The stylish coupé has been a source of praise on a few fronts, most notably its stout 270-hp 3.5-litre V6 and sporty demeanor. Acceleration is absolutely a strong point, with the VQ engine proving to be a rev-happy unit with a great voice.

Shift quality, something that has come under fire in other recent Nissan products, is also proving to be a plus point in our tester, with a light action and positive, albeit long, throw. The clutch is flattering as well, both in its weighting and pick-up point.

They combine to provide the Altima with tidy handling, while its tidy proportions mean it’s about the right size for zipping through traffic. However, as with most coupés, the Altima’s high beltline and aggressively raked roofline means that outward visibility isn’t the greatest. The big side mirrors do compensate with plenty of adjustment, though we wish they were free to fold in towards the body.

Not long into its stay with us, the season turned cold, and we took preparation by having the Nissan fitted with Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires, which have proved their worth many times over with near-record snowfall in the Greater Toronto Area. The Altima’s predictability and grip, along with the standard ABS, traction and stability control, provoked one staffer to write, “It’s pretty good in heavy snow.”

Meanwhile, the cabin provides plenty of options to keep you comfortable and entertained in the cold, with the heated leather seats and XM Satellite Radio garnering the most nods. However, as before, the taller members of our crew have found the Altima Coupe’s cabin to be, well, snug.

Between the aforementioned low roofline, along with our headroom-eating moonroof, one staffer just couldn’t get sorted at all: “Bad driving position… I feel like my seat is angled back so much that I’m too far away from the controls.” Another echoed the comments, saying that the Altima “really needs a telescopic steering wheel to be truly comfortable.”

However, those on the shorter end of the scale seemed to have fewer gripes with the dimensions, so if you’re over six feet tall, buyer beware.

Also, another staffer noted that the firm ride may be contributing to a couple interior issues, saying “the driver’s seat squeaks while the passenger’s rattles.” And we’re also wondering why Nissan chose to locate the passenger seat tilt release (to give access to the rear seats) closer to the driver, meaning folks entering from the “off” side have to reach across the seat to trip the mechanism. Redundant controls on either side would be a better solution.

For those really living with the Nissan, the trunk provides a decent amount of space for groceries, although the floor is shallow and the opening is fairly narrow. Still, given where the Coupe is aimed, it’s perfectly acceptable.

Since our last update, the Altima has traveled another 2,389 km, using 301.1 litres of premium fuel in the process, meaning we’re averaging 12.0 L/100 km, higher than the 11.2 (city) / 7.3 (highway) as rated by Transport Canada. We’ll put that down to a combination of engine break-in, a heavily city-biased driving environment and our testers’ addiction to torque. We’re hoping to stretch its legs on a couple road trips to see if we can get the numbers back in line, especially since all these kilometres are accompanied by high-ish fuel bills thanks to its preference for premium.

For now, we’ll continue to appreciate the Altima Coupe’s aesthetic appeal, and hope that with less bulky clothing we can eke out a few more millimetres of headroom.