Compare the2026 Nissan AltimaVS 2026 Volkswagen Jetta

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
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 Jetta doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Jetta 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 Volkswagen Jetta 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 Jetta 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 Jetta 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 Jetta only offers a rear monitor.

The Altima’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Jetta doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Altima and the Jetta have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and rear cross-path warning.

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 Volkswagen Jetta:

	Altima	Jetta
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	171	278
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Compression	110 lbs.	136 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	260/280 lbs.	430/149 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 Volkswagen Jetta:

	Altima	Jetta
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	185	306
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	56 G’s
Hip Force	544 lbs.	554 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	157	239

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Altima, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 3.8% less likely to roll over than the Jetta, which received a four-star rating.

Warranty

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

The Altima’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Jetta’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 68 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Altima’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Altima’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Jetta’s camshafts. If the Jetta’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

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 33 points higher than the Jetta.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Altima first among midsize cars in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Jetta 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 Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 26th, below the industry average.

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 Volkswagen With 70 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Volkswagen.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 6 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

Engine

The Altima AWD’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 24 more horsepower (182 vs. 158) than the Jetta’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Altima’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 30 more horsepower (188 vs. 158) than the Jetta’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Altima is faster than the Volkswagen Jetta:

	Altima AWD	Altima	Jetta
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	7.4 sec	8.5 sec
Quarter Mile	15.9 sec	15.7 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	89.5 MPH	90.2 MPH	87.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Altima AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Jetta (16 vs. 12.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Altima FWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Jetta (16.2 vs. 12.8 gallons).

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 Jetta doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Altima	Jetta
Front Rotors	11.65 inches	11.3 inches
Rear Rotors	11.02 inches	10.7 inches
Opt Rear Rotors	11.5 inches

The Altima stops much shorter than the Jetta:

	Altima	Jetta
70 to 0 MPH	164 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	131 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Altima has larger standard tires than the Jetta (215/55R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Altima SR’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Jetta (235/40R19 vs. 225/45R18).

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 Jetta S’ standard 60 series tires. The Altima SR’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Jetta SEL’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Altima SV has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Jetta S. The Altima SR’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Jetta SEL.

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 Jetta 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 Volkswagen Jetta 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 Jetta’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Altima’s wheelbase is 5.5 inches longer than on the Jetta (111.2 inches vs. 105.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Altima is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Jetta.

The Altima handles at .91 G’s, while the Jetta pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Altima executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Jetta SEL (26.3 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

Passenger Space

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

The Altima has 5.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Jetta (100.6 vs. 94.7).

The Altima has .6 inches more front headroom, 2.7 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, 3.1 inches more rear hip room and 3.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Jetta.

The front step up height for the Altima is 1.8 inches lower than the Jetta (14” vs. 15.8”). The Altima’s rear step up height is 2 inches lower than the Jetta’s (14” vs. 16”).

Cargo Capacity

The Altima has a much larger trunk than the Jetta (15.4 vs. 14.1 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 Jetta’s liftover is 28.7 inches.

Ergonomics

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 Jetta SE/SEL offers Keyless Access.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Altima’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Jetta’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

Both the Altima and the Jetta 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 Jetta 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 Jetta SE/SEL.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Altima is less expensive to operate than the Jetta because typical repairs cost much less on the Altima than the Jetta, including $430 less for a water pump, $328 less for a muffler, $366 less for a starter, $101 less for fuel injection, $148 less for a fuel pump, $173 less for front struts and $43 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Nissan Altima, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volkswagen Jetta isn't recommended.

The Nissan Altima outsold the Volkswagen Jetta by 72% during 2025.

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