Compare the2026 Nissan AltimaVS 2026 Honda Civic

Safety
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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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 Honda Civic has not been tested.

The Altima AWD offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Civic 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 Civic only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Altima has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Civic Sport/Touring offers Rear Cross Traffic Monitor.

Both the Altima and the Civic have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

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 Honda Civic:

	Altima	Civic
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	171	325
Neck Injury Risk	30%	30%
Leg Forces (l/r)	114/342 lbs.	189/372 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 Honda Civic:

	Altima	Civic
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	185	268
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	79 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	157	260
Spine Acceleration	42 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	769 lbs.	805 lbs.

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

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Altima has a standard 510-amp battery. The Civic’s 500-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Altima first among midsize cars in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Civic 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 Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 6th.

Engine

The Altima AWD’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 32 more horsepower (182 vs. 150) and 45 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 133) than the Civic’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Altima AWD is faster than the Honda Civic 4 cyl.:

	Altima	Civic
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	9.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15.9 sec	17.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	89.5 MPH	84.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Altima AWD’s standard fuel tank has 5.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Civic Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (16 vs. 10.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Altima FWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Civic’s standard fuel tank (16.2 vs. 12.4 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Altima	Civic
Front Rotors	11.65 inches	11.1 inches
Rear Rotors	11.02 inches	10.2 inches
Opt Rear Rotors	11.5 inches

The Altima stops much shorter than the Civic:

	Altima	Civic
70 to 0 MPH	164 feet	180 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	140 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Altima SV has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Civic LX Sedan. The Altima SR’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Civic Sport/Touring.

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 Civic doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Altima’s wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than on the Civic (111.2 inches vs. 107.7 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 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Civic.

The Altima SR handles at .90 G’s, while the Civic Sport Touring Hybrid Sedan pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Altima executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Civic Sport Sedan (26.3 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

Chassis

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 Civic 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 Civic Sport Sedan (77 vs. 78 dB).

Passenger Space

The Altima has 1.5 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front hip room, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, 5.6 inches more rear hip room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Civic.

Cargo Capacity

The Altima has a larger trunk than the Civic Sedan (15.4 vs. 14.8 cubic feet).

The Altima’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Civic LX Sedan’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

Ergonomics

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

The Altima’s standard Intelligent Key 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. Pushbutton Start standard on the Civic only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the car. Pushbutton Start is not available on the Civic Sport/Touring.

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 Civic LX/Sport’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

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 Civic doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the Altima and the Civic 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 Civic doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Compared to the Honda Civic, the Nissan Altima eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

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 Civic Touring/Sport Touring.

Recommendations

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

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