Compare the2022 Nissan AltimaVS 2022 Audi A4

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Altima are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The A4 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Altima offers optional Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The A4 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Altima’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Altima and the A4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Altima is safer than the Audi A4:

	Altima	A4
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	114/342 lbs.	431/395 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	1 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	260/280 lbs.	324/341 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Altima is safer than the Audi A4:

	Altima	A4
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	185	277
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	56 G’s
Hip Force	544 lbs.	777 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	157	333
Spine Acceleration	42 G’s	47 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Altima its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 74 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A4 is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2021.

Warranty

Nissan’s powertrain warranty covers the Altima 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A4. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the A4 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Altima’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Altima first among midsize cars in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The A4 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan fifth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 94 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 32nd, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 1 place higher in reliability than Audi.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Altima gets better mileage than the A4:

			MPG
Altima
	FWD	S 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/39 hwy
		SV/SL/SR 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/34 hwy
	AWD	SV/SL 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/36 hwy
		SR/Platinum 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/35 hwy
A4
	AWD	40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/34 hwy
		45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/31 hwy

The Altima FWD’s standard fuel tank has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the A4 (16.2 vs. 15.3 gallons).

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Nissan Altima higher (7 out of 10) than the Audi A4 (5). This means the Altima produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the A4 every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Nissan Altima at emission levels ranging from “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) to “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Audi A4 is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

Transmission

The Altima has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The A4 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Altima stops shorter than the A4:

	Altima	A4
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	120 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	140 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Altima has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The A4 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Altima is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A4.

The Altima SR handles at .90 G’s, while the A4 Premium pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Altima Platinum executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the A4 Premium (26.3 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.2 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Altima S’ turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the A4’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.1 feet). The Altima SR/SV/SL/Platinum’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the A4’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Chassis

The design of the Nissan Altima amounts to more than styling. The Altima has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .26 Cd. That is lower than the A4 (.28) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Altima get better fuel mileage.

The front grille of the Altima uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The A4 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Altima SL/Platinum uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The A4 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Altima a Mid-size car, while the A4 is rated a Compact.

The Altima has 8.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A4 (100.8 vs. 92).

The Altima has 1.8 inches more front headroom, 2.5 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the A4.

Cargo Capacity

The Altima has a much larger trunk than the A4 (15.4 vs. 12 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Altima has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The A4 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Altima Platinum’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The A4 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

Consumer Reports rated the Altima’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the A4’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

Model Availability

The Altima is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The A4 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Altima owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Altima will cost $1710 less than the A4 over a five-year period.

The Altima will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Altima will retain 43.64% to 47.47% of its original price after five years, while the A4 only retains 42.99% to 43.13%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Altima is less expensive to operate than the A4 because it costs $18 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Altima than the A4, including $460 less for a water pump, $272 less for a muffler, $40 less for front brake pads, $516 less for a starter, $26 less for fuel injection, $195 less for a fuel pump, $584 less for front struts and $76 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Nissan Altima will be $16704 to $16857 less than for the Audi A4.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Altima and the Audi A4, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Altima was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” in 2019. The A4 has never been an “All Star.”

The Nissan Altima outsold the Audi A4/S4 by over six to one during the 2021 model year.

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