 We've owned our Altima since March of 2008 and haven't had one mechanical problem. It rides smoothly and quietly, especially with the CVT transmission. The exterior is sporty looking but the paint chips easily.  The Key has been nothing but problems. One of the buttons is already missing while the paint chipped on another one. Not to mention it always sets off the car alarm unintentionally. The interior is nice looking and the dash is well laid-out. It also looks nice lit up at night. There are plenty of cup holders, but the plastics are cheap especially on the doors, where they are all scratched and damaged after only a year. 