2019 Nissan Altima vs 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The 2019 Nissan Altima borrowed design cues from its larger sibling, the Maxima, to stand out in a competitive market. It featured a large trapezoidal grille, sharply raked headlights, and a black stripe in the C-pillar, aiming to inject some visual excitement. 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 response to the industry's struggle to integrate evolving technology while maintaining a unique look. Nissan wisely included traditional knobs for volume, tuning, and climate control, making the infotainment system user-friendly.

The Altima came in various trims, from the base S with its comfortable Zero Gravity seats and 8-inch touchscreen, to the luxurious Platinum with 19-inch wheels, memory settings for the driver’s seat, and a 360-degree surround-view monitor. The SV trim offered the best value, with features like heated seats, adaptive cruise control, and a power moonroof. The SR trim added sporty touches like 19-inch alloy wheels and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The SL trim catered to those seeking a touch of luxury without breaking the bank, adding leather seating and a premium Bose sound system.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, available in sedan, wagon, coupe, or cabriolet, featured a streamlined design reminiscent of the larger S-Class and smaller C-Class. The E-Class looked especially rich with the hood ornament and thin-laced chrome grille on the sedan. LED lighting added a delicate touch, and the proportions were visually appealing whether on the Luxury model's higher suspension or the sportier versions with ground effects and quad exhausts. The cabriolet's contrasting soft top revealed a sumptuous interior with multi-tone leathers, aluminum, and polished wood.

Inside, the E-Class boasted two feet of high-res digital screens stretching across the dash, with circular air vents and silver toggles for climate control. The ambient lighting offered 64 colors and animations, enhancing the luxurious feel. The interior featured heated armrests, massaging seats, and smooth textures, creating a serene environment. Even the base model felt upscale, with leatherette and standard seats. The coupe had a usable rear seat, and the wagon included a rear-facing jump seat for small children. The E-Class combined functionality with luxury, making it a standout in its segment.

The 2019 Nissan Altima offered two engine options. The base 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, standard across all trims, produced 188 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, a slight improvement over the previous model. The SR and Platinum trims had an optional turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with variable compression technology, delivering V6-like power while maintaining 4-cylinder fuel economy. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and offered front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (AWD), a first for Nissan sedans.

The Altima's AWD system provided confidence in snowy conditions, and the 2.5-liter engine offered decent power for city driving. However, the wide turning radius was a drawback. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine had an estimated fuel economy of 25 mpg city, 34 highway, and 29 combined. The 2.5-liter engine returned 28 city, 39 highway, and 32 combined, with AWD reducing these numbers slightly. During testing, the Altima achieved 28.9 mpg in mixed driving conditions.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured a range of engines. The E350 replaced the E300, with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The 9-speed automatic transmission and twin-scroll turbo provided quick response and smoother performance. The E450, with a 3.0-liter V6 engine, delivered 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, offering effortless performance and a comfortable ride. The AMG models, E53 and E63 S, provided even more power, with the E63 S boasting a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine producing 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque.

The E-Class offered a range of driving modes, from the relaxed Comfort mode to the sporty Sport+ mode. The AMG models featured performance-tuned AWD, enhancing their handling capabilities. Fuel economy varied by powertrain, with the E350 achieving 19-23 mpg city and 26-32 highway, while the E63 S had an estimated 16/23 mpg. The E-Class balanced power and efficiency, making it a versatile choice for different driving needs.

The 2019 Nissan Altima's interior featured extremely comfortable Zero Gravity seats, designed to reduce fatigue on long trips. The seats were inspired by NASA astronauts' natural spinal position in microgravity, providing a lavish feel for short trips and reducing soreness on longer journeys. The Altima had plenty of storage cubbies and cupholders, though the center console was not very deep due to the AWD and transmission tunnel.

The Altima's back seat offered enough space for tall adults, making it a comfortable option for commuting. The trunk provided 15.4 cubic feet of cargo space, competitive with other midsize sedans like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The Altima's interior combined comfort and practicality, making it a solid choice for daily driving and road trips.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured a complicated COMAND infotainment system, which could be unwieldy on the car's large screens. The lack of touchscreens was a significant drawback, making it difficult to adjust settings while driving. However, the E-Class excelled in functionality, with seat and climate controls mounted on the door panels and plenty of space in every dimension. The digital dash offered clear gauges and high-resolution displays, enhancing the driving experience.

The E-Class coupe had a usable rear seat, and the wagon included a rear-facing jump seat for small children. The interior featured thoughtful touches like a net in the front passenger footwell for water bottles and concealed cupholders and wireless charging pad. The E-Class combined luxury with practicality, making it a versatile choice for different needs.

The 2019 Nissan Altima came standard with NissanConnect, a straightforward infotainment system with large, colorful icons and easy-to-read fonts. The system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, making it easy to connect smartphones. The Altima also featured a 7-inch color Drive Assist display between the tachometer and speedometer, allowing drivers to monitor various systems and features via a steering-wheel-mounted directional pad.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured advanced technology, including a semi-automated driving system that could steer, change lanes, and sense obstacles. The E-Class also had a V2X system for communicating with nearby Mercedes models about road hazards. The dash could be reconfigured in three designs, and the instrument panel offered multiple display options. Standard features included Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Burmester stereo provided surround-sound modes, and the front camera activated automatically when pulling into a space. The E-Class also had unique features like the Energizing Comfort Package, which adjusted climate settings and lighting to create a specific mood.

The 2019 Nissan Altima included standard safety features like front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, vehicle dynamics control, and a reversing camera. The Platinum trim featured ProPilot Assist, a suite of driver-assistance systems offering partially autonomous driving functions. ProPilot Assist was standard on the SV, SL, and Platinum trims, while forward-collision warning and driver-alertness monitoring were standard across all trims.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan and wagon received a 5-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The coupe and cabriolet models were not tested but were expected to perform similarly. The E-Class featured innovative safety technologies like Pre-Safe Sound, which played a "pink noise" during a crash to protect eardrums, and side bolsters that inflated during a side collision. Standard safety features included forward emergency braking, a driver attention monitor, and blind-spot monitoring, with additional driver-assist features available as options.