But we're trying to achieve character. It's not the Taurus eye-gouging approach. It's too early to tell whether the Altima, with unusual touches like a standard CD player on some models, has made the transition from lap dog to near-luxury icon. Still, the redesigned version manages to mesmerize with its slightly bigger body, subtle but unusual lines and sophisticated new color palette. So think of the redesign as letting out your belt a bit and you'll get the idea.
Nissan designers say they studied women's handbags to get their cues for how big to make the car.
But the younger women were carrying things that looked like backpacks. They were after size and utility. And you can see that reflected in the new Altima. But the new Altima, which goes on sale July 10, delivers more than spartan-like utility. On our first outing with a 1998 Altima GXE, we ran into a friend who owns a Lexus.