2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2023 Nissan Altima

Nissan had been a player in the family car market for over 50 years, and the 2023 Altima aimed to continue that legacy. The 2023 model featured updated front styling with a revised grille design, new wheel designs, and two new paint colors. Higher trim levels, like the Altima SL, boasted 19-inch wheels that enhanced its visual presence, although these wheels appeared vulnerable to curb rash. The Altima SL, one of the two upscale trims, came with an MSRP of $34,755, including the destination charge.

The interior of the 2023 Altima SL was appealing, though it had plenty of hard plastic, reminding drivers of its lower base price. Opting for Gray leather improved the cabin's look, giving it a high-contrast two-tone appearance. However, the new simulated wood dashboard trim wasn't convincing, though the double-stitched seams helped distract from the hard plastic. Overall, the Altima SL looked good, thanks to the new wheels, but the interior had room for improvement.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI, a sporty version of the VW Golf compact hatchback, was only available as a five-door hatch. The styling of the current-generation GTI was more expressive than its predecessor, featuring a wide-mouth grille, standard LED headlights, and a light strip on SE and Autobahn models. However, the low placement of these elements gave the car odd proportions when viewed at eye level. The main design news for 2024 was the 380 special edition package, standard on all manual-transmission models, which included gloss black 19-inch wheels, a black roof, and mirror caps.

The interior of the 2024 GTI blended classic GTI styling with modern tech features. It had a digital instrument cluster, a large infotainment screen, and heavily bolstered front seats with the GTI's signature plaid upholstery. The chunky shifter had golf-ball-like dimples, adding a touch of humor, but the steering wheel looked like it came straight out of a VW Atlas. Overall, the GTI's interior was a mix of classic and modern elements, with some design choices that might not appeal to everyone.

The 2023 Nissan Altima, except for the SR VC-Turbo, had a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The engine produced 188 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque in front-wheel-drive (FWD) models and 182 hp and 178 lb-ft with all-wheel drive (AWD). The AWD system, available with SV, SR, and SL trims, could deliver up to half of the engine's output to the rear wheels. The power was adequate, with torque arriving at 3,600 rpm. The CVT was programmed to mimic a traditional automatic transmission, and the SR trim had paddle shifters for added driver engagement. Official EPA fuel economy ratings ranged from 30 mpg to 32 mpg in combined driving, but our SL AWD test vehicle averaged 27.4 mpg.

For a more lively driving experience, the Altima SR VC-Turbo had a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder variable compression engine with a paddle-shifted CVT and FWD. It produced 236 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque on regular gas, and 248 hp and 273 lb-ft on premium fuel. The SR and SR VC-Turbo models had a sport-tuned suspension, brake-based Active Ride Control, and Intelligent Trace Control systems. The SR VC-Turbo also had Active Understeer Control technology. However, the SL AWD test vehicle, with the least powerful drivetrain, delivered merely adequate performance and disappointing fuel economy. The Altima was easy to drive in urban environments but had a firm ride and poor rear visibility. In the mountains, it displayed commendable grip but had lifeless steering and brakes that heated up easily.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI used VW's EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. It was available with a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DSG). The GTI was front-wheel drive (FWD) and had a standard electronically-controlled limited-slip differential and optional adaptive damping. The GTI's driving experience was precise and stable, with a well-tuned suspension that smoothed out rough edges. The powertrain response was linear, with no turbo lag, making it easy to lose track of speed. The GTI was quiet and comfortable, especially with the optional adaptive dampers, making it a great daily driver.

The 2023 Nissan Altima had a simple and comfortable interior, with controls laid out logically and easy-to-read analog gauges. The Zero Gravity seats were exceptionally comfortable, though the leather upholstery was somewhat sticky. The Altima SL had dual-zone automatic climate control, a power sunroof, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat. However, the front passenger's seat only had four-way power adjustment, and the low seating position made it harder to get in and out. Rear seat comfort was good, with plenty of legroom, foot room, and headroom, but rear air conditioning vents were only available on higher trims. Interior storage was reasonable, with various trays and bins, but the trunk measured 15.4 cubic feet, smaller than some competitors.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI offered added practicality with its hatchback body style, providing 19.9 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 34.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The GTI had slightly more second-row headroom than its competitors but less first-row headroom. Front-seat legroom was comparable, but rear-seat passengers might feel more squeezed. The GTI was well-equipped, with heated front seats, automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and ambient lighting as standard. SE and Autobahn models added a sunroof, keyless entry, leather upholstery, three-zone climate control, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a 12-way power driver's seat with memory. However, the haptic controls for temperature and audio volume on SE and Autobahn models hindered functionality, making them difficult to use while driving.

The 2023 Nissan Altima's base S trim had a basic radio with a 5-inch display, Bluetooth, and a hands-free text messaging assistant. Upgrading to SV or SR trim added 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 infotainment system, available on SV and SR trims and standard on SL and SR VC-Turbo trims, offered a navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a wireless smartphone charging pad. The 12.3-inch system also included NissanConnect Services, remote engine starting, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility, and an SOS calling button. The Bose nine-speaker premium audio system, available on SL and SR VC-Turbo trims, performed well for some types of music but not others.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI's base S trim had an 8.25-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless device charging, Bluetooth, a six-speaker audio system, and four USB-C ports. SE and Autobahn models had a 10-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi connectivity, a nine-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, voice control, and SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio. The Autobahn model also had a head-up display. The infotainment system was generally user-friendly, though there was a delay in displaying satellite radio information. The 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro digital instrument cluster, standard on all GTI models, had four configurations but wasn't very good at conveying information. The default view featured a central tachometer with a large GTI logo, but the fuel gauge was hard to read, forcing reliance on the touchscreen.

The 2023 Nissan Altima came standard with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver monitoring system. The Altima SV added rear automatic braking, while the Altima SR included automatic high-beam headlights. ProPilot Assist, optional on SV trim and standard on SL and SR VC-Turbo trims, added adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The SL and SR VC-Turbo trims also had a surround-view camera system. The Altima received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2022 calendar year, though it received a Poor rating in the updated IIHS side-impact test.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI had not been fully tested by the IIHS or NHTSA at press time. However, it received top "Good" scores in the small overlap front test and the original versions of the moderate overlap front and side tests. Headlights received "Acceptable" and "Marginal" ratings, depending on the trim level. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist. The GTI also had Intelligent Crash Response, which automatically shut off the fuel pump, unlocked the doors, and switched on the hazards in certain collisions. DSG-equipped models added Emergency Assist, which could bring the car to a stop if the driver was incapacitated. Additional available features included park distance control, park assist, automatic high beams, and traffic sign recognition.