Nissan Altima vs Toyota Camry: Popular Midsize Sedans Clash

There’s no denying the foundational aspects of the Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry when it comes to the automotive world.

Even with SUVs becoming increasingly more popular, these two sedans continue to pose a serious threat to their larger stablemates when attracting the five-passenger crowd. If you were to select one of these two sedans to drive, you might have a hard time picking the one you want to drive every day. Let’s compare the two and see which one you should take home and allow to be the highly-respected sedan you love to drive.

Which Car is More Affordable?

Across the lineup range, you’ll find the Nissan Altima is a little more affordable than the Toyota Camry. The Altima begins at $24,100 and reaches a peak at $35,180, while the Camry begins at $24,970 and reaches $35,545 at the top. Of course, that top number is for the XSE V6 model, which you can’t find an equivalent engine in the Altima, but we’re only talking about price here.

Can You Guess the Car that is the Most Reliable?

It’s almost unfair to compare reliability when one of the contestants is the Camry. This car continues to be the one at the top of the list, and it receives an above-average score for predicted reliability, while the Altima comes in with an average score. Both cars have the same warranty, which means you’ll want to look at the Camry a little more if you’re looking for the most reliable sedan in the market.

Get Your Butt Comfortable in Those Seats

You’re going to spend a lot of time behind the wheel of the car you drive, which means you need it to be comfortable. The seats of the Nissan Altima are a bit more comfortable than those of the Toyota Camry. The Altima has the NASA-inspired Zero Gravity front seats to give you the most comfortable seats in the sedan class.

Squeeze a Little More Gear into the Trunk

Trunk space can be an important factor in a sedan when you have a growing family to tote around. The Nissan has a slightly larger trunk than the Camry. The difference is only 0.3 cubic feet, but that is enough to give the Altima the win. The actual measurements for the trunks of these two cars are Camry, 15.1 cubic feet: Altima, 15.4 cubic feet.

The Car With the Better Interior Is…

You’ll find more premium touches and upgraded materials in the Toyota Camry than you will in the Nissan Altima. The Altima gives you a clean cabin that’s easy to admire, but when you’re looking for more style, more trim items, and a better overall feeling, you’re going to go with the Camry. This means you can step inside and feel like you’re in a car that’s better than the class it plays in.

Which Car Has the Most Tech Items for You?

Another win for the Toyota team, the Camry has a slight edge when it comes to the features you’ll find. You’ll see a more comprehensive infotainment system, the connectivity you desire, a wireless charging pad for higher trims, and a larger screen in higher trims. The Altima has most of the same items but misses the boat when it comes to the charging pad and the upgraded features for your tech pleasure.

Which Car Can Take Off Faster?

You don’t want a slow and sluggish car when you’re trying to take off from a stop. The Toyota Camry wins the battle with the Nissan Altima for acceleration. Regardless of the engine, the Camry gives you an eight-speed automatic transmission, which many drivers seem to prefer over the CVTs that are used by Nissan. Even so, if you were to have a CVT, Nissan would be the right brand; they have perfected these transmissions.

The Winner for Fuel Mileage Is…

When you hear the Altima uses a CVT, you should guess this will be the car that wins the fuel mileage battle. The Altima gives you 28 city/39 hwy mpg with the base engine and 25 city/34 hwy mpg with the turbocharged engine. The Camry offers you 27 city/38 hwy mpg for the base engine but only 22 city/31 hwy mpg when you select the V6.

Which Car Has the Better Driving Dynamics?

With the use of the TRD team, you’ll certainly feel that the Toyota Camry gives you more driving dynamics than the Nissan Altima. The TRD model of the Camry offers you performance shocks, upscale brakes, and an improved suspension over the standard versions. The Altima does give you the SR model that has stiffer shocks, but not much more. Both cars are offered with AWD to give you more control when you need it.

When You Think of Safety Which Car Comes to Mind?

Both of these cars have amazing safety packages to give you the alerts and warnings you need. Even so, the Camry rates a little higher when it comes to the overall safety scores. The Camry offers you the benefits of the Toyota Safety Sense Package, while the Altima gives you Nissan ProPilot Assist and Nissan Safety Shield 360. Both cars offer you excellent safety ratings, but the Camry ekes out a win in this category.

The Overall Winner is No Surprise

When looking at the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, you’re going to have a clear winner. That winner is the Camry. This midsize sedan gives you the most of what you’re looking for to offer a complete package and plenty of ways to have a few extras when you want it.

Does that mean you shouldn’t consider the Altima? Not at all. The Nissan is an excellent choice, but if you’re looking for a car that stands out and continues to lead the midsize sedan class, you’re going to want to visit your Toyota dealer.

Take a test drive in both cars, and you’re going to see why the Camry is the one that wins out over the Altima.