Compare the2026 Nissan AltimaVS 2026 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

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 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Altima are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Nissan Altima achieved an “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe has not been tested.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Altima has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. BMW charges extra for Cross Traffic Warning on the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

Both the Altima and the 2 Series Gran Coupe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

Nissan’s powertrain warranty covers the Altima 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 2 Series Gran Coupe. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 2 Series Gran Coupe ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 3 times as many Nissan dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Altima’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Altima first among midsize cars in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The 2 Series Gran Coupe isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 14th, below the industry average.

On the EPA test cycle the Altima AWD gets better fuel mileage than the M235 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder (25 city/33 hwy vs. 24 city/33 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Altima uses regular unleaded gasoline. The M235 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Altima AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (16 vs. 12.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Altima FWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (16.2 vs. 12.9 gallons).

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 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a CVT.

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 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Altima’s wheelbase is 6.1 inches longer than on the 2 Series Gran Coupe (111.2 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Altima is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

For better maneuverability, the Altima’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

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 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Altima a Mid-size car, while the 2 Series Gran Coupe is rated a Compact.

The Altima has 9.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (100.6 vs. 91).

The Altima has 2.4 inches more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, .8 inches more rear legroom and 4 inches more rear shoulder room than the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

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 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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

The Nissan Altima outsold the BMW 2 Series by over four to one during 2025.