Compare the2023 Toyota CorollaVS 2023 Nissan Altima

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Corolla has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Altima doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Corolla has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Altima doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Corolla and the Altima have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems 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 Toyota Corolla is safer than the Nissan Altima:

	Corolla	Altima
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	27%	30%
Neck Stress	243 lbs.	343 lbs.
Neck Compression	50 lbs.	78 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	27%	54%
Neck Stress	165 lbs.	280 lbs.
Neck Compression	86 lbs.	110 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	301/156 lbs.	260/280 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 Toyota Corolla is safer than the Nissan Altima:

	Corolla	Altima
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	92	187
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.4 inches
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	164 lbs.
Hip Force	330 lbs.	511 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	185
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	367 lbs.	544 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	16 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	42 G’s
Hip Force	623 lbs.	769 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Corolla is much safer than the Altima:

	Corolla	Altima
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	MARGINAL
Head Injury Criterion	99	562
Head Peak Forces	no contact	109 G’s
Neck Tension	201 lbs.	625 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
Shoulder Deflection	1.1 in	2.09 in
Shoulder Force	268 lbs.	402 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.61 in	2.2 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	11 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	7 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Altima last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Altima.

There are over 15 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Nissan dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Corolla’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Nissan is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Nissan is ranked 15th.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Corolla
	FWD	LE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/40 hwy
		SE/XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/40 hwy
Altima
	FWD	S 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 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 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/35 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

The Corolla stops much shorter than the Altima:

	Corolla	Altima
70 to 0 MPH	163 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

The Corolla’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Altima S’ standard 60 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Corolla’s turning circle is .5 feet tighter than the Altima S’ (35.6 feet vs. 36.1 feet). The Corolla’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Altima SR/SV/SL/Platinum’s (35.6 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

Chassis

The Toyota Corolla may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 pounds less than the Nissan Altima.

The Corolla is 10.4 inches shorter than the Altima, making the Corolla easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Corolla is quieter than the Altima SR AWD (42 vs. 45 dB).

Ergonomics

The Corolla’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Altima’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Corolla and the Altima have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Corolla is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Altima prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Corolla’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Altima’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Altima SL’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Altima can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Corolla’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Altima’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Corolla XLE/XSE offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Altima doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Nissan Altima isn’t available as a four door hatchback or wagon.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Corolla is less expensive to operate than the Altima because it costs $410 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the Corolla than the Altima, including $39 less for front brake pads, $12 less for fuel injection, $49 less for front struts and $50 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

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

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Nissan Altima by almost two to one during 2022.