Good handling and strong engines make all the Nissan Altimas fun to drive, and more fun, probably, than their obvious import brand competition.

In the grand scheme, Honda's is a bit better balanced than the Altima, with an outstanding mix of ride quality, good handling, and smoothness. Toyota's sedan is more refined still, and even more comfortable. Yet Nissan has made great strides reducing noise and vibration and improving the finish in all Altimas, while retaining an edge in performance that might please car enthusiasts.

The 3.5-liter V6 is the preferred engine for drivers who measure a car's desirability by how quickly it gets away from a stoplight, or how readily it might attract the attention of cars with flashing red lights. The V6 makes a potent 270 horsepower, and it's a very close relative of the 3.7-liter V6 in the sports car. There's more than enough scoot here, and it's awesome for passing. The 6,600-rpm redline is a blast. There's also 258 pound-feet of torque in the V6, which is very useful with the optional CVT automatic transmission.

The four-cylinder engine may be the more prudent choice, given the reality check of today's gas prices. Altima's four-cylinder engine delivers competent performance, so there's less reason to pay more now at the dealer and more later at the gas pump. The Altima 2.5 S models we drove had plenty of power, from our perspective, especially with the manual transmission. Modern and refined for a large four-cylinder, Nissan's 2.5-liter engine delivers 175 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. These ratings easily top other standard four-cylinders in this class.

Of the two transmissions, the six-speed manual is the choice for fun driving. This manual is relaxed and manageable, and, quite frankly, a better transmission in terms of sharp, precise gear selection and tight shift patterns than those in some more expensive European sports sedans.

The CVT, or continuously variable transmission, works like and automatic and is intended to improve fuel mileage compared to a conventional, stepped-gear automatic. Regardless, EPA ratings do not surpass those for gas-only Altimas with the manual transmission: 23/31 mpg City/Highway with the four-cylinder, 19/26 mpg with the powerful V6 (premium fuel required). Indeed, some Altima models with the CVT are rated slightly lower.

The sophisticated electronics managing the CVT attempt to keep the engines turning at an optimum rpm that balances power output, fuel economy, and emissions. In doing so, the transmission can make the engine sound a bit noisy, or just funny, particularly with the four-cylinder. In full automatic mode, the CVT can seem lazy and ill at ease, leaving the engines wandering about their power curves and often sounding as if they're straining, even if they aren't. And most of the time they aren't.

We found the CVT works better when it's shifted manually, changing its ratios in steps like a conventional transmission. Using the shift lever, this transmission responds quickly and consistently to the driver's commands. When we used it in the real world, shifting the Nissan Altima like a 370Z on the road from the Golden Gate Bridge to Stinson Beach, the CVT was beautiful. Downshifting to slow down worked well, complementing the brakes when rushing toward those downhill curves.

In general, the current Altimas retain their fun-to-drive character, but they also demonstrate significant improvement in the overall management of noise, vibration, and harshness. The chassis feels much tighter than pre-2007 models, keeping noise and shaking down in the cabin. Powertrain sounds aren't intrusive, except for some roaming whine or groan as the CVT wanders through its infinite ratios. There's little wind noise, though the thump from tires will keep Altima occupants well informed of pavement quality.

The suspension in the line-topping, luxurious Nissan Altima 3.5 SL sedan is quite firm, and it delivers responsive handling. There's no swaying in switchback turns, so the steering stays true. Yet it isn't harsh over jagged parts of the road. It takes some good punches from potholes without flinching.

Steering is respectably responsive in all Altimas, if not especially crisp, with competent turn-in and feedback through the steering wheel. Torque-steer (a tendency for the steering wheel to jerk to-and-fro under hard acceleration) is well managed in all models, and that's saying something with the 270-hp V6.

The Nissan Altima Coupe drives like a well-tuned front-wheel-drive car. Like the sedan, it has a major front-end weight bias, ranging from 60/40 front/rear in the four-cylinder manual to 63/37 front/rear in the V6 CVT. But its relatively short wheelbase and well-tuned tuned suspension do a good job of compensating. Coupe buyers shouldn't expect pure sports car handling, though. When pushed, the coupe's dominant characteristic is nice, safe understeer (where the car wants to go straight instead of turning), which intuitively encourages the driver to ease up on the gas pedal. Truly quick, aggressive left-right-left transitions set the coupes relatively light back end to wallowing as it tries to keep up.

The brakes are vented discs in front and solid discs in the rear. All Altimas come with four-channel, four-sensor ABS with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), which optimizes the front/rear brake balance depending on load condition (passengers and cargo). A variable-ratio-pivot brake pedal provides a rigid feel at freeway speeds and less sensitive, more controllable operation in city driving.

When fuel economy is the priority, the Nissan Altima Hybrid sedan is the choice. Just remember that it will take years and years of driving to make up the $5,000-$7,000 price premium in reduced gasoline costs, compared to a conventional four-cylinder Altima. The Hybrid is EPA-rated at 35/33 mpg, comparable to the 33/34 mpg rating for the .

The Hybrid uses a somewhat de-tuned version of the 2.5-liter four-cylinder, rated at 158 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque at 2,800-4,800. Mounted in tandem, its AC synchronous motor-generator can produce up to 40 horsepower and 199 pound-feet, both at 0-1,500 rpm. Potentially, that totals a substantial 198 horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque.

Such high torque at low rpm allows the Nissan Altima Hybrid to start from a dead stop using only the electric motor to accelerate. So precisely where a conventional internal combustion vehicle is operating at minimal efficiency, the Altima Hybrid isn't using any gasoline at all. After the electric motor provides initial acceleration, the gasoline engine quietly starts and shoulders most of the load. Eventually the electric motor shuts off, and the gasoline engine does what it does best, which is constant-speed cruising. Then, when required, the electric motor restarts to give the gas engine some help in, say, a passing situation. It all works seamlessly, though it takes a fairly light foot on the accelerator to maximize the Altima Hybrid's operation in electric mode. Drivers who routinely mash that gas in most circumstances aren't likely to see the maximum improvement in mileage.

In the Hybrid, the CVT works with the master control system to determine which power source or combination of power sources will turn the wheels. The Hybrid uses regenerative braking to recharge its 245-volt nickel-metal hydride battery, turning the electric motor into a generator as the car slows down. You never have to plug it in. The Altima's hybrid technology is licensed from Toyota and has proven to be reliable.