2017 Nissan Altima vs Honda Accord
Crossovers, trucks, and SUVs might be ruling the automotive world right now, but midsize sedans are still fiercely competing for some sizable sales. Such intense competition usually leads to some outstanding vehicles, and two of the best are the 2017 Nissan Altima and the Honda Accord. So, let's put them up against each other to see which one comes out on top.
Neither of these two sedans would break the mold with revolutionary exterior styling, but they are solidly stylish. The 2017 Nissan Altima's front and rear fascias were updated last year to embrace the design language introduced on the Maxima sedan. The V-shaped grille, re-sculpted fenders, and available LED headlights have updated and enhanced what was already a handsome look.
The Honda Accord has a look that's also been refreshed, and if you're a fan of the Accord or Honda in general, you're likely to love it. But this ninth-generation model is a little run-of-the-mill for our standards, and its tall, upright structure is a bit at odds with current tastes. Both are perfectly capable sedan designs, but we'll give Nissan here a small edge over the Accord.
Midsize sedans are more likely to cover more highway and city streets in their lifetimes than many other vehicle types, so fuel economy is always a big consideration with buyers. The 2017 Nissan Altima fares particularly well in this area with best EPA-estimated ratings of 27 mpg in the city, 39 mpg on the highway and 31 mpg combined.
The Accord is no slouch in economy by any means, but it can't quite match the numbers delivered by the Nissan. The best you can get from a 2017 Honda Accord sedan is an EPA-rated 27 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway and 30 combined (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=37625). Not bad, but another victory for the Nissan Altima.
Both of these models offer a four-cylinder engine and a V-6 alternative. The standard engine in the 2017 Nissan Altima is a 2.5-liter unit with 179 horsepower and 177 lb.-ft. of torque. The V-6 is 3.5-liter that puts 270 horsepower and 251 lb.-ft. of torque at your disposal.
The standard engine in the Honda Accord is a 2.4-liter four cylinder option that beats the unit in the Nissan with 182 horsepower. It's a similar story with the V-6 as the 3.5 in the Accord has 8 more horsepower available than its Nissan counterpart. What does that all mean? You'll get a bit more get up and go with the Honda, so this round the nod goes to the slightly more powerful Honda.
The 2017 Nissan Altima takes quite a logical approach to its trim levels. The Altima is available in seven different trims that start with four-cylinder models and then go to V-6 versions. The lineup starts off with the base 2.5, and from there it goes up through S, SR, SV and SL trims (all with the four-cylinder engine). The top two trims feature the 3.5-liter V-6 SR and a V-6 version of the SL.
The Honda adopts a very similar format, so the Accord lineup starts with the four-cylinder LX and then goes to four-cylinder Sport, Sport SE, EX, EX-L and EX-L with Navigation trims. The top trim levels are then V-6 versions of the EX-L and EX-L with Navigation, and finally the top-of-the-line V-6 Sport Touring. It would be a dead heat here, but when you dig down into those trims, Nissan offers a few things that the Honda doesn't. All Altimas except the base model get a standard hands-free text messaging assistant that the Accord doesn't offer, so in this dead heat contest, we'll give the hat tip to the extras in the Altima.
Learn More about the Nissan Altima
The best choice here is clearly the 2017 Nissan Altima. You'll get a hint of a luxury ride in the refreshed Altima, with a more upscale look and feel compared to the Accord. Combine that with added power and better efficiency, and there's no doubt that the Altima should be your choice.