Compare the2023 Nissan AltimaVS 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Altima have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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

The Altima offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Altima SL/2.0 SR has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Corolla Hybrid only offers a rear monitor.

The Altima has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Corolla Hybrid’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Altima has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Corolla Hybrid.

Both the Altima and the Corolla Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

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 Toyota Corolla Hybrid:

	Altima	Corolla Hybrid
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	171	187
Leg Forces (l/r)	114/342 lbs.	330/310 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 post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Altima is safer than the Toyota Corolla Hybrid:

	Altima	Corolla Hybrid
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	157	239

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Altima, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 1.3% less likely to roll over than the Corolla Hybrid, which received a four-star rating.

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 Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 89 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Corolla Hybrid last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

Engine

The Altima’s optional 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 61 more horsepower (182 vs. 121) and 73 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 105) than the Corolla Hybrid’s 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Altima’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 67 more horsepower (188 vs. 121) and 75 lbs.-ft. more torque (180 vs. 105) than the Corolla Hybrid’s 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Altima SR’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 127 more horsepower (248 vs. 121) and 168 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 105) than the Corolla Hybrid’s 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Altima is faster than the Toyota Corolla Hybrid:

	Altima 4 cyl.	Altima SR	Corolla Hybrid
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	5.8 sec	10.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	14.3 sec	17.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.2 MPH	99 MPH	79 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Altima AWD’s standard fuel tank has 4.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corolla Hybrid (16 vs. 11.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Altima FWD’s standard fuel tank has 4.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corolla Hybrid (16.2 vs. 11.4 gallons).

Environmental Friendliness

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Nissan Altima at emission levels ranging from “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) to “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Toyota Corolla Hybrid is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Altima’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Corolla Hybrid:

	Altima	Corolla Hybrid
Front Rotors	11.65 inches	10.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.02 inches	10.2 inches
Opt Rear Rotors	11.5 inches

The Altima stops much shorter than the Corolla Hybrid:

	Altima	Corolla Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	140 feet	148 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Altima has larger standard tires than the Corolla Hybrid (215/60R16 vs. 195/65R15). The Altima SR/SL’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Corolla Hybrid (235/40R19 vs. 195/65R15).

The Altima S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Corolla Hybrid’s standard 65 series tires. The Altima SR/SL’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Corolla Hybrid’s 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Altima S has standard 16-inch wheels. Only 15-inch wheels are available on the Corolla Hybrid. The Altima SR/SL has standard 19-inch 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 Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Altima has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Corolla Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Altima has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Altima’s wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer than on the Corolla Hybrid (111.2 inches vs. 106.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Altima is 2.9 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Corolla Hybrid.

The Altima SR handles at .90 G’s, while the Corolla Hybrid LE pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Altima Platinum executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.8 seconds quicker than the Corolla Hybrid LE (26.3 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 29.1 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

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 Corolla Hybrid (.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 Corolla Hybrid 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 Corolla Hybrid 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 Corolla Hybrid is rated a Compact.

The Altima has 12 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Corolla Hybrid (100.6 vs. 88.6).

The Altima has .8 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room, 4.2 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear legroom, 3.2 inches more rear hip room and 5.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Corolla Hybrid.

Cargo Capacity

The Altima has a much larger trunk than the Corolla Hybrid (15.4 vs. 13.1 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Altima. The Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

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 Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Altima’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Corolla Hybrid’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Altima’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Corolla Hybrid’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

The Altima’s optional rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

On extremely cold winter days, the Altima SL/SR’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Altima SL/2.0 SR’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Altima and the Corolla Hybrid offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Altima SL has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Altima SL’s standard GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Corolla Hybrid’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Nissan Altima (except S) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. The Corolla Hybrid doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Altima third among midsize cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Corolla Hybrid isn’t in the top three in its category.

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

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