I drove every hybrid there is BUT the NAH, I live in Az so I had to settle driving plain 2.5 ALtima 2007. I read and read and narrowed it down to the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Nissan Altima Hybrid. Man it was tough I made comparisons sheets.
Plus for NAH Rear View camera, MP3 disk player you get the idea the NAH had superior electronics I felt in a number of ways.

Plus for the Camry Passenger seat electric adjustment.

Then you get to the handling and drivability The NAH has the edge, The Camry has more cushion but it is definitely my Fathers car (an I am 72)

Now to the important stuff. Engine size, Patter size, Torque range of engine. highest speed for EV mode, you get it I really did the retired multi degreed engineer on this thing I though I would drive my wife crazy. You must add in we are driving the King of all cars now a VW Phaeton, can mot be improve upon. Anyway back to the selection. So I give the nod to the Altima Hybrid but I want all the goodies, Tech package the works. AND I am in Scottsdale. I can't even see it on the INTERNET aha unless i but a California zip code into the Nissan site voilà then I can "Build my own" and start searching inventories. Wow I searched over 18 dealerships to get my color and a Tech pack.

When I found it I immediately called the Internet sales manager and asked do you really have Vin# in stock and does it have etc. Yup! I said go this minute I'll hold on and put a sold sign on it. Come back to the phone and we will complete the deal. The rest was simple and history. In about a week a motor transport rolled up and we off loaded my wonderful NAH.

So how do I feel Jerked off by that fuzz head that runs the company I'll have a high deprecreation vehicle and get taken to the cleaners again I hope their new idea blows up in their face. Thanks for robbing all of us early adopter that believed in your car and your ads. you cheater.

 

Nissan is fixin' what ain't Broke! Up here in Washington State people are clamoring for the NAH, but can't get it unless they go to California. (The distance also pretty much rules out a trade-in deal unless your prepared to risk outright acceptance of the first dealer eval.) The result is record TCH sales with waiting lines and bidding wars for the most popular colors. Anyone at Nissan understand the first principles of ROI? They have a winner and they are rushing to change it.

 

Actually I believe that there is a cooperative environment in existance right now in regards to the various hybrid technologies.
1) Toyota is not ( til now ) promoting it's HSD technology in smaller vehicles. It is also not promoting it in heavier vehicles either.
2) Honda tried promoting its IMA in midsized vehicles but withdrew the HAH and is expanding it to a Fit-sized vehicle to be built in Indiana apparently.
3) Ford is expanding its technology, albeit slowly due to outside factors.
4) GM is late to the party but its 2-Mode apparently is just as capable as any of the three above in terms of FE but it is much much more capable in heavy vehicles. None of the other three can say this.

Notice how all 4 are kind of 'keeping off the other's turf'. The market it primed to accept the fact of hybrid technology being reliable and doing what is expected of it. Now there just has to be choices across the whole product spectrum.

 

This reminds me of the old joke, "How do you make God laugh?"

"Announce a new plan."

I'll be a lot happier when the announced products are found on the showroom floors. For now, there is a lot of buzz but not much honey.

Bob Wilson