Both the Accord and the Altima have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.
Compare the2023 Honda AccordVS 2023 Nissan Altima
Safety
Warranty
Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Accord for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Altima.
Reliability
From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 10 places higher in reliability than Nissan.
Fuel Economy and Range
On the EPA test cycle the Accord gets better mileage than the Altima:
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MPG |
Accord |
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FWD |
EX-L 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid |
51 city/44 hwy |
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Sport/Touring 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid |
46 city/41 hwy |
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1.5 turbo 4-cyl. |
29 city/37 hwy |
Altima |
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FWD |
S 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl. |
27 city/39 hwy |
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SV/SL/SR 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl. |
27 city/37 hwy |
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2.0 turbo 4-cyl. |
25 city/34 hwy |
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AWD |
SV/SL 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl. |
26 city/36 hwy |
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SR 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl. |
25 city/35 hwy |
Regenerative brakes improve the Accord Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Altima doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.
In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Accord’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The Altima doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.
To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Accord uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Altima SR requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.
The Accord has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Altima doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.
Brakes and Stopping
For better stopping power the Accord Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Altima:
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Accord Hybrid |
Altima |
Front Rotors |
12.3 inches |
11.65 inches |
Tires and Wheels
For better traction, the Accord has larger standard tires than the Altima (225/50R17 vs. 215/60R16).
The Accord LX/EX/EX-L’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Altima S’ standard 60 series tires.
For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Accord LX/EX/EX-L has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Altima S.
Passenger Space
Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Accord a Large car, while the Altima is rated a Mid-size.
The Accord has 5.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Altima (105.7 vs. 100.6).
The Accord has .4 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front hip room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 5.6 inches more rear legroom and .9 inches more rear hip room than the Altima.
Cargo Capacity
The Accord has a much larger trunk than the Altima (16.7 vs. 15.4 cubic feet).
With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Accord offers cargo security. The Altima’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.
A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Accord EX/Sport/EX-L/Touring. The Altima doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.
Servicing Ease
The Accord uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Altima uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.
Ergonomics
When two different drivers share the Accord Sport-L/EX-L/Touring, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle and climate settings. The Altima doesn’t offer a memory system.
The Accord Sport-L/EX-L/Touring’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 Altima doesn’t offer an easy entry system.
The Accord Touring has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Altima doesn’t offer a heads-up display.
The Accord’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 Accord and the Altima have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Accord 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 Accord’s front power windows 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. The Altima SL’s rear windows don’t close automatically.
On a hot day the Accord’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. The driver of the Altima can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.
The Accord’s power window, power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Altima’s power window (except driver window) switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.
The Accord Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Altima’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.
When the Accord Touring is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Altima’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.
Both the Accord and the Altima offer available heated front seats. The Accord Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Altima.
Standard air-conditioned seats in the Accord Touring keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Altima doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.
Recommendations
The Honda Accord outsold the Nissan Altima by 10% during 2022.