Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2015 Nissan Altima VS 2014 Toyota Camry Near Phoenix, AZ

The Altima Sedan SV/SL’s optional lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. The Camry doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

Compared to metal, the Altima Sedan’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Toyota Camry has a metal gas tank.

Both the Altima Sedan and the Camry have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front-wheel drive, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Altima Sedan is safer than the Toyota Camry:

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 Sedan is safer than the Toyota Camry:

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

The Altima Sedan has more powerful engines than the Camry:

As tested in Motor Trend the Altima Sedan 2.5 DOHC 4 cyl. is faster than the Toyota Camry 4 cyl.:

As tested in Consumer Reports the Altima Sedan 3.5 DOHC V6 is faster than the Camry Hybrid 2.5 DOHC 4 cyl. hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the Altima Sedan gets better fuel mileage than the Camry:

The Altima Sedan has a gallon more fuel capacity than the Camry (18 vs. 17 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Altima Sedan stops shorter than the Camry:

For better traction, the Altima Sedan has larger standard tires than the Camry (215/60R16 vs. 205/65R16). The Altima Sedan 3.5’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Camry (235/45R18 vs. 225/45R18).

The Altima Sedan 2.5/2.5 S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Camry L/LE/Hybrid’s standard 65 series tires.

The Altima Sedan 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 Camry doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Altima Sedan 2.5 SL handles at .84 G’s, while the Camry Hybrid XLE pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Altima Sedan 3.5 SL executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Camry XLE (27.1 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Altima Sedan 2.5/2.5 S’ turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Camry’s (36.1 feet vs. 36.7 feet).

The Altima Sedan has 1.2 inches more front headroom and 3.4 inches more front legroom than the Camry.

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Altima Sedan easier. The Altima Sedan’s trunk lift-over height is 26.9 inches, while the Camry’s liftover is 28.2 inches.

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

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Altima offers cargo security. The Camry’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

The engine computer on the Altima Sedan automatically engages the starter until the car starts with one twist of the key and disables the starter while the engine is running. The Camry’s starter can be accidentally engaged while the engine is running, making a grinding noise and possibly damaging the starter and ring gear.

The Altima Sedan’s optional front power windows open fully with one touch of the switches, and the driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Camry’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the front windows are left down on the Altima Sedan the driver can raise them using the key in the outside lock cylinder. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from outside the vehicle using the key in the outside lock cylinder or the keyless remote. The driver of the Camry can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Altima Sedan’s standard power locks allow the driver or passenger to lock or unlock all the doors at a touch without leaning over, or reaching to the back seat. The Camry L doesn’t offer power locks.

The Altima Sedan’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 Camry L’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent. The Camry LE/SE/XLE’s manually variable intermittent wipers don’t change delay with speed.

On extremely cold Winter days, the Altima Sedan SL’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Camry doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Insurance will cost less for the Altima Sedan owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Altima Sedan with a number “3” insurance rate while the Camry is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Altima Sedan is less expensive to operate than the Camry because typical repairs cost much less on the Altima Sedan than the Camry, including $25 less for a water pump, $66 less for a starter, $151 less for front struts, $909 less for a timing belt/chain and $200 less for a power steering pump.

Both the Nissan Altima Sedan and Toyota Camry won four awards in Kiplinger’s 2014 car issue.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its December 2012 issue and they ranked the Nissan Altima Sedan 2.5 SV higher than the Toyota Camry XLE.