Compare the2026 Nissan AltimaVS 2026 Cadillac CT4

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 Cadillac CT4 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 Cadillac CT4 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 Cadillac CT4 has not been tested.

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 CT4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Altima and the CT4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 available around view monitors.

There are over 88 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Altima’s warranty.

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 CT4.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Altima first among midsize cars in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The CT4 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 Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 9 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

On the EPA test cycle the Altima gets better mileage than the CT4:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Altima uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CT4 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Altima has a standard locking fuel door. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the CT4. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Nissan Altima higher (6 out of 10) than the Cadillac CT4 (5 to 6). This means the Altima produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CT4 every 15,000 miles.

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 CT4 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Altima stops shorter than the CT4:

The Altima has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the CT4; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the CT4 don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Altima’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the CT4 (111.2 inches vs. 109.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Altima is 2.7 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the CT4.

The Altima SR handles at .90 G’s, while the CT4 Premium Luxury AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Altima a Mid-size car, while the CT4 is rated a Compact.

The Altima has 10.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CT4 (100.6 vs. 90).

The Altima has .8 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front hip room, 3 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 1.8 inches more rear legroom, 2 inches more rear hip room and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the CT4.

The front step up height for the Altima is 2.5 inches lower than the CT4 (14” vs. 16.5”). The Altima’s rear step up height is 3 inches lower than the CT4’s (14” vs. 17”).

The Altima has a much larger trunk than the CT4 (15.4 vs. 10.7 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 CT4’s liftover is 30 inches.

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 CT4 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 CT4’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Altima and the Cadillac CT4, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Nissan Altima outsold the Cadillac CT4 by almost 17 to one during 2025.