Compare the2024 Nissan AltimaVS 2023 Hyundai Sonata

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
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 Hyundai Sonata doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Nissan Altima has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Sonata doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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

Both the Altima and the Sonata have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view 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 Hyundai Sonata:

	Altima	Sonata
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	171	514
Leg Forces (l/r)	114/342 lbs.	321/341 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 Hyundai Sonata:

	Altima	Sonata
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	185	301
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	72 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	16 inches	20 inches
HIC	157	288

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

Warranty

There are over 30 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Altima’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated lower.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Altima 4 cyl. is faster than the Sonata SEL Plus/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Altima	Sonata
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	7.8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.2 MPH	87.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Altima
	FWD	S/SV 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/39 hwy
		SL/SR 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/34 hwy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/36 hwy
Sonata
	FWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/33 hwy
		SEL 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy

The Altima AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sonata SE’s standard fuel tank (16 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Nissan Altima higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Sonata (5 to 7). This means the Altima produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sonata 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 Hyundai Sonata 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 Sonata doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Altima stops much shorter than the Sonata:

	Altima	Sonata
70 to 0 MPH	172 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Altima has larger standard tires than the Sonata (215/60R16 vs. 205/65R16).

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 Sonata SE’s standard 65 series tires.

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 Sonata doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Altima handles at .91 G’s, while the Sonata SEL Plus pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Altima executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sonata SEL Plus (26.3 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

Chassis

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 Sonata doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Altima SR VC-Turbo uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Sonata doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Altima has .1 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear legroom, .1 inches more rear hip room and 1 inch more rear shoulder room than the Sonata.

Ergonomics

If the windows are left open on the Altima the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. The driver of the Sonata can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Altima owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Altima with a number “1” insurance rate while the Sonata is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Altima is less expensive to operate than the Sonata because typical repairs cost much less on the Altima than the Sonata, including $47 less for a water pump, $248 less for a muffler, $65 less for a timing belt/chain and $123 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

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

The Nissan Altima outsold the Hyundai Sonata by almost three to one during 2022.