2022 Nissan Altima vs 2023 Chrysler 300

The Nissan Altima has come a long way since its debut in the 1993 model year. Initially, the Altima featured bland, rounded front and rear exterior styling, which carried over into the second generation. However, the third-generation model, introduced for the 2002 model year, brought a sharp and sporty look, which has continued through subsequent generations, including the sixth-generation model in 2022.

The 2022 Nissan Altima was available in five trim levels: S, SV, SR, SL, and Platinum. Front and center on every Altima was Nissan's hallmark V-Motion grille, shared with all other Nissan sedans and SUVs. The Altima featured a low, wide stance, tall doors, creased body lines, and a sharply sloped "floating" roofline, although the floating roof design was somewhat divisive.

Our test car, an SR trim with the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and AWD, featured the Midnight Edition option package. This $1,750 package included a gloss black sport grille, LED fog lights, gloss black-painted 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, a single panel moonroof, a gloss black spoiler, Satin black Midnight Edition badge, black painted heated outside mirrors with LED turn signals, heated front seats, and two-way power-lumbar for the driver's seat. Painted in Gun Metallic, this Midnight Edition package significantly enhanced the Altima's sporty appearance.

Inside, the Altima offered Zero Gravity front seats, a well-laid-out instrument panel and center stack, easy-to-read graphics, and high-quality materials, giving it a premium feel. However, lower trims didn't quite match this level of refinement.

When Chrysler introduced the 300 sedan in 2005, it received immediate comparisons to luxury sedans like the Bentley Arnage, largely due to its bold grille, round headlights, blunt nose, and stately proportions. Replacing the 300M, a less favorably styled model, the new 300 found instant credibility and allure.

In 2011, Chrysler significantly reworked the 300, introducing new or updated powertrains, updated technologies, and additional enhancements. The car continued to evoke the same luxurious appeal, maintaining its visual allure over the years. In 2023, the final production year for the 300, the model was available in Touring, Touring L, 300S, and 300C trims.

For its final year, the 2023 Chrysler 300 still looked good. It offered a variety of blacked-out appearance packages and large 20-inch wheels wrapped in performance tires. The Touring and Touring L came with a V6 engine, while the 300S offered a choice between a V6 or a V8 engine. The 300C, limited to 2,000 units, featured a high-performance V8 engine.

The interior of the 300 was a mixed bag. The 300C trim received carbon-fiber trim, premium Laguna leather upholstery, and cowhide-covered dashboards and other cabin parts. However, the overall interior did not match the promise of luxury made by the exterior styling, and the technology seemed somewhat outdated.

The 2022 Nissan Altima came with a choice of two four-cylinder engines: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter unit producing 188 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, and a 2.0-liter variable-compression turbo (VC-Turbo) making 248 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. The base engine was available with either FWD or AWD on most trim levels, while the VC-Turbo was only available on the SR trim with FWD. All 2022 Altimas featured Nissan's Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT). The sporty SR trim even included paddle shifters, although they seemed unnecessary for a mainstream midsize sedan.

The technologically advanced VC-Turbo engine, debuting in the 2019 Altima, could actively change its compression ratio between 8:1 for high performance and 14:1 for high efficiency by continuously raising or lowering the stroke of the pistons. This engine offered V6-like power with the efficiency of a four-cylinder, although it lacked AWD compatibility.

Our test vehicle, featuring the base 2.5-liter engine, delivered mixed performance results. Despite the AWD, zero-to-60 mph acceleration was mediocre due to the engine's 188 hp. Engine noise accompanied the uninspiring acceleration as the CVT struggled, yet the Altima impressed with its road manners, boasting excellent suspension, a smooth and composed ride, and a quiet cabin, thanks to Nissan's Active Ride Control.

The 2023 Chrysler 300C revived a performance-oriented lineage with its 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine, producing 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission equipped with a Sport mode and paddle shifters, enabled the 300C to achieve a 4.3-second run to 60 mph and a top speed of 160 mph. Additionally, the car featured an active exhaust system, adaptive damping suspension, Brembo brakes, and performance tires on exclusive lightweight forged aluminum wheels. Driving modes allowed for adjustments in drivetrain response, steering effort, suspension firmness, and exhaust sound, with customization options within the Custom setting or selections from Auto, Sport, and Track modes.

The 300C required careful throttle control due to its powerful V8, easily inducing tire chirps or a squirrely sensation upon acceleration. However, in Sport mode, the car's character transformed, with a lunging throttle response, heavy steering, firm suspension, and loud exhaust, although the accompanying stability control warning light often suggested a return to Auto mode.

Driving the 300C was unconventional and fun, offering a Germanic sensation in the ride and handling, although reminiscent of a Nirvana-era AMG-tuned Benz rather than modern standards. The downsides included cabin noise from exhaust boom and poor fuel economy, with an official EPA rating of 18 mpg in combined driving and observed 17.5 mpg on the evaluation loop.

The Nissan Altima served as a competent bread-and-butter midsize sedan, ideal as a commuter car or family hauler. It provided comfortable seating for four (five for short distances), easy-to-use controls, an accessible back seat, and a decent-sized trunk. However, it didn't stand out remarkably amid competition from the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Hyundai Sonata. Its dimensions placed it in a centrist position among American midsize sedans regarding length, weight, passenger space, front headroom and legroom, and cargo capacity, with a 15.4 cubic-foot trunk. However, the Altima did boast the largest fuel tank at 16.2 gallons.

Minor grievances included a high rear shelf that compromised visibility and metal bar supports in the trunk that could crush belongings when closing the lid.

The Chrysler 300, classified as a full-size car, felt spacious primarily in the front seats. In the 300C, front seats offered an adequate range of power adjustments and featured premium Laguna leather, heating, and ventilation, with bolsters that provided comfort without being intrusive. The back seat, however, was less hospitable due to hard plastic front seatbacks and an already tight legroom. The rear backrest angle further prompted an uncomfortable slouch. Despite these drawbacks, Chrysler supplied air conditioning vents, heated outboard cushions, and charging ports for rear passengers.

Storage space in the 300 was limited and dated, reflecting its age. It lacked modern smartphone storage and wireless charging capabilities. The covered area forward of the transmission shift dial was small and outdated, although it featured heated and cooled front cupholders, while rear cupholders suffered from the lack of heating or cooling options.

The 300 offered a sizable 16.3 cubic-foot trunk with enclosed lid hinges that prevented belongings from getting crushed when the trunk lid was closed, providing a slight edge in cargo capacity over the Altima.

The entry-level Altima S came equipped with a 5-inch multi-function information display and a basic 7-inch color touchscreen audio system featuring Bluetooth connectivity, hands-free text-messaging assistant, and a standard AM/FM radio with six speakers. Higher trims offered a more advanced 7-inch drive-assist display and an 8-inch color touchscreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio with a three-month trial, and two USB ports. Starting with the SL trim, the Altima included a nine-speaker Bose premium audio system and connected services powered by SiriusXM.

The Altima featured advanced noise cancellation, traffic sign recognition, and an Around View Monitor system. One notable inclusion was Nissan's ProPilot Assist system, which assisted drivers with acceleration, steering, and braking tasks under specific conditions, providing an advanced level of adaptive cruise control. Our test vehicle incorporated the 7-inch drive-assist display and 8-inch infotainment system, although it lacked ProPilot Assist.

On the technology front, the 300 was equipped with Chrysler's previous-generation Uconnect infotainment system. The 8.4-inch touchscreen interface, though easy to use, showed its age. The system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via USB data ports, and included SiriusXM satellite radio and connected services, though it lacked a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. The 300C trim additionally included an SRT Dashboard for setting driving modes and tracking vehicle performance.

Chrysler provided stereo volume and radio tuning knobs, as well as climate control buttons separate from the touchscreen display. However, accessing seat heating and ventilation functions required navigating through the touchscreen's virtual menu buttons. Certain helpful features, like setting a speed warning, were present but could be drowned out by wind, tire, and engine noise at high speeds. The 300 lacked surround-view cameras and high-resolution reversing cameras, although it included standard front and rear parking sensors on the 300C trim.

Like many of its car, truck, and SUV models, Nissan equipped the 2022 Altima with a surprising level of standard technology, particularly in driver-assist features. Standard aids included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, automatic high-beam headlights, driver-attention warning, Rear View Monitor, rear door alert, and hill-start assist. Starting with the SV trim, the Altima included Nissan's Safety Shield 360, which added rear automatic braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and a rear sonar system.

The Altima received high ratings from safety organizations. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the FWD version of the 2022 Altima got five stars (out of a possible five) for overall crash protection. Likewise, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the car its coveted "Top Safety Pick+" rating, with high crashworthiness ratings and front crash prevention scores.

The 2023 Chrysler 300, on the other hand, was less geared towards advanced safety features. Most safety tech was optional and included in the Safety Tec Plus Group, with the fully loaded 300C being an exception. Available features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The sensitivity and responsiveness of these features could be adjusted, and the lane-keeping assist system was notably less intrusive in its medium setting. However, the adaptive cruise control system was not sophisticated.

Regarding crash-test ratings, the Chrysler 300 performed adequately in tests by the NHTSA but less impressively in tests by the IIHS. Specifically, the car received a Marginal rating in the old moderate-overlap frontal-impact test and a Poor rating for headlight performance. The 300 had not been tested in updated IIHS tests, which affected its overall safety rating.