Nissan Altima vs. Toyota Camry | 2023 Comparison + The Best Model Year For Every Budget

Per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, both the Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry are classified as mid-size sedans. These classifications are based on passenger volume and cargo space but don’t assume that means these sedans stack up the same inside. 

For example, the trunk space and overall passenger volume of both cars are within a whisker of one another and yet, the Camry comes with nearly 3 inches of additional backseat legroom. We’ll go deeper on this below, but it’s worth keeping in mind depending on your particular needs.

Engine Options & Specifications:

There are a lot of powertrain similarities with the 2023 Altima and Camry. Both are fitted with a 2.5L inline-4 on base models – though the Camry’s is more potent – both offer FWD or AWD, and both deliver the same 32 MPG combined for entry-level trim lines. 

However, only the Toyota Camry offers a hybrid and V6 powertrain. In hybrid form, the Camry can deliver fuel economy as high as 52 MPG combined and nearly 650 miles of driving range on a full tank. 

And though the Altima in SR VC-Turbo spec is a compelling model, its turbocharged 2.0L four-pot comes up short against the Camry’s 301-horse naturally aspirated 3.5L V6. If sedan stoplight racing is your thing, be aware that the Camry TRD will blow the doors off all Altima contenders.

Transmission Options & Specifications:

Nissan has been a staunch supporter of continuously variable transmission (CVT) for years, so no surprise that it is the only option for the 2023 Altima. Toyota follows suit with the hybrid Camry lineup but fits the rest of the models with a traditional 8-speed automatic transmission.

Curious about how a CVT differs from a typical automatic? Check out our Tech Talk section below and prepare to be educated!

TECH TALK: CVTs

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) does not use gears like a typical automatic transmission. Instead, it has two pulleys connected by a belt. One pulley connects to the engine, and the other connects to the wheels. The belt transfers the power between the pulleys. This setup allows the pulleys to continuously change positions as needed. The CVT automatically adjusts the pulleys as required, providing smooth and efficient power delivery.

An electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) uses electronic controls and electric motors to vary gear ratios instead of a belt and pulley system. Unlike a regular CVT, an eCVT has no physical pulleys or belts—the gear ratio is adjusted seamlessly by controlling the speeds of electric motors and generators. This electronic control allows faster, smoother gear ratio changes compared to a traditional CVT. An eCVT also provides more flexibility, needing less space and having fewer moving parts.

Both Nissan and Altima build their respective midsize sedan with front-wheel-drive (FWD) but offer all-wheel-drive (AWD). Nissan doesn’t make AWD available on the VC-Turbo model and the Camry hybrids are FWD-only, but otherwise, it can be added for $1,400 on the Camry and $1,500 on the Altima.

NHTSA Safety Ratings:

Safety is a priority for many Altima and Camry buyers as these cars are frequently used to tote families around. So, it’s good to know that both 2023 model years come with a 5-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. 

However, looking a little more closely, we can see that the Camry fares even better as it has a 5-star rating in every category – frontal crash, side crash, and rollover. The Altima comes close but earns 4 stars in the frontal crash test.

Digging into the NHTSA test results, we can also see that within the Altima’s frontal crash-test protocol, the driver’s side earned 5 stars, but the passenger side came in at 4 stars.

IIHS Awards:

The safety theme of the new Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry continues per the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Like the NHTSA, the IIHS performs crash testing on vehicles, but it makes the testing more comprehensive by adding protocols for the evaluation of roof strength, head restraints & seats, headlights, and advanced safety nets like automatic emergency braking. 

Instead of using stars to rank safety, the IIHS awards ratings of Good (the best), Acceptable, Marginal, and Poor (the worst). For vehicles with exceptionally high testing performance, like our comparison subjects, the IIHS gives out TSP+ awards. This top rating means a vehicle has ratings of Good in all crash test protocols.

Airbags & Head Restraints:

Further bolstering the safety creds of the Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry are the long list of standard airbags in both cars. These safety devices are easy to take for granted given their prevalence, but considering how well they work, it’s worth knowing the details. 

Interestingly, Nissan says the Altima comes standard with 8 airbags and Toyota counts 10 in the Camry. But Nissan just counts them differently as both of these sedans have airbags in all the same places including front, side, and knee airbags for the first row, side airbags for the back row, and full-length curtain units.

That being said, neither offer overhead airbags nor active head restraints. Overhead airbags are a relatively new addition to the industry that offer additional head protection, while active head restraints are designed to reduce whiplash in rear-end collisions and are more common on high-end vehicles. 

Semi-Autonomous Driving:

Semi-autonomous driving technology has become increasingly prevalent on new cars, but in this comparison of the Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry, the Toyota delivers a more comprehensive bundle of systems.

Continuous assistive steering with corrective ability and adaptive cruise control is lineup-standard for the 2023 Camry. While all of these systems are available on the 2023 Altima, that availability varies by model as shown below.

As for advanced braking technology, a frontal automated emergency system is standard across both sedans, but only the Altima includes rear auto braking on every model whereas the Camry offers it on certain models. 

Neither the Altima nor Camry offer an automated parking system, which is more commonly seen on premium and luxury vehicles. 

Driver Warning Systems & Telematics:

The chart below complements the semi-autonomous discussion above with more details on which advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) Nissan and Toyota fit to their midsize sedans. 

Although both automakers include a robust ADAS roster – dubbed Safety Shield 360 in the Altima and Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ in the Camry – there are enough differences that buyers should spend some time figuring out which are the most important to them.

For example, a forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and lane-departure warning are standard across the board, but only the Altima offers a lane-departure mitigation component. As well, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are standard Altima systems but may require an upgrade on the Camry.

You won’t find intersection turn assistance or a safe exit alert on either vehicle, but traffic sign recognition and a rear occupant alert are both included on all Camrys versus varying availability on the Altima. Toyota also makes its telematics software standard equipment, but Nissan only fits it to the top-spec Altima SL.

Road Visibility Features:

The difference between driving at night with old-school halogen headlights and modern LEDs is, ahem, truly night and day. This improvement in visibility is an important safety consideration on a new car and fortunately is standard on both the 2023 Altima and Camry as are automatic high beams and a backup camera.

Adaptive headlights and rain-sensing wipers are also modern conveniences that make for a safer car as the former swivel in concert with the steering wheel and the latter manage wiper speed in the rain automatically. But, these remain higher-end amenities and are not offered on either the Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry.

Lastly, there is the head-up display, a system that can project details like speed and ADAS information on the windshield in front of the driver. This relatively high-tech feature cannot be found on the 2023 Altima but is offered on certain 2023 Camry models as detailed in the table below. 

Interior Features:

Considering how popular Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have become on modern cars, it’s surprising that Nissan doesn’t include it on the base Altima. However, it is standard on every other model and across the 2023 Camry lineup. 

And when it comes to a chilly morning, there’s nothing better than warming up your keister with heated front seats. This creature comfort is widely available across both cars and standard on some, but subscription-based heated seats are not. 

Part of a growing “Features On Demand” segment of the auto industry, paying for features like heated seats when you need them, but not when you don’t, is something most consumers remain unfamiliar with. But, you may want to get familiar as McKinsey says this type of thing is poised for serious growth.

Interior Dimensions:

We touched on the interior dimensions of the 2023 Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry above, but it’s worth going deeper on this topic because everyone’s needs are different. 

For instance, both of these cars comfortably seat 4 people in about 100 cubic feet of cabin space and offer around 15 cubic feet of trunk space. 

But the Altima has nearly 2 more inches of front legroom, which may be important to those who aren’t planning to put anyone in the back seat. But if that is a possibility, the Camry has almost 3 extra inches of rear legroom and 1 more inch of headroom back there. 

And if you intend to stuff 3 kids across the back row – which is a bad idea as I know from personal experience – both of these sedans have about 55 inches of hiproom across the back seat. However, the Altima enjoys 1 more inch of rear shoulder room and in this scenario, every little bit helps. 

Exterior Features:

There was a time when saying a Toyota Camry beats anything in the style department would be met with laughter. But these days, the Camry looks pretty sweet with all manner of paint colors, including red, and no shortage of sweet wheels. 

Yes, the Altima also offers red paint and wheels up to size 19. And yes, both of these sedans still show traces of their econo-car roots with steel wheels and hubcaps on lower-scale trims. But, the Altima SR VC-Turbo rims are mean-looking. 

And how about the matte black or even matte bronze rims Camry offers? It’s a downright car show with these two mainstream family movers! Keep in mind, as those rims get bigger and the tire sidewall gets narrower, ride quality usually suffers, and replacement cost definitely goes up.

Exterior Dimensions:

Looking at this table of exterior dimensions, it would appear that Toyota engineers are better at interior packaging. Though the Altima is slightly bigger in the length, width, and height department than the Camry, the Toyota offers more interior space in several key areas as noted earlier. 

Other than that, these cars ride on virtually identical wheelbases and the gas-powered four-cylinder versions have similar curb weights. Hybrid Camrys tend to be heavier, but that’s ok, the fuel economy more than makes up for it. 

As mainstream vehicles, the 2023 Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry share most warranty coverage terms. The basic warranty runs for 3 years or 36,000 miles and the powertrain is covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles in both cases. Toyota also includes a 10-year/150,000-mile warranty on battery packs for hybrid Camrys.

Though Nissan includes 3 years of roadside assistance to the 2 included by Toyota, the Camry comes with 2 years of complimentary service, something Nissan does not offer. 

Though some responses require a grain of salt, the What Car Should I Buy Reddit does offer a wide array of unfiltered perspectives on which car is better – the Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry. Looking through recent discussions about these two cars reveals some important notes. 

For one thing, there is a common thread of people pointing to the Camry being the best from a reliability perspective with statements like, “You just can’t beat Toyota in reliability.” While Toyotas are certainly reliable, we know from the objective FIXD Reliability Score comparison above that the Camry is not automatically more reliable than the Altima. 

Users also frequently point out the need for solid gas mileage to go with reliability. And while the 30+ MPG ratings offered by both the standard Altima and Camry are respectable, neither can touch the hybrid Camry as one user pointed out. 

The Camry is generally regarded as having a higher resale value, which we know is true, but is less helpful when you’re the buyer. And folks frequently commented on problems with Nissan’s CVTs, but that issue is typically related to the 2017 and earlier models, so keep that in mind when shopping. 

The bottom line, as one user so succinctly summed up is, “There are a lot of good sedans…The right car is the one that works for you, whether it’s the best deal or, the best combination of features…”