Used 2021 Nissan Altima for Sale nearColumbia, SC

How much does the 2021 Nissan Altima cost?

Prices have softened 9.14% compared to this time last year, making it a favorable time to shop this model year.

There are 2,794 listings available, which suggests solid inventory for comparison shopping.

Is the 2021 Nissan Altima a good car?

Yes — you’re looking at a 4.88/5 user-rated car with an expert rating of 7.17/10. The standout strength is Safety at 9/10.

Owners consistently praise the Altima’s quality, comfort, stylish features, excellent gas mileage, smooth ride, and advanced safety features. That lines up well with its use case as a midsize sedan that offers broad appeal, useful technology, and a familiar everyday driving experience.

The main trade-offs are that the stereo is lacking and all-wheel drive is not available with the turbo engine. Even so, the market still shows 30.8% good or great deals, which gives you some room to shop carefully.

Is the 2021 Nissan Altima reliable?

Owners rate it 4.88/5, a strong signal of long-term satisfaction.

The owner feedback points to a car that feels reliable, comfortable, and easy to live with, with praise for its quality and smooth ride. The expert evaluation also emphasizes the Altima’s broad appeal and the way Nissan has continued to refine the sedan over time, which supports the impression of a car built for steady everyday use.

The ownership picture is helped by the Altima’s straightforward powertrain lineup and the fact that Nissan includes useful standard equipment across the range. For used buyers, the main long-term risk is making sure the specific car you choose has been maintained well and hasn’t been neglected.

What should I look for when buying a used 2021 Nissan Altima?

At 68% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.

You should start with a vehicle history report and then prioritize a pre-purchase inspection, especially if you’re considering a higher-mileage example or one with visible cosmetic wear. Focus on condition, maintenance records, and whether the car’s equipment matches the trim you want, since the Altima’s feature set changes meaningfully as you move up the lineup.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The base Altima feels a little stripped-down, while higher trims add stitching to the dash and seats, better hand feel, and more upscale presentation. Standard LED lighting and 16-inch steel wheels to 19-inch alloy wheels help the car look more contemporary, but the base model is the one most likely to feel sparse.
• Powertrain: Most versions use a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, while the SR VC-Turbo uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with 248 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. The VC-Turbo is the livelier choice, but it is only available with front-wheel drive.
• Safety package: Nissan Safety Shield 360 is standard on every Altima SV and above. It includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and high-beam assist. The base S trim does not get the full standard setup.
• Infotainment: The base model gets a 7-inch touchscreen, while other trims use an 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all but S models, and upper trims add features like a 7-inch advanced Drive-Assist display and available navigation.
• Fuel efficiency: The 2.5-liter engine is rated at 28 mpg city/39 mpg highway/32 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and 25 mpg city/35 mpg highway/29 mpg combined with all-wheel drive. The VC-Turbo is rated at 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway/29 mpg combined.

Which 2021 Nissan Altima trim should I buy?

The 2021 Nissan Altima is offered in 6 trim levels: S, SV, SR, SR VC-Turbo, SL, Platinum.

Here's the short version:

• S: This is the least expensive way into the Altima, but it’s also the most stripped-down. It makes sense only if you want the lowest entry price and can live without the richer tech and safety content found higher up.
• SV: This is the best-value trim for many shoppers because it adds Nissan Safety Shield 360 and a more complete everyday feature set without jumping too far in price.
• SR: This trim adds a sportier look and more equipment, including 19-inch alloys and paddle shifters, making it a good middle-ground choice if you want more style and a stronger feature mix.
• SR VC-Turbo: This is the enthusiast pick, with the more powerful 2.0-liter VC-Turbo engine and a more engaging driving character. It’s the right choice if performance matters more than maximum practicality.
• SL: This is the comfort-and-tech sweet spot, with ProPilot Assist, Bose Premium Audio, and NissanConnect Services. If you want the most satisfying ownership experience without going all the way to the top, this is the trim to target.
• Platinum: This is the most upscale Altima, with around-view monitor, ProPilot Assist, leather seating appointments, and other premium touches. It’s the right pick if you want the most fully equipped version.

Safety Shield 360 is standard on every Altima SV and above.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2021 Nissan Altima?

This looks like a moderate, selective buyer’s market, so you have room to shop, compare, and negotiate.

• Deal availability: 30.8% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 2,794 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 9.14% compared with last year.
• Clean inventory: 68.0% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $16,216, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

What is the 2021 Nissan Altima's resale value?

The current average of $16,216 sits slightly below last year's $17,848.

That decline suggests the market has become more favorable for buyers, but it also means a future seller may need to price competitively to stand out. If you buy now, you’re entering at a lower baseline than last year, which can help soften depreciation pressure later. Strong demand for well-kept examples should still support values, especially for cars with desirable equipment and clean history.

Vehicles with strong owner satisfaction ratings, like this model year's 4.88/5, tend to retain buyer demand, which supports resale value over time.

Is the 2021 Nissan Altima safe?

The 2021 Nissan Altima received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA.

It earns a 9/10 safety score from our experts.

Nissan Safety Shield 360 is the named driver-assistance suite, and it includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and high-beam assist. It is standard on every Altima SV and above, so the base S trim is the main place where you’ll see a safety-feature gap.

ProPilot Assist is available for highway driving support, and it adds intelligent forward collision warning, intelligent lane intervention, traffic sign recognition, intelligent driver alertness, and adaptive cruise control. An Intelligent Around View Monitor is also available on upper trims to help with parking.

Should I buy a 2021 Nissan Altima or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2021 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2021 if:

• 30.8% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• At 68% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 9.14% compared with last year.
• Owners rate it 4.88/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• The 2021 Altima blends all-wheel drive availability, wireless smartphone integration, and broad trim choice.

Consider the 2020 if:

• At $14,377, the 2020 costs less than the current year's $16,216 average.
• It adds broader availability of Nissan Safety Shield 360.

Consider the 2022 if:

• At $17,459, the 2022 costs more than the current year's $16,216 average.
• It expands the sporty Midnight Edition availability.

The bottom line: If you want the best balance of price, features, and market availability, the 2021 is the strongest starting point. If your priority is spending less, the 2020 is the value play; if you want to pay more for a newer-feeling package, the 2022 is the alternative to compare.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from October 6, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.