Compare the2026 Nissan AltimaVS 2026 Hyundai Elantra

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
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 Elantra 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 help 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 Elantra doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Hyundai Elantra has not been tested.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Altima has standard Rear Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Elantra doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

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

The Altima SR offers an optional 360-degree Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Elantra only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Altima and the Elantra have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact 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 and driver alert monitors.

The Nissan Altima weighs 413 to 715 pounds more than the Hyundai Elantra. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

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 Elantra:

	Altima	Elantra
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	239	314
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches

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 Elantra:

	Altima	Elantra
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	185	345
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	68 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	157	184
Hip Force	769 lbs.	954 lbs.

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

Warranty

There are over 25 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Altima’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Altima’s reliability 13 points higher than the Elantra.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Altima first among midsize cars in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Elantra was rated third 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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked third.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Hyundai.

Engine

The Altima AWD’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 35 more horsepower (182 vs. 147) and 46 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 132) than the Elantra’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Altima’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 41 more horsepower (188 vs. 147) and 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (180 vs. 132) than the Elantra’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Altima is faster than the Hyundai Elantra:

	Altima AWD	Altima	Elantra
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	7.4 sec	8.4 sec
Quarter Mile	15.9 sec	15.7 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	89.5 MPH	90.2 MPH	87.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Altima AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Elantra (16 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Altima FWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Elantra (16.2 vs. 12.4 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Altima	Elantra
Front Rotors	11.65 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11.02 inches	10.3 inches
Opt Rear Rotors	11.5 inches

The Altima’s standard front disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The front discs on the Elantra are solid, not vented.

The Altima stops much shorter than the Elantra:

	Altima	Elantra
70 to 0 MPH	164 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	116 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Altima has larger standard tires than the Elantra (215/55R17 vs. 195/65R15). The Altima SR’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Elantra (235/40R19 vs. 225/45R17).

The Altima SV’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Elantra SE’s standard 65 series tires. The Altima SR’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Elantra SEL/Limited’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Altima SV has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 15-inch wheels are standard on the Elantra SE. The Altima SR’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Elantra SEL/Limited.

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 Elantra doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Nissan Altima has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Hyundai Elantra has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Altima has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Altima flat and controlled during cornering. The Elantra’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Altima’s wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the Elantra (111.2 inches vs. 107.1 inches).

The Altima’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (58.9% to 41.1%) than the Elantra’s (61.2% to 38.8%). This gives the Altima more stable handling and braking.

The Altima SR handles at .90 G’s, while the Elantra Limited pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Altima executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Elantra Limited (26.3 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

Chassis

The design of the Nissan Altima amounts to more than styling. The Altima has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .26 Cd. That is lower than the Elantra (.28) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Altima get better fuel mileage.

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 Elantra doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Altima SR AWD is quieter than the Elantra Limited (77 vs. 79 dB).

Passenger Space

The Altima has 1.5 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, 4 inches more rear hip room and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Elantra.

Cargo Capacity

The Altima has a much larger trunk than the Elantra (15.4 vs. 14.2 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Altima easier. The Altima’s trunk lift-over height is 26.9 inches, while the Elantra’s liftover is 28.4 inches.

The Altima’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Elantra’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 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 Elantra’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

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

The Altima has a standard Intelligent Key that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Elantra SEL Sport/Limited offers a Proximity Key.

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 Elantra’s passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Altima’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Elantra’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

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

Both the Altima and the Elantra offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Altima offers optional rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Elantra doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Compared to traditional radio, the Nissan Altima’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio is only offered on the Elantra Limited.

Recommendations

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

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