2019 Hyundai Elantra vs 2019 Nissan Altima

The 2019 Nissan Altima borrowed design cues from its larger sibling, the Maxima, featuring a prominent trapezoidal grille, sharply raked headlights, and a black stripe in the C-pillar. These elements aimed to inject visual excitement into the Altima. Inside, the Altima's layout was similar to other new cars, with a floating center stack and familiar vents and dials. The interior design was a blend of evolving technology and user-friendly controls, including volume, tuning, and climate-control knobs. The Altima came in various trims, each adding more features, from the base S with Zero Gravity seats and an 8-inch touchscreen to the top-tier Platinum with 19-inch wheels, memory settings, and a 360-degree surround-view monitor.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra, redesigned two years prior, received new styling for 2019, including a new front end, wheels, trunk lid, taillights, and rear bumper. The design was more geometric and less appealing than before. Inside, subtle changes improved the cabin, with new air vents, carbon-texture finishes, and revised controls. The interior quality was high, with robust materials and tightly assembled parts. The Elantra was available in SE, SEL, Value Edition, Eco, and Limited trims, with prices starting at $17,100. The Limited trim, with the Ultimate Package, added advanced safety features, navigation, and a power sunroof, bringing the total price to $26,690.

The 2019 Nissan Altima offered two engines: a base 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 188 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder available in the SR and Platinum trims. The latter replaced the previous V6 and featured variable compression technology for improved power and fuel economy. Both engines paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and offered front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (AWD). The AWD system, a first for Nissan sedans, provided confidence in snowy conditions. The 2.5-liter engine returned 28 city/39 highway mpg, while the AWD version achieved 25 city/35 highway mpg. The turbocharged engine was expected to return 25 city/34 highway mpg. The Altima's handling was decent, though not as athletic as some competitors, and the wide turning radius was a drawback.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra, equipped with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower, relied on a 6-speed automatic transmission to power the front wheels. Acceleration was acceptable, with driving modes including Normal, Sport, and Smart. Sport mode added weight to the steering, while Smart mode was not very perceptive. The EPA estimated 32 mpg in combined driving, and real-world testing returned 29.3 mpg on a modified loop and 32.4 mpg over a week. Handling was decent, with no major criticisms or praise for the steering and brakes. The ride quality could be busy due to the torsion-beam rear-axle suspension, but overall, the Elantra was a reliable and unaggravating drive.

The 2019 Nissan Altima featured extremely comfortable Zero Gravity seats, designed to reduce fatigue over long distances. The interior had plenty of cubbies and cupholders, though the center console was not very deep. The back seat offered enough space for tall adults, and the trunk provided 15.4 cubic feet of cargo space, competitive with other midsize sedans.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra offered good front-seat comfort, with height adjustment for both front seats in all trims. Most trims included heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The back seat was less impressive, with hard plastic front seatbacks and no air conditioning vents or USB ports. Interior storage was decent, with a good-size center-console bin, a sizable glove box, and a tray for smartphones. The trunk offered 14.4 cubic feet of space, and most trims included a hands-free Smart Trunk release.

The 2019 Nissan Altima came standard with NissanConnect, featuring a user-friendly touchscreen with large icons and easy-to-read fonts. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration were standard, along with a 7-inch color Drive Assist display between the tachometer and speedometer. This display allowed drivers to monitor various systems and features via a steering-wheel-mounted directional pad.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra, except for the base SE, came with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system running Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. The Limited trim included an Infinity premium sound system, and the Ultimate Package added an 8-inch display, navigation, and SiriusXM Data Services. The infotainment system was easy to use, with the right number of knobs and buttons. The Limited trim also offered a free 3-year trial subscription to Blue Link services, compatible with smartwatches and smart home devices.

The 2019 Nissan Altima included standard safety features such as front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, vehicle dynamics control, and a reversing camera. The Platinum trim featured ProPilot Assist, offering partially autonomous driving functions like speed matching and lane-keeping assistance. Forward-collision warning and driver-alertness monitoring were standard across all trims.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra, starting with the SEL trim, included forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, a blind-spot-monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver-monitoring system. The Limited trim added adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, automatic high-beam headlights, and a Safe Exit system. The Elantra received top marks from the IIHS, except for an Acceptable rating for LATCH anchor accessibility. The NHTSA gave the Elantra a 4-star overall rating, with 4-star frontal and side-impact protection ratings.