2023 Nissan Altima vs 2024 Honda Civic

The 2023 Nissan Altima was an attempt by Nissan to stay relevant in the family sedan market, boasting significant updates in its latest iteration. Key improvement areas included a fresh front-end styling with a redesigned grille and new wheel designs. Enhanced visual presence was especially evident in higher trims equipped with the new 19-inch wheels. However, the sleek wheel design on the SL trim was so flush with the tire sidewalls that it became susceptible to curb damage. The Altima's trim hierarchy stood as S, SV, SR, SL, and a more powerful SR VC-Turbo. With prices ranging from $25,290 to $34,990 plus a $1,095 destination charge, our SL AWD test unit cost $34,755, including destination fees.

Although the new wheels sparked an elevated overall appearance, the interior struggled with issues. Despite a visually appealing cabin, the substantial presence of hard plastic served as a constant reminder of the vehicle’s base price. Opting for Gray leather, which introduced a high-contrast two-tone look, marginally mitigated this. Though efforts like new simulated wood dashboard trim fell short of adding true sophistication, the new double-stitched seams were a commendable touch.

As for the 2024 Honda Civic Si, its subdued yet sporty exterior details in no way compromised its engaging drive character. The Civic Si stuck to a stealthy yet stylish formula featuring restrained exterior embellishments such as LED headlights, a unique upper grille insert, dual exhaust outlets, and 18-inch matte-black wheels. Subtle “Si” badges were present, and color options varied from the vivid to the understated.

Inside, the Civic Si was a different story from its exterior. Red seat and door panel inserts injected a sense of bravado into the cabin, complemented by matching stitching and accents throughout. The dashboard’s metal mesh strip covering the air vents, gloss black surfaces, polished metal detailing, and intuitive digital instrumentation paired with a touchscreen infotainment system made for a highly engaging interior. Further bonuses included metal pedal covers and an aluminum shift knob, solidifying the car's high-quality feel. Priced at $30,650 with destination charges and an additional $455 for Blazing Orange Pearl paint, our test car was a blend of bold styling and functionality.

The 2023 Nissan Altima featured a mixed bag in terms of performance. Equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, it produced 188 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque with FWD, and 182 hp and 178 lb-ft with AWD. The engine was mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that Nissan had decades of experience perfecting. In the Altima, it impressed by mimicking a traditional automatic transmission quite well. For those craving more power, the SR VC-Turbo offered a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that could churn out 248 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque on premium fuel.

Despite these promising powertrain options, our AWD SL trim didn't entirely deliver on performance. It averaged 27.4 mpg in combined driving and struggled on rough roads and at highway speeds, where wind and road noise were particularly intrusive. The handling was competent but uninspiring, and visibility issues marred the driving experience.

Contrastingly, the 2024 Honda Civic Si was designed to put a smile on your face every time you got behind the wheel. Equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the Civic Si generated 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque, paired exclusively with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission featuring a downshift rev-matching feature. This setup resulted in an engaging drive that any manual transmission enthusiast would appreciate.

On city streets, the Civic Si balanced performance with daily usability. Its quick steering, responsive turbocharged engine, and seamless shifter/clutch combo allowed it to dart through traffic effortlessly. When pushed to its limits on twisty routes like Mulholland Highway, the Civic Si maintained commendable grip and steering accuracy. However, the brakes showed some troubling behavior under intense use, suggesting potential overheating issues. Overall, it averaged 29.5 mpg in combined driving, performing near its EPA estimate of 31 mpg.

The 2023 Nissan Altima’s interior was practical and user-friendly, though it fell somewhat short on refinement. Controls were logically laid out, and the matte black surfaces enhanced readability. The Zero Gravity front seats excelled in comfort, albeit with sticky leather upholstery. Dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a power sunroof were available, significantly improving the daily driving experience. The downside was that the front passenger seat lacked adjustability, and entering/exiting the car could be tricky due to its low stance. Rear seat comfort was commendable, with ample legroom and headroom, though the car had issues with seatbelt buckle placement causing discomfort.

Interior storage was ample, with useful door panel trays and bins, though the location of the wireless charging pad in some trims rendered the storage tray unusable. The trunk offered 15.4 cubic feet of space, which was smaller than some competitors’, though usefully shaped. However, it lacked a grip or handle for closing, potentially soiling one's hands when shutting the trunk.

In terms of practicality, the 2024 Honda Civic Si did not compromise performance. Its sport-bolstered front seats provided excellent support without sacrificing comfort, and the cloth material held you in place during spirited driving. However, the car’s low height made entry and exit slightly challenging. Standard features included single-zone automatic climate control, a power sunroof, and heated exterior mirrors. However, it lacked heated front seats and steering wheel, as well as rear-seat air conditioning vents and USB charging ports.

The rear seat was surprisingly roomy, offering enough space for taller adults to sit comfortably. Storage space was decent, with a slightly small center armrest bin. The Civic Si’s trunk offered 14.4 cubic feet of cargo space, less than the Altima’s, but it could fit full-size suitcases on their sides and included a 60/40-split folding back seat for flexible cargo handling. Hidden storage under the trunk's floor was an added bonus, though like the Altima, it lacked a handle for closing the trunk without touching the exterior.

-inch display and minimal tech, but moving to SV or SR trims upgraded this to an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio with 360L service. The new 12.3-inch touchscreen system available in higher trims added features like a navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The optional NissanConnect Services offered a range of connected features, though dependent on a SiriusXM subscription. The Bose nine-speaker premium audio system included in the SL and SR VC-Turbo trims performed variably, depending on the type of music played, but the new infotainment system represented a vast improvement over previous iterations, with a better user interface and graphics.

Honda’s 2024 Civic Si came standard with a well-rounded 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It lacked built-in navigation but included features like Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, and basic HondaLink connected services. Pairing devices was straightforward, and the interface was user-friendly with physical controls for volume and tuning, as well as steering wheel-mounted controls. The sound quality from the standard 12-speaker Bose premium audio system was impressive, with an acoustically optimized design ensuring excellent performance.

Standard across every 2023 Nissan Altima was the Safety Shield 360 suite. This included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with steering wheel vibrations, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims added features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and a surround-view camera. ProPilot Assist, available on higher trims, combined adaptive cruise control and lane-centring tech but needed refinement for smoother operation. Despite the comprehensive safety features, the system could be somewhat intrusive.

Safety ratings for the 2023 Altima were strong, with a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though it got a four-star rating for front passenger safety in frontal impacts. The IIHS awarded it a Top Safety Pick+ for 2022, but it received a Poor rating in the updated side-impact test.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si also came with the Honda Sensing suite, offering a similar array of ADAS features like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. However, the system was less intuitive and sometimes intrusive, particularly on city streets. On the highway, the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist functioned better but were still not perfect, occasionally causing uncomfortable braking actions.

Safety ratings for the 2024 Civic were commendable. The IIHS gave it a Top Safety Pick rating. Although acceptable in moderate overlap frontal-impact and side-impact tests, it didn’t achieve the highest possible scores. The NHTSA awarded it an overall five-star rating, with a slight dip in front passenger frontal-impact protection to four stars.