2026 Honda Civic vs 2026 Nissan Altima
Too close to call: Honda Civic 92.3 vs Nissan Altima 91.3 with these weights. The Nissan Altima is ahead on safety and performance. Raise the performance weight from 2 to 2.8 and it flips.
2026 Honda Civic
The 2026 Honda Civic is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Civic 4Dr, is EPA-ra…
2026 Nissan Altima
The 2026 Nissan Altima is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Altima, is EPA-rated at 30 mp…
2026 Honda Civic
Toss-upToo close to call: Honda Civic 92.3 vs Nissan Altima 91.3 with these weights. The Nissan Altima is ahead on safety and performance. Raise the performance weight from 2 to 2.8 and it flips.
| Category · weight | 2026 Nissan Altimaoverall 91.3 | 2026 Honda Civicoverall 92.3 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricew 4 | 90.6 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
Base MSRP of the trim (or the model's lowest trim). Lower is better. | |||||||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 60.4 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 100 | 84.5 | |||||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | |||||||||||||||||
| Space & cargow 2 | 100 | 97.4 | |||||||||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | |||||||||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 100 | 77.8 | |||||||||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | |||||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 100 | 90.9 | |||||||||||||||
Standard (1) and optional (0.5) infotainment, convenience, climate and interior features from the manufacturer's press kit. | |||||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Overall | 91.3 | 92.3 | |||||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 6 of 7 categories compared
Nissan Altima: base trim SV FWD · Honda Civic: base trim LX FWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Raise the performance weight from 2 to 2.8 and the answer flips.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2026 Honda Civic wins
- It costs $900 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($1,350 against $2,250).
- It is rated 49 combined against 30 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
- It starts $2,585 lower ($24,995 against $27,580 base MSRP).
Where the 2026 Nissan Altima answers
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (1 against 32 filed with NHTSA).
- It turns out 180 lb-ft of torque against 133.
What they share
- 5 NHTSA stars.
- 5 seats.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
45 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $27,580 | $24,995 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | naturally aspirated | naturally aspirated |
| Cylinder count | 4 | 4 |
| Engine displacement | 2,488 cc | 1,993 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 2.5L 4-cylinder inline DOHC | Atkinson In-Line 4-cylinder |
| Fuel injection system | gdi mpi | gdi mpi |
| Valve configuration | 4 valves per cylinder; CVTCS on intake and exhaust valves | DOHC 16-Valve |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 188 hp | 150 hp |
| Torque | 180 lb-ft | 133 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 26 mpg | 32 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | 30 mpg | 36 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | 36 mpg | 41 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 4.828 | 3.941 |
| Transmission type | cvt | Continuously Variable Transmission |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Overall height | 56.8 in | 55.7 in |
| Overall length | 193 in | 185 in |
| Overall width | 72.9 in | 70.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 111 in | 108 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | 15.4 cu-ft | 14.8 cu-ft |
| Total interior volume | 101 cu-ft | 99 cu-ft |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 39.1 in | 39.3 in |
| Second-row headroom | 36.9 in | 37.1 in |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 43.8 in | 42.3 in |
| Second-row legroom | 35.2 in | 37.4 in |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | — | 2,875 lbs |
| Curb weight (minimum) | — | 2,875 lbs |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | Independent strut with coil springs, aluminum links, 25mm stabilizer bar | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear suspension type | Multi-link independent suspension, 26mm hollow stabilizer bar | Multi-Link |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Dual-pinion electric-powered steering system | Variable Ratio Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 18.7 ft | 36.1 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | 296 mm | — |
| Front brake type | Power-assisted vented disc | ventilated disc |
| Parking brake type | Foot brake / mechanical | Electric |
| Rear brake diameter | 292 mm | — |
| Rear brake type | solid disc | solid disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 17 in | 16 in |
| Wheel material | alloy | Full Covers |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 215/55R17 | 215/55R16 93H |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 16.2 gal | 12.4 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | 87 | 87 |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | NissanConnect Services Powered by SiriusXM | HondaLink |
| Connected services trial (standard tier) | 3 months | 36 months |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 58.2 in | 57 in |
| Second-row shoulder room | 57.1 in | 56 in |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
150 features · differences first, then sharedSafety30 differ · 44 listed
| Feature | Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow | opt | std |
| Rear Cross Traffic Monitor (CTM) | std | — |
| Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) | opt | std |
| Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) Body Structure | — | std |
| Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection | std | — |
| Blind Spot Information System (BSI) | std | — |
| Child safety rear door locks | std | — |
| Child-Proof Rear Door Locks | — | std |
| Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) | — | std |
| Direct Ignition System with Immobilizer | — | std |
| Easy-Fill Tire Alert | std | — |
| Electric Parking Brake with Automatic Brake Hold | — | std |
| Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) | — | std |
| Electronic Brake Force Distribution | std | — |
| Emergency inside trunk release | std | — |
| Intelligent Driver Alertness | std | — |
| LATCH System | std | — |
| Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH): Lower Anchors (2nd-Row Outboard), Tether Anchors (2nd-Row All) | — | std |
| ProPILOT Assist | opt | — |
| Rear Automatic Braking | std | — |
| Rear Door Alert | std | — |
| Rear Seat Reminder (RSR) | — | std |
| Rear Sonar System | std | — |
| Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM) | — | std |
| Seat-Belt Reminder for all Seating Positions | — | std |
| Traction Control System | std | — |
| Traffic Jam Assist | — | std |
| Traffic Sign Recognition System (TSR) | — | std |
| Vehicle Security System | std | — |
| Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System | std | — |
| Forward Collision Warning (FCW) | std | std |
| Driver's and Front Passenger's Advanced Front Airbags (SRS) | std | std |
| Driver's and Front Passenger's Front Side Airbags | std | std |
| Lane Departure Warning (LDW) | std | std |
| Rearview Camera with Dynamic Guidelines | std | std |
| Side Curtain Airbags with Rollover Sensor | std | std |
| Rear Outboard Passenger's Side Airbags | std | std |
| Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) | std | std |
| Auto High-Beam Headlights | std | std |
| Brake Assist | std | std |
| Driver's and Front Passenger's Knee Airbags (SRS) | std | std |
| Hill Start Assist | std | std |
| Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control | std | std |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) | std | std |
Infotainment31 differ · 31 listed
| Feature | Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Hotspot Capability | opt | — |
| 12.3-inch HD color display with multi-touch control | opt | — |
| 160-watt Audio System with 4 Speakers | — | std |
| 7-inch Advanced Drive-Assist® Display | std | — |
| 7-Inch Color Touchscreen | — | std |
| 7-Inch TFT Meter | — | std |
| 8-inch color display with multi-touch control | std | — |
| AM/FM with 6 speakers | std | — |
| Android Auto™ Compatibility | — | std |
| Apple CarPlay® Compatibility | — | std |
| Bluetooth® hands-free phone system | std | — |
| Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® | — | std |
| Bluetooth® Streaming Audio | — | std |
| Hands-Free Text Messaging Assistant | std | — |
| HondaLink® | — | std |
| NissanConnect® featuring Apple CarPlay® integration and Android Auto™ | std | — |
| Radio Data System (RDS) | — | std |
| Siri Eyes Free®/Google Assistant™ Voice Recognition | std | — |
| SiriusXM® with advanced audio features (SiriusXM® subscription required, sold separately – three-month trial period included) | std | — |
| Speed-Sensitive Volume Compensation (SVC) | — | std |
| Steering wheel-mounted control switches (cruise control, audio, Bluetooth® hands-free phone system) | std | — |
| Streaming audio via Bluetooth® | std | — |
| Two front illuminated USB connection ports (one Type-A, one Type-C) | std | — |
| Two rear illuminated USB charge ports (one Type-A, one Type-C) | opt | — |
| USB-C 3.0A Charging Port (1) Front Seats | — | std |
| USB-C 3.0A Smartphone/Audio Interface (1) - Front Seats | — | std |
| Wired Android Auto | std | — |
| Wired Apple CarPlay | std | — |
| Wireless Android Auto | opt | — |
| Wireless Apple CarPlay | opt | — |
| Wireless Phone Charger (Qi) | opt | — |
Convenience9 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Remote engine start | std | — |
| 12-Volt Power Outlet (Front) | — | std |
| One-Touch Turn Indicators | — | std |
| Parking brake – Electronic / switch | opt | — |
| Power Door Locks | — | std |
| Power door locks with selective unlocking | std | — |
| Power windows with auto up/down with auto reverse – driver side | std | — |
| Power Windows with Auto-Up/Down Driver's and Front Passenger's Windows | — | std |
| Security System with Remote Entry and Trunk Release | — | std |
| Push Button Start | std | std |
| Cruise Control | std | std |
Climate3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Climate Control System | — | std |
| Dual-Zone Automatic Temperature Control | opt | — |
| Front HVAC system microfilter | std | — |
Seating10 differ · 10 listed
| Feature | Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Driver's Seat with 8-Way Power Adjustment | std | — |
| Heated Front Seats | opt | — |
| 2-way power lumbar | opt | — |
| 4-way manual passenger seat | std | — |
| 5-Person Seating Capacity | — | std |
| Front Passenger's Seat with 4-Way Power Adjustment | opt | — |
| Leather-appointed seating | opt | — |
| One Piece Fold-Down Rear Seatback | — | std |
| Woven fabric seating | std | — |
| Zero gravity bucket front seats | std | — |
Interior12 differ · 12 listed
| Feature | Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 3-spoke urethane steering wheel | std | — |
| Cargo Area Light | — | std |
| Center Console Armrest with Storage Compartment | — | std |
| Center console with armrest, 12V power outlet and storage | std | — |
| Dual overhead front map lights with sunglass holder | std | — |
| Front Beverage Holders | — | std |
| Illuminated Steering Wheel-Mounted Controls | — | std |
| Map Lights | — | std |
| Rear reading lights | std | — |
| Sliding Sunvisors | — | std |
| Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column | — | std |
| Floor Mats | — | std |
Exterior23 differ · 24 listed
| Feature | Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| One-Touch Power Moonroof with Tilt Feature | opt | — |
| 17-inch alloy wheel, gloss black | opt | — |
| 17-inch machined aluminum-alloy with painted inserts | std | — |
| 19-inch machined aluminum-alloy with painted inserts | opt | — |
| 215/55R17 all-season tires | std | — |
| 235/40R19 all-season tires | opt | — |
| Active grille shutters | std | — |
| Capless Fuel Filler | — | std |
| Center High-Mounted Stop Light (LED) | std | — |
| Compact Spare Tire | — | std |
| Dual power remote-controlled sideview mirrors – manual folding | std | — |
| Exhaust finisher | opt | — |
| Fin-Type Roof-Mounted Antenna | — | std |
| Flat blade variable intermittent windshield wipers with mist cycle | std | — |
| Intelligent Auto Headlights – LED, Daytime Running Lights, High Beam Assist | std | — |
| LED Brake and Taillights | — | std |
| LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) | — | std |
| LED Headlights with Auto-On/Off | — | std |
| Power Side Mirrors | — | std |
| Push-to-Release Fuel Filler Door | — | std |
| Rear decklid spoiler | opt | — |
| Two-Speed Intermittent Windshield Wipers | — | std |
| Temporary spare tire – 16 x 4T, steel wheel | std | — |
| Rear-Window Defroster with Timer | std | std |
Powertrain8 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive | std | — |
| Atkinson In-Line 4-cylinder (Engine Type) | — | std |
| Continuously Variable Transmission | — | std |
| Direct Fuel Injection | — | std |
| Dynamic Drive Modes | — | std |
| Eco Assist™ System | — | std |
| Honda Maintenance Program 1yr / 12k miles | — | std |
| Idle-Stop | — | std |
| Front-Wheel Drive | std | std |
Chassis6 differ · 6 listed
| Feature | Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Active Ride Control | opt | — |
| Intelligent Trace Control | opt | — |
| MacPherson Strut Front Suspension | — | std |
| Multi-Link Rear Suspension | — | std |
| Variable Ratio Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion Steering (EPS) | — | std |
| ZF Sachs monotube rear shock absorbers | std | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPNissan Altima
Top recalls
No recalls on file.
Honda Civic
Top recalls
- high Steering 24V744000 · 1,693,199 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Nissan AltimaSV FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $27,580 (base trim) | $24,995 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $27,580 – $30,480 4 trims | $24,995 – $32,695 4 trims |
| Powertrains | GAS | HEV, GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | Altima | Civic 4Dr |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 30 | 49 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,250 | $1,350 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Nissan Altima or the 2026 Honda Civic?
Too close to call: Honda Civic 92.3 vs Nissan Altima 91.3 with these weights. The Nissan Altima is ahead on safety and performance. Raise the performance weight from 2 to 2.8 and it flips. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Honda Civic scores 92.3 and the 2026 Nissan Altima 91.3. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which is cheaper, the 2026 Nissan Altima or the 2026 Honda Civic?
The 2026 Honda Civic starts lower — $24,995 against $27,580, a gap of $2,585 at the trims compared here. Both are manufacturer MSRPs before destination, options and dealer charges.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Nissan Altima or the 2026 Honda Civic?
2026 Nissan Altima: 5 NHTSA stars, grade A, 0 recalls. 2026 Honda Civic: 5 NHTSA stars, grade A, 1 recall. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2026 Nissan Altima and the 2026 Honda Civic?
Where the 2026 Honda Civic wins: it costs $900 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($1,350 against $2,250), is rated 49 combined against 30 (EPA mpg or MPGe), and starts $2,585 lower ($24,995 against $27,580 base MSRP). Where the 2026 Nissan Altima answers: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (1 against 32 filed with NHTSA) and turns out 180 lb-ft of torque against 133. What they share: 5 NHTSA stars and 5 seats.