category and side rear passenger impact test.

If you're thinking about ditching the SUV for a spacious and sporty sedan, think about the 2010 Altima.

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Used Luxury Cars | The New 2010 GMC Vehicle Line Up

If you are looking for a sturdy and dependable truck, the 2010 GMC Canyon delivers 242 hp and a towing capacity of 4,000 lbs for a modest price. GMC's Sierra collection has a variety of 2010 truck models to choose from. The eco-friendly Sierra Hybrid delivers great fuel economy and 332 hp while the Sierra 1500 delivers 367 hp and can handle a maximum payload of 2,160 lbs. For really big jobs nothing beats the Sierra 2500HD and Sierra 3500HD. These workhorses can tow between 15,800 and 16,500 lbs with ease.

For versatility and reliability consider the GMC SUV lineup. The 2010 GMC Terrain comes equipped with Multiflex Seating to allow for convenient cargo storage or a full back row for passengers. Up to eight passengers can ride in comfort in the 2010 Acadia, Yukon, Yukon Hybrid and Yukon XL, all of which are loaded with extra features and enhanced safety construction. If you are in the market for a van for family or business use, GMC offers both, the 2010 Savana Passenger and Savana Cargo Van. The passenger model has seating for 9 adults or can be adjusted to carry 252.6 cu. ft of cargo. For maximum interior space the cargo model accommodates 2 adults and up to 316.8 cu. ft of storage.

For the ultimate in GMC vehicles consider the 2010 Denali line. The Yukon Denali, XL Denali and Yukon Denali Hybrid all have a Vortec V8 engine and abundant horsepower combined with the most luxurious interior appointments. These amazing vehicles are the top of the line and available at Allen Family Automotive.

The Allen Family Automotive Group takes pride in offering quality vehicles at down to earth prices. We are your OrangeCounty GMC Dealership. Our extensive line of GMC Trucks, Vans and SUVs has something for every lifestyle and every budget. Browse 2010 GMC Trucks for sale online.

If you have any questions about our GMC inventory or if you would like to schedule a test drive please Contact Us. Our knowledgeable and helpful customer service team is on standby to assist you any way we can.

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Used Luxury Cars | 2010 Lexus ES 350 - Test Drive

The entry-luxury Lexus ES 350 is a comfortable, compliant sedan that boasts the right amount of luxury, performance, safety and size without being either garish or boring—and without breaking the bank.

For 2010, the ES 350 gets a fresh face: new headlamps, grille, grille surround and front bumper with integrated fog lamps flanking a revised lower intake, plus redesigned tail lamps, chrome body side moldings, and new turn signals integrated into the outside mirrors. Also a slew of new features, including Lexus Enform and Safety Connect, a new security and convenience telematics suite similar to GM's ubiquitous OnStar system.

The only available powertrain is Lexus' 272-hp, DOHC, 24-valve 3.5-liter aluminum V6, with efficiency enhancing Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), coupled to a 6-speed Electronically Controlled Transmission with intelligence (ECT-i). This super-smooth automatic provides quick kick-down response and sequential manual shifting for those of us who sometimes like to manage our own shift timing.

As expected in a midsize luxo-sedan, the interior is rich and feature-filled, with average space for the class: plenty of room up front for the driver and primary passenger and reasonable real estate for two, or even three, adults in back. Also as expected is Lexus-level craftsmanship, enhanced for 2010 with standard leather-trimmed seating, bright Optitron gauges, premium wood, polished metal and leather accents. The three-spoke wood and leather steering wheel with handy audio, trip computer and information display controls is especially nice, as is the (available) large, easy to use color navigation touch screen.

Also standard are SmartAccess keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power moonroof, 10-way power front seats (with driver-seat memory), power tilt/telescope steering wheel adjustment, rain-sensing wipers, heated outside mirrors, an illuminated entry system with exterior and interior puddle lamps and even illuminated front cup holders. The standard audio system has a six-disc CD changer, automatic sound leveling, an integrated satellite radio receiver (with a complimentary 90-day trial subscription) plus iPod/USB connectivity (in the console), Bluetooth hands-free phone capability and music streaming.

The available Ultra-Luxury Package includes a panorama glass roof, perforated "semi-aniline" leather seating, a power rear sunshade, front passenger seat memory, HID Active Front Lighting (AFS) that follows the steering, that beautiful wood- and leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob, and exclusive "liquid graphite-finish" alloy wheels. The long list of stand-alone options includes the HID AFS, heated and ventilated front seats and Intuitive Park Assist (IPA) that uses ultrasonic sensors to detect objects close to either bumper. It alerts the driver and shows distances to objects in the multi-information display.

The optional touch-screen nav system uses "Voice Command" casual-language voice recognition, which comprehends conversational commands for control of audio, climate, and navigation. It also comes with a rear back-up camera, integrates control of personalized settings and has Bluetooth phonebook download. An optional 10-channel, 300-watt, 14-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system is available with navigation, and DVD movies can be viewed on the nav screen when the car is in park and the parking brake is engaged.

Also new are available-by-subscription Lexus Enform and Safety Connect. Safety Connect, available on any ES 350 with or without navigation, offers four safety and security features: Automatic Collision Notification, Stolen Vehicle Location, Emergency Assistance (SOS) and Enhanced Roadside Assistance, which adds GPS data to Lexus' roadside service. Lexus Enform, available on nav-equipped vehicles, adds Destination Assist and eDestination.

Destination Assist agents, available 24/7 via on-board cellular equipment, can help find an address, a specific business or type of business (gas station, theater, restaurant) and send coordinates to the nav system for routing. With eDestination, you can save and sort destinations online and send them to your car for download. Lexus Enform also offers subscriptions to XM NavTraffic, XM NavWeather and XM Sports and Stocks.

Standard Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) with traction control integrates Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA). A new VSC cut-off switch is handy if you're trying to rock the car out of deep snow, mud or sand.

The 10-airbag Supplemental Restraint System includes advanced front and front seat-mounted side bags, rear seat-mounted side bags, full-length side-curtain bags and driver and front passenger knee bags. An optional Pre-Collision System (PCS) includes Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, which maintains a pre-set distance from vehicles ahead. If the PCS senses an impending collision, it pre-initializes Brake Assist, tightens the front seat belts, and Active Braking will automatically apply the brakes (up to 0.3 g) if the driver fails to react.

autoMedia.com, together with their expert automotive journalists, provides automotive advice you can trust. Original auto reviews and road tests provide accurate and entertaining information to car shoppers and auto enthusiasts. Enjoy more of their popular reviews and get additional information on the 2010 Lexus ES 350 along with details on all Lexus Models.

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