Compare the2025 Nissan AltimaVS 2024 Tesla Model 3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Model 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Altima SL has a standard Intelligent Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model 3 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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Altima’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Altima offers optional NissanConnect Service, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Altima and the Model 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 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 Tesla Model 3:

	Altima	Model 3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	114/342 lbs.	333/455 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 Tesla Model 3:

	Altima	Model 3
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	185	206
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	544 lbs.	556 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	157	384

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

Warranty

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Altima for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Nissan will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model 3.

There are almost 6 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Altima’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Altima second among midsize cars in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Model 3 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 100 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Tesla With 53 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Tesla.

Brakes and Stopping

The Altima stops much shorter than the Model 3:

	Altima	Model 3
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

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 Model 3 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 Model 3; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Altima is .8 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model 3.

The Altima SR handles at .90 G’s, while the Model 3 pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Altima S’ turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Model 3’s (36 feet vs. 38.4 feet). The Altima SR/SV/SL’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Model 3’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

Chassis

The Nissan Altima may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 650 pounds less than the Tesla Model 3.

Passenger Space

The Altima has 3.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Model 3 (100.6 vs. 97).

The Altima has 1.1 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front hip room, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear legroom, 2.2 inches more rear hip room and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model 3.

Ergonomics

The Altima’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model 3 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Altima has standard extendable sun visors. The Model 3 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 Model 3 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 Model 3 because typical repairs cost much less on the Altima than the Model 3, including $640 less for a water pump, $1 less for front brake pads, $41 less for front struts and $627 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Altima and the Tesla Model 3, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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