2025 Toyota Camry vs 2024 Nissan Altima

The 2024 Nissan Altima retained much of its familiar design, with only minor updates since its sixth-generation debut in 2019. The 2023 model introduced a new grille with an open-bottomed edge, adding a touch of boldness to its otherwise conservative styling. The Altima was available in four trim levels: S, SV, SR, and SL, with most models featuring front-wheel drive, while the SV, SR, and SL offered all-wheel drive options. The SR trim could be equipped with the more powerful VC-Turbo engine. Our test vehicle, an Altima SL with AWD, sported Garnet Pearl Metallic paint and 19-inch alloy wheels, presenting a refined yet understated appearance. Inside, the Altima's cabin felt somewhat outdated, with soft yellow overhead lights and wood trim reminiscent of older vehicles. However, the seats were notably comfortable, and the layout was practical, with easy-to-reach cupholders and cubbies. The leather upholstery in the SL trim was somewhat disappointing in quality, and there was an abundance of cheap plastic parts throughout the cabin.

The 2025 Toyota Camry showcased a refreshed design, particularly noticeable at the front with its "hammerhead front face" that echoed the new Prius and Lexus spindle grille. LED headlights and daytime running lights were standard, and the Camry's profile remained largely unchanged, with a coupe-like roofline emphasized by the extended rear window surround. The base LE trim featured 16-inch alloy wheels, while the SE and XLE trims sported black 18-inch wheels, and the XSE trim boasted 19-inch wheels in black and Smoke Gray. The SE and XSE trims included sporty elements like front air ducts, rear diffusers, and exposed dual-tip exhausts. The XSE also offered a two-tone paint option with a Midnight Black Metallic roof. Inside, the Camry's interior was a departure from its predecessor, with a new dash layout and a center touchscreen housing that flowed across the passenger side. The quilted Dinamica microfiber in the XLE test car was a light gray color, found on the dash and door cards, which could attract spills and oils over time. The base LE trim came with fabric seating, while the SE featured SofTex synthetic leather, and the XSE offered perforated leather seats in Cockpit red or black with blue accents.

The 2024 Nissan Altima was equipped with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. This provided adequate performance, with a 0 to 60 mph time of approximately 7.5 seconds. For those seeking more power, the Altima SR VC-Turbo offered a 2.0-liter VC-turbo four-cylinder engine, producing 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. However, this engine was not available with AWD, which could be a drawback for those in snowy regions. Our test car featured Nissan's "intelligent" AWD system, which monitored wheel traction and delivered power to the rear wheels as needed. This system was more fuel-efficient than full-time AWD setups, allowing the Altima to achieve an EPA estimated 26 mpg city, 36 highway, and 30 combined. The Altima's steering felt light, but its low center of gravity minimized body roll in corners. The brakes were predictable, and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) managed power output well, though it produced a droning noise under heavy acceleration.

The 2025 Toyota Camry introduced Toyota's fifth-generation hybrid system, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric motors. FWD models featured two electric motors, producing a total of 225 horsepower, while AWD models had three motors, generating 232 horsepower. The electronic AWD system provided extra traction with minimal impact on fuel economy, with Toyota estimating 50 mpg combined for AWD models and 51 mpg for FWD. The Camry offered two suspension tunings, with the XLE and LE focused on comfort. The hybrid system transitioned smoothly between gas and electric power, though engine noise was noticeable at higher speeds. The XLE's acoustic laminated front side glass reduced road and wind noise. The braking system felt normal, similar to a traditional gas-only sedan, and the hybrid system operated in the background, with an EV mode available at speeds under 25 mph.

The 2024 Nissan Altima offered impressive interior space, with front seats providing more room than competitors like the Honda Accord, Subaru Legacy, and Toyota Camry, though less than the Hyundai Sonata and Kia K5. The rear seat offered 35.2 inches of legroom, surpassing the Sonata and matching the K5, but falling short of the Accord, Legacy, and Camry. Trunk space measured 15.4 cubic feet, outclassing the Legacy and Camry but not the Koreans or the Accord. The Altima's trunk-lid opening was wide, facilitating the loading of bulky items, and the 60/40-split folding rear seat maximized cargo space. Overall, the Altima was easy to live with, thanks to its comfortable seats and well-placed cupholders and cubbies.

The 2025 Toyota Camry's XLE test car featured a heated steering wheel, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, and a six-way power-adjustable front passenger's seat, standard on both X grades. Heated and ventilated front seats were available options for the XLE and XSE trims, while dual-zone climate control and rear-seat air vents were standard across all trims. The 2025 model year introduced a panoramic moonroof option for hybrid Camrys, available on the top two trims. Toyota had not published interior dimensions for the new Camry, but changes were expected to be minimal, with front-row legroom comparable to the 2024 Honda Accord Hybrid. The Camry's trunk space was estimated to remain around 15.1 cubic feet, similar to the 2024 model.

The 2024 Nissan Altima featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system on most trims, with the base S trim using a 7-inch screen. Our test car had a 12.3-inch display, standard on the SL and SR VC-Turbo trims, offering crisp graphics and excellent resolution. The system included static icons for easy navigation and an organized tile view on the home screen. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were standard, with wireless versions available only on the largest screen. The available nine-speaker Bose stereo was underwhelming, and the SiriusXM satellite radio screen appeared cluttered. NissanConnect telematics features were standard on the SL and SR VC-Turbo trims, allowing remote locking, unlocking, and starting via the MyNissan smartphone app.

The 2025 Toyota Camry came standard with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen running the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and managing simultaneous Bluetooth connections with two smartphones. A wireless charging pad and five USB ports were standard, with USB-A and USB-C charging technology available. Higher trims received a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital driver information display. A 10-inch head-up display and a nine-speaker JBL Premium Audio system were available for XLE and XSE trims. Subscription offerings included 4G Wi-Fi connectivity and Drive Connect, which added an Intelligent Assistant voice-recognition system. However, the voice recognition struggled during testing.

The 2024 Nissan Altima earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with excellent side-impact and rollover crash test results. However, it scored four stars in the overall frontal crash test and driver-side barrier crash test. The 2022 Altima received a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS, but the 2024 model did not due to poor performance in the updated side-impact test. The Altima came equipped with Nissan Safety Shield 360, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-departure warning. The SL and SR VC-Turbo trims added a 360-degree surround-view monitor and traffic-sign recognition. ProPilot Assist semi-autonomous driving tech was available on SV trims and standard on SL and SR VC-Turbo models.

The 2025 Toyota Camry featured the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-tracing assist, lane-departure alert with steering assist, and road-sign assist. The Premium Plus Package, available on XLE and XSE trims, added front cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, and a panoramic view monitor. Traffic-jam assist required an active Drive Connect subscription. The lane-keeping assist system was firm yet deferential. The 2025 Camry had not completed crash testing, but strong scores were expected based on Toyota's reputation and the Camry's history. The 2024 Camry earned a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS and scored well in NHTSA tests.