Nissan Altima vs. Honda Accord

Compare repair costs, reliability, and owner reviews

Nissan Altima

$483
Average Annual
Repair Cost

Honda Accord

$400
Average Annual
Repair Cost

Overall Reliability Rating

4
Above Average
The Nissan Altima Reliability Rating is 4.0 out of 5.0, which ranks it 11th out of 24 for midsize cars. The average annual repair cost is $483 which means it has lower than average ownership costs. The severity of repairs is average and the frequency of those issues is low, so major repairs are uncommon for the Altima.
4
1
2
Excellent
The Honda Accord Reliability Rating is 4.5 out of 5.0, which ranks it 1st out of 24 for midsize cars. The average annual repair cost is $400 which means it has excellent ownership costs. The severity and frequency of repairs are both much lower than other vehicles, so the Accord is one of the more reliable vehicles on the road.
Cost
Average annual repairs total
$483
inexpensive
expensive
$400
inexpensive
expensive
Frequency
Average annual repair shop visits
0.27
not often
very often
0.26
not often
very often
Severity
Percentage of annual repairs that are urgent
12%
not urgent
urgent
9%
not urgent
urgent

Overall Car Ratings & Details

5 (11)
4 (65)
3 (23)
2 (10)
1 (2)
The Nissan Altima ranks highest in safety and ranks lowest in fuel economy.
86% of reviewers would recommend this car.
“Bought my 93 Altima 8/2001 had 89,000 miles at the time. Now 10 years later 303,000 miles and running strong. Dig this 5 speed with original clutch. Great car”
“Bought my 93 Altima 8/2001 had 89,000 miles at the time. Now 10 years later 303,000 miles and...”
5 (31)
4 (103)
3 (66)
2 (30)
1 (9)
The Honda Accord ranks highest in value and ranks lowest in interior.
100% of reviewers would recommend this car.
“This car is great vehicle. My Accord has been very inexpensive to repair and drives well. The only issues I've had are some bulbs that have gone out in the dash and a check engine light because of...”
“This car is great vehicle. My Accord has been very inexpensive to repair and drives well. The...”

Vehicle Comparison Rundown

The Nissan Altima and the Honda Accord are two of the top-selling midsize cars on the market. They are both front-wheel drive sedans that seat five and have decent-size trunks. But there a few reasons you might favor the Accord, if you’re deciding between the two.

The Honda Accord has nicer materials in the interior, more standard features in all trim levels, better technology and better reliability. It also handles and performs better, and offers the option of a manual transmission. The Nissan Altima gets slightly better fuel mileage than the Accord, but headroom is tight in the back seat. Also, the Altima may be a bit more stylish than the Accord.

Both of these sedans are good options, but the Honda Accord edges out the Nissan Altima in most areas, making it better overall.