Used car prices have crashed this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a good deal. If you’re looking for a midsize sedan, we recommend looking at cars older than three years to find something for a reasonable price. Some good examples include the 2018 Nissan Altima and the Toyota Camry.
Both these sedans are spacious, responsive and offer a lot of comfort. However, they are quite different. Let’s take a closer look and compare them.
The Toyota Camry received major styling updates for 2018, while the Nissan Altima did not
If you’re shopping for the 2018 model year, you’ll find that the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima are pitted against each other. The Camry was updated for 2018 while the Altima was nearing the end of its fifth generation. As such, Toyota has updated the Camry’s styling to feature a much more angular and attractive look.
The Nissan Altima, on the other hand, looks the same since the 2013 model year. And while it still had an attractive and curvy figure, it didn’t look as handsome as the updated Camry. However, if you’re shopping for an Altima of this vintage and want it to look sporty, we recommend looking for an SR trim level, which has special wheels and sporty exterior enhancements.
Both sedans have spacious interiors, but the Toyota Camry has a slight advantage
When looking at the interior of the 2018 Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, you’ll find that both offer plenty of space and style. We think the Camry’s interior looks a little more stylish, given the year the car was made. However, the Altima has comfortable “zero gravity” front seats, which is an added plus.
However, the Camry has a little more legroom for rear-seat passengers and available tanned leather seats and wood trim. If you’re choosing between the two, we have to agree with Autotrader, which says, “The Camry wins over the Altima in interior design. There’s nothing wrong with the Nissan’s interior; It doesn’t look nearly as good as the Toyota.”
The Toyota Camry has a bit more to offer in the technology department
Regarding the technical specifications of these two cars, the 2018 Toyota Camry has more to offer. Every 2018 Camry comes with Toyota’s Safety Sense P, which includes driver-assist features such as a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure with steering assist, auto high beams and adaptive cruise control.
Other tech features on the Camry include the Entune 3.0 infotainment system with an available 8-inch touchscreen and a 9-speaker JBL sound system. A 10-inch head-up display is available, as well as Toyota’s Remote Connect app, which lets you monitor your Camry at all times.
The Nissan Altima comes standard with a NissanConnect 5-inch infotainment system in addition to Bluetooth and a rearview camera. Stepping up to higher trims unlocks more premium features like leather seats, a V6 engine, and a Bose premium audio system. For a sportier look, try an Altima SR and an Altima SV for tech features like blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and remote start.
While the Altima offers a lot of tech features for the money, we think the Camry has it beat in this category.
Both cars have the same engine
As for powertrains, both of these sedans are powered by either a four-cylinder or a V6 under the hood. The Toyota Camry’s base engine is a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that generates 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. The available 3.5-liter V6 offers more power as it’s rated at 301 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque.
The Nissan Altima is powered by a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 179 hp and 177 pound-feet of torque, slightly less than the Camry. And if you upgrade to the 3.5-liter V6, you get 270 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. In that case, if you want power, the Toyota Camry might be a better way to go.
2018 Toyota Camry vs. 2018 Nissan Altima: Which Sedan Should You Choose?
If you’re looking for a good mix of reliability, comfort, and power, we recommend looking into a 2018 Toyota Camry. Don’t get us wrong, the Nissan Altima is still a great choice, but the Camry may present a better value proposition.