Compare the2024 Nissan AltimaVS 2022 Honda Accord

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
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 Honda Accord doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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

The Altima SL/SR VC-Turbo has a standard Intelligent Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Accord only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Altima has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Accord Sport 2.0T/EX/EX-L/Touring offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Altima has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Accord Sport 2.0T/EX-L/Touring offers Cross Traffic Monitor.

Both the Altima and the Accord 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 Honda Accord:

	Altima	Accord
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	171	261
Leg Forces (l/r)	114/342 lbs.	231/338 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 Honda Accord:

	Altima	Accord
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	185	386
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	62 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	157	242

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

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 Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Honda With 25 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Honda.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Altima 4 cyl. is faster than the Honda Accord 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Altima	Accord
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	7.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	15.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.2 MPH	89.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			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
Accord
	FWD	Touring 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/32 hwy

The Altima AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Accord (16 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Altima FWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Accord (16.2 vs. 14.8 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Altima’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the Accord:

	Altima	Accord
Front Rotors	11.65 inches	11.5 inches

The Altima stops much shorter than the Accord:

	Altima	Accord
70 to 0 MPH	172 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	140 feet	142 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 Accord doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Altima SR handles at .90 G’s, while the Accord pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Altima executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Accord (26.3 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Altima S’ turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Accord LX/EX-L’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.2 feet). The Altima SR/SV/SL’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Accord 2.0T’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

Chassis

The Altima is 3.2 inches shorter than the Accord, making the Altima easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Altima is quieter than the Accord Sport (40 vs. 41 dB).

Passenger Space

The Altima has 1.5 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Accord.

The front step up height for the Altima is 2.5 inches lower than the Accord (14” vs. 16.5”). The Altima’s rear step up height is 1 inches lower than the Accord’s (14” vs. 15”).

Cargo Capacity

The Altima’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Accord LX’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

Ergonomics

The Altima’s driver power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Accord’s passenger power window, power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

On extremely cold winter days, the Altima SL/SR 2.0’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Accord doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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 Accord is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Altima is less expensive to operate than the Accord because typical repairs cost much less on the Altima than the Accord, including $57 less for a water pump, $47 less for a muffler, $203 less for a starter, $147 less for fuel injection, $176 less for a fuel pump, $26 less for front struts and $396 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

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

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