2021 Nissan Altima vs 2022 Audi A4

The 2021 Nissan Altima showcased a strong family identity with its bold V-Motion grille, available in chrome or dark chrome, tastefully adorned with the Nissan logo. Its overall shape was attractive, featuring a sloping “coupe-like” roofline that gave it a sleek, aerodynamic profile. The body had more folds than curves, lending a taut, trim essence. Despite a mildly ungainly stance due to the overhangs ahead of the front wheels and behind the rear wheels, the Altima maintained a contemporary look with standard LED lighting and wheel options ranging from 16-inch steel to 19-inch alloy. The fit and finish were exceptional, with deep lustrous paint and rich chrome details, available in nine exterior colors with some premium options.

Inside, the Altima’s dashboard was uncluttered and intelligently laid out, featuring a standard 8-inch touchscreen display mounted at the top of the center stack for safety and convenience. The instrument panel was shrouded by a cowl, making it easy to read in sunlight and reducing glare at night. While the base model felt a bit stripped-down, higher trim levels offered improved interior materials, adding stitching to the dash and seats for a better hand feel. Overall, the Altima provided a good example of getting what you pay for.

The 2022 Audi A4 lineup included the A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, and S4 performance-tuned model. The A4 came in 40 TFSI and 45 TFSI model series with Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trim levels. Prices ranged from under $40,000 to over $50,000. The test car, a Prestige 45 TFSI, featured Tango Red paint, the Black Optic Plus package, 19-inch wheels, the S-line Interior package, and ventilated front seats, with an MSRP of $55,890.

The A4’s simple, clean, and conservative appearance was a perfect canvas for the Tango Red paint and Black Optic package detailing. Inside, the A4 showed similar aesthetic restraint with high-quality materials, a 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit digital instrumentation panel, and ambient interior lighting. The test car’s black interior was complemented by aluminum trim, gloss black décor, and metallic accents, avoiding a cave-like feel. The only downside was the tablet-style touchscreen infotainment system, which looked out of place.

The 2021 Nissan Altima offered a Jekyll-and-Hyde nature with its powertrains. Most configurations featured a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with Nissan’s Xtronic CVT. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available on most trims. Fuel economy was rated at 28 mpg city/39 mpg highway/32 mpg combined for FWD and 25 mpg city/35 mpg highway/29 mpg combined for AWD.

The standout was the VC-Turbo engine, available only in the Altima SR VC-Turbo trim. This turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produced 248 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, using a variable compression system for power on demand and efficiency. It was available only with FWD and had a fuel economy rating of 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway/29 mpg combined. The VC-Turbo made the Altima a much livelier performer, with a sport-tuned suspension and decent feedback from the electric-powered steering.

The 2022 Audi A4 40 TFSI featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 201 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, paired with a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard Quattro Ultra AWD. It had an EPA fuel economy rating of 29 mpg combined and could accelerate to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds.

The A4 45 TFSI test car had a more powerful 2.0-liter engine with 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, a lowered sport suspension, and a 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds. It had an EPA rating of 27 mpg combined. Both engines required premium gas and offered Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, and Individual driving modes. The A4 45 TFSI averaged 24.8 mpg during testing. The Quattro Ultra AWD system powered the front wheels unless needed, providing a solid punch of torque and outstanding tire grip. The A4’s structure and suspension conveyed a rock-solid sensation, and the cabin remained remarkably quiet.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan’s Zero Gravity front seats, which were comfortable even on long drives. Upper trim levels offered power adjustment, position memory, leather appointments, and electric heating. The front cabin had ample storage, including a big glovebox, center console storage bin, cupholders, and door pockets. The second row was roomy for two adults and could accommodate three for short rides. The 60/40 split-folding rear seats allowed access to the 15.4 cubic feet trunk.

The 2022 Audi A4 had a low seating position, making entry and exit challenging. The front seats were exceptionally comfortable, with soft leather, power adjustment, thigh-support cushion, and heated and ventilated options. The A4 featured a three-zone automatic climate control system and an intuitive layout. The back seat was snug, with limited space for stretching out, and the hard plastic and storage netting on the front seatbacks were unfriendly to knees and shins. Interior storage was limited, with the center console bin housing the wireless charging pad and Audi Phone Box signal booster. The 13 cubic-foot trunk was nicely finished with storage nets and enclosed hinges.

The 2021 Nissan Altima came with standard tech features, including Nissan Intelligent Key with pushbutton start, remote engine start, Bluetooth, cruise control, HomeLink, rear-view camera, Siri Eyes Free, Google Assistant Voice Recognition, and streaming audio/hands-free phone with Bluetooth. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard on all but the base S model. The base touchscreen was 7 inches, while other models had an 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen. Higher trims featured a 7-inch advanced Drive-Assist display, multiple USB ports, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The SL and Platinum trims had a Bose audio system and Active Noise Cancellation with the VC-Turbo engine. Nissan Door to Door Navigation and NissanConnect Services were available on higher trims.

The 2022 Audi A4 featured the next-generation MIB3 version of Audi Multi-Media Interface (MMI) with a 10.1-inch touchscreen display. The screen supported common smartphone functions and offered acoustic feedback. Features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Audi Connect connected services, navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio system. The MMI was intuitive, with a Home button for easy navigation. The climate controls were separate from the touchscreen, and the voice recognition technology was accurate but slow. The Bang & Olufsen stereo was satisfying, but sound quality degraded at high volumes. The head-up display was hard to see with polarized sunglasses.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan Safety Shield 360, standard on SV and above, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and high-beam assist. ProPilot Assist was available for highway driving, including intelligent forward collision warning, intelligent lane intervention, traffic sign recognition, intelligent driver alertness, and adaptive cruise control. An Intelligent Around View Monitor was available on upper trims. The Altima received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2022 Audi A4 stair-stepped its safety features, with the top-of-the-line Prestige model including front and rear collision preparation, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control with Traffic Jam Assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit warning, surround-view camera system, and Park Assist. The Matrix-design LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation were also included. The driver assistance tech was effective and non-intrusive, though the adaptive cruise control had a delayed reaction in some situations. The A4 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.