2019 Kia Optima vs 2019 Nissan Altima

The 2019 Nissan Altima aimed to stand out in the crowded midsize sedan market with design cues borrowed from its full-size sibling, the Nissan Maxima. This included a distinctive trapezoidal grille, sharply raked headlights, and a black stripe in the C-pillar. While some felt the black stripe trend was overdone, these elements added a dash of excitement to the Altima's aesthetics.

Inside, the Altima’s design was in line with the contemporary interiors found in competitors like the Honda Accord and Kia Forte. The floating center stack, coupled with carefully arranged vents and dials, created a visually appealing layout that mirrored industry trends. This layout, seen in models like the Hyundai Veloster and Toyota Corolla, effectively balanced evolving technology with the driver's need for familiar controls.

One of the standout interior features of the Altima was its intuitive infotainment system, which minimized the complexity found in cars from the 2000s. Nissan provided physical knobs for volume, tuning, and climate control in the 2019 Altima, thanks to a much-needed return to user-friendly interfaces.

The Altima was available in five trims: S, SR, SV, SL, and Platinum. The base S trim equipped drivers with Zero Gravity seats for superior comfort, push-button start, an 8-way power driver seat, four USB ports, satellite radio, and an 8-inch touchscreen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The sportier SR trim included 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a rear spoiler, and a distinctive dark chrome V-motion grille.

The SV trim catered to customers seeking value, featuring 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, automatic high beams, heated side mirrors, and an array of interior enhancements like a heated steering wheel and seats, power moonroof, and adaptive cruise control. The SL injected a touch of luxury with leather seating, a 4-way power passenger seat, and a 9-speaker Bose premium sound system.

Finally, the top-tier Platinum trim combined the best features from the other trims, adding memory settings for the driver’s seat, a 360-degree surround-view monitor, 19-inch wheels, and elegant interior accent lighting.

On the other hand, the 2019 Kia Optima, while not as revolutionary as its 2011-2015 predecessor, still managed to turn heads. The Optima's signature tiger-nose grille, fender-vent trim, and available black panoramic glass roof contributed to an attractive package across its various trim levels, making it possible for buyers to find a model that suited their style and budget. However, the limited selection of interior colors could pose a challenge for buyers seeking a particular aesthetic.

The Optima's base LX trim started at $22,900, while the range-topping SX Turbo with the Limited Package reached $35,790, with the plug-in hybrid variant pushing beyond $42,000. The SX Turbo trim featured a sleek blacked-out exterior, 18-inch aluminum wheels, red brake calipers, and a striking white pearl paint job, giving it a stealthy, sporty appearance. Inside, this model boasted black leather with red inserts, adding a racy touch, complemented by a flat-bottom steering wheel and upgraded instrumentation.

For those seeking additional luxury, the SX Turbo Limited Package offered chrome accents, plush quilted Nappa leather, and improved interior materials for under $37,000. Despite the abundant plastic in the lower half of the cabin, this upgrade was seen as a great value.

The 2019 Nissan Altima came with two engine options. Standard across all trims, including our test car, was the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 188 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque. This represented a modest but noticeable increase over the previous generation's 4-cylinder.

Moreover, the SR and Platinum trims were available with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, which replaced the previous V6 engine. This new powertrain included Nissan's innovative variable compression technology, allowing the piston-arm assembly to adjust its length and, consequently, the cylinder's compression with every stroke. This feature aimed to deliver V6-like power with 4-cylinder fuel efficiency.

Both engines paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), available in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive—the latter being Nissan's first AWD offering in a sedan. The new AWD system proved effective in snow-covered city streets, providing extra traction without altering the driving experience.

The 2.5-liter engine, while adequate for everyday driving, did have a wide turning radius, limiting tight-space maneuverability. The turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, expectedly, offered better fuel economy of 25 mpg city, 34 highway, and 29 combined. The 2.5-liter engine provided 28 mpg city, 39 highway, and 32 combined, with the AWD reducing these figures slightly to 25, 35, and 29 mpg respectively. In real-world mixed driving conditions, the observed fuel economy was 28.9 mpg.

The 2019 Kia Optima offered a more diverse powertrain lineup, including hybrid options, adding up to five different engines. The base LX and sporty S trims featured a 185-horsepower, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, while the mid-grade EX Turbo came with a fuel-efficient 1.6-liter turbocharged engine producing 178 horsepower and generous torque. The hybrid models provided 41 mpg in combined driving and a plug-in hybrid variant offered up to 28 miles of pure electric range.

The SX Turbo trim—the focus of our test fit—housed a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine delivering 245 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided smooth and linear acceleration rather than a forceful turbo boost. Power was transmitted through a 6-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift gate and paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Drivers could choose from four driving modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Smart, with Smart mode adapting to the driving style for optimal performance.

The Optima’s rack-mounted electric steering system in the SX Turbo trim provided better steering feedback, although it could feel artificially heavy in Sport mode. The car was responsive on highways but felt less precise on mountain roads. The SX Turbo's brakes, with larger front discs, performed well under typical conditions but showed some fade during intense driving.

The Optima's sport-tuned suspension offered a firm ride without being harsh, confidently smoothing out speed bumps. Although the overall fuel economy was reported at 23.5 mpg, slightly under the EPA's 24 mpg estimate, the Optima SX Turbo was a pleasure to drive, as long as one didn't expect it to match a high-performance sedan’s capabilities.

Before any driver noticed the array of buttons, dials, or the touchscreen, the 2019 Nissan Altima's seats made a considerable impression. Featuring Nissan's Zero Gravity seats, inspired by the natural spinal position in low gravity, they offered unmatched comfort for both short commutes and long-distance trips.

While the Altima came with sufficient storage options in the door panels and numerous cupholders, the center console storage was limited due to the AWD's transmission tunnel. Despite this, both front and rear passengers enjoyed ample space, comfortably accommodating tall adults. The Altima's trunk offered 15.4 cubic feet of cargo space, a competitive but not class-leading figure compared to the Accord’s 16.7 cubic feet, the Camry’s 15.1 cubic feet, and the Sonata’s 16.3 cubic feet.

The 2019 Kia Optima, on the other hand, showcased a driver-focused interior with a logical layout of controls, limiting the need for interaction with the touchscreen infotainment system. Buttons and knobs were strategically placed and angled towards the driver for improved visibility and ease of use.

The Optima excelled in providing storage solutions, featuring a spacious 15.9-cubic-foot trunk and numerous cubbies. Front seats offered a range of power adjustments along with heating and ventilation options, and upgrading to the Limited Package added luxurious Nappa leather, heated rear seats, and rear side-window shades.

Backseat legroom in the Optima was impressive, providing better comfort than many competitors, with supportive thigh cushions and well-angled backrests. Rear passengers benefited from air-conditioning vents and quick-charging USB ports. Additionally, Kia’s Smart Trunk feature proved practical, automatically opening the trunk lid when the key fob was nearby—an advantage for carrying items, though sometimes inconvenient. Overall, the Optima offered a blend of comfort, practicality, and luxury rivaling many others in its class.

The 2019 Nissan Altima came standard with NissanConnect, offering an intuitive infotainment system. This system featured a straightforward touchscreen interface with large icons and easy-to-read fonts, supplemented by physical dials and buttons for navigating various menus. Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration ensured drivers had seamless access to their smartphones.

Drivers were also treated to a 7-inch color Drive Assist display between the tachometer and speedometer. This display allowed navigation through several menus using a steering-wheel-mounted directional pad, monitoring systems such as fuel economy and driver assistance features.

In contrast, the 2019 Kia Optima boasted a generous standard infotainment system. The 8-inch touchscreen included the latest UVO technology, Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Siri Eyes Free, voice recognition, a USB port, and a reversing camera. Optima S and EX Turbo trims added satellite radio and UVO eServices, including 9-1-1 Connect emergency response.

Kia's UVO eServices technology, operating on a smartphone data plan, featured a new 2019 app providing remote access to certain vehicle functions, including remote start and climate control settings. The Optima SX Turbo further included a navigation system, HD Radio, and a premium Harman Kardon audio system noted for its superior sound quality.

While some might not favor Kia's unique font choice, the infotainment system was user-friendly and its voice recognition system allowed some flexibility with commands.

The 2019 Nissan Altima came well-equipped with safety features even at the base level. These included front and side-impact airbags, traction control, vehicle dynamics control, and a reversing camera. Higher trims like the Platinum also featured ProPilot Assist, which could match traffic speed and provide steering inputs to help maintain lane placement. Despite needing a hand on the wheel, ProPilot Assist showcased future autonomous driving technology. Furthermore, all Altima models included forward-collision warning and driver-alertness monitoring.

The 2019 Kia Optima excelled in safety, with the base LX trim offering forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert as standard. Additionally, rear parking-assist sensors and a driver-monitoring system capable of detecting drowsiness or distraction were included.

Options like adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and a surround-view camera system further enhanced safety, though the latter was not present in our test car. The advanced safety features in the Optima worked smoothly, aiding the driver without being intrusive. This proved particularly useful during long drives where fatigue set in.

Remarkably, the 2019 Optima received high safety ratings. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) bestowed top ratings across all categories except for an Acceptable score for child safety seat LATCH anchor accessibility. The federal government awarded the Optima 5-star ratings in every test, except for a 4-star rating for front passenger protection in a frontal-impact collision.