The 2010 Nissan Altima hybrid, which goes on sale this coming Monday, will have an MSRP of $26,780. This is the fourth generation Altima, and apart from the hybrid drivetrain, it is only slightly tweaked from last year’s model. Speaking of drivetrains, the 2010 Altima will use a 2.5 liter four-cylinder with and electronically-controlled CVT tranny that cranks out 198 hp. Nissan says the new Altima hybrid will get an estimated EPA rating of 35 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.

Curiously, these figures aren’t all that much different form the 2009 model. Although the 09 also had a 2.5 liter inline four engine, it only put out 158 HP, and the fuel economy numbers of 35/33 city/hwy mpg were identical.

The new Altima Hybrid will get a bump up to $26,780 versus the old price of $26,650. That slight rise is being attributed to the new Nissan’s Hard Drive Navigation System which has a 6.5-inch VGA color, touch-screen display and a host of audio system upgrades.

On the outside, the 2010 Altima looks slightly different than the 2009 version with a restyled hood, grille and front bumper. The 2010 also gets new wheels and a new selection of interior fabric and finishes.

The Altima, which is Nissan’s best-selling nameplate, was ranked number one in segment in the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. It will be available in three distinct models: Altima Sedan, Altima Coupe and Altima Hybrid.

The full price breakdowns by engine/tranny combo look like this:

2010 Altima Sedan
2.5 S 2.5L I4 CVT $19,900 USD
2.5 S 2.5L I4 CVT $21,840 USD
3.5 SR 3.5L V6 CVT $24,520 USD

2010 Altima Coupe
2.5 S 2.5L I4 6MT $22,440 USD
2.5 S 2.5L I4 CVT $22,940 USD
3.5 SR 3.5L V6 CVT $27,270 USD
Altima Coupe 3.5 SR 3.5L V6 6MT $29,600 USD

2010 Altima Hybrid
2.5L I4 eCVT $26,780 USD

Looks like a good, solid transportation choice – which is just what Nissan is banking on.

Source: AutoBlogGreen