2024 Mazda MAZDA3 vs 2024 Nissan Altima

The 2024 Nissan Altima carried forward much of its design cues introduced in the 2019 model, offering a familiar experience to its fans. With a slight facelift in 2023 that updated the grille to an open-bottomed edge, the Altima sought to present a more imposing front. The Altima was sold in four trim levels: S, SV, SR, and SL, with most models using front-wheel drive (FWD) as a standard but offering all-wheel drive (AWD) on the SV, SR, and SL trims. The SR trim could also be equipped with Nissan’s VC-Turbo engine for more powerful performance.

The Altima SL, equipped with AWD, sported Garnet Pearl Metallic paint and 19-inch alloy wheels that gave it a classy yet conservative appeal. Chrome detailing around the car’s exterior—like door handles and lower window sill trim—provided an upscale touch. Though, intriguingly, the rear badging was in gunmetal gray, perhaps to balance the chrome accents.

Front LED projector headlights were effective and stylish, and rear dual exhaust pipes, complemented by an optional rear spoiler (available for an additional $420), gave the sedan a slight sporty flair. Inside, the Nissan Altima felt somewhat outdated, characterized by yellow overhead lights and wood trim reminiscent of older car models. However, the seats were notably comfortable, with a supportive design and user-friendly placement of cupholders and cubbies throughout the cabin. Our test vehicle included an optional wireless phone charger and a traditional PRNDL shifter.

Contrastingly, the 2024 Mazda MAZDA3, although also last redesigned in 2019, felt astonishingly modern with its elegant, swooping lines and finely scalloped bodywork. The vehicle came in two body styles: sedan and hatchback, with six trim levels for each. The hatchback was generally favored due to its superior aesthetics and better storage capacity. Our test vehicle was a Hatchback with the Turbo Premium Plus trim, wearing a striking Snowflake White Pearl Mica color with stunning red leather upholstery.

Mazda’s design ethos aimed for a luxurious look with squinting LED headlights, stylish round lighting elements, and cleverly recessed headlight housings. It even gave premium cars a run for their money. Inside, Mazda continued its luxurious lean with expansive leather coverage extending across the door tops and the entire dash. The leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob reinforced the premium feel.

The 2024 Nissan Altima was equipped with a naturally aspirated, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. This powertrain delivered 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, making it adequately powerful for regular driving tasks. The car could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in approximately 7.5 seconds. However, for drivers seeking more thrill, the SR trim's VC-Turbo engine provided 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, albeit at a small sacrifice in fuel economy.

Our test vehicle featured an intelligent AWD system, which operated mainly in FWD mode to conserve fuel, except when additional traction was necessary. This system helped achieve an EPA-estimated 26 mpg city, 36 highway, and 30 combined. While the VC-Turbo engine promised more excitement, it did not come with AWD, limiting its efficacy in snowy conditions.

Driving the Altima engaged a relatively light steering feel, yet it maintained a low center of gravity, resulting in minimal body roll during cornering. The CVT managed power well but produced a droning noise under acceleration, detracting from an otherwise quiet cabin.

The 2024 Mazda MAZDA3 came with two engine options: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 191 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder delivering 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. This turbocharged engine provided a notable boost, and its performance remained engaging under various driving scenarios, dropping slightly on regular fuel but rarely under 227 horsepower.

Mazda equipped the base models with FWD, while AWD was standard on mid-to-high-level trims like the S Carbon Edition, Carbon Turbo, and Turbo Premium Plus. A six-speed manual transmission was available only in the Hatchback S Premium trim with FWD, while all other trims came with a six-speed automatic transmission.

With an intelligent AWD system and tight, precise steering, the MAZDA3 excelled in handling, especially on winding roads. The chassis managed corners remarkably well, although the torsion beam rear suspension occasionally showed its limits on rough pavements. For fuel economy, the FWD, non-turbo models offered 27 mpg city, 37 highway, and 31 combined, while the turbocharged AWD variants delivered 23/32/27 for the sedan and 23/31/26 for the hatchback.

The Nissan Altima offered impressive interior space, especially in the front seats, boasting more room than competitors like the Honda Accord, Subaru Legacy, and Toyota Camry but falling short compared to the Hyundai Sonata and Kia K5. The rear seats, with 35.2 inches of legroom, matched the Kia K5 and beat the Sonata. The Altima's trunk provided 15.4 cubic feet of space, outclassing the Legacy and Camry but not quite reaching the capacity of the Koreans or the Accord. Nonetheless, the wide trunk opening and 60/40-split folding rear seats made it a practical choice for cargo.

The 2024 Mazda MAZDA3 felt notably more compact, particularly the hatchback version, which was visually stunning but less practical. It offered 20.1 cubic feet of cargo space, competitive within its class but trailing the Honda Civic Hatchback. The total cargo volume maxed out at 47.1 cubic feet, which was average.

Rear passenger space in the Mazda3 was less impressive with tight legroom and headroom, making long journeys uncomfortable for taller passengers. The sedan's trunk space was even less accommodating at 13.2 cubic feet. Moreover, the hatchback’s bodywork resulted in a significant blind spot at the C-pillar, complicating rear visibility.

The 2024 Nissan Altima's base versions came with a 7-inch touchscreen, with an 8-inch screen for most trims and a notable 12.3-inch display for the SL and SR VC-Turbo trims. The 12.3-inch display impressed with vivid graphics, crisp resolution, and user-friendly navigation, although it lacked a physical tuning knob. Standard features across all trims included Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with wireless capability reserved for the largest screen. However, the SiriusXM interface seemed cluttered, and the nine-speaker Bose stereo failed to impress.

In contrast, the Mazda MAZDA3 featured a rotary controller-based infotainment system, which Mazda argued was safer and more user-friendly by feel, although it required an adjustment period. The standard 8.8-inch screen offered truncated text displays, but the upper trims got a new 10.25 screen with limited touchscreen functionality, mainly for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The Mazda3 was generously equipped with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, progressing to wireless versions in higher trims. A wireless charging pad and the Mazda Connect system with Wi-Fi, remote services, and navigation were also available. The Bose stereo in the Mazda3 was more satisfying, redeeming past frustrations with the brand.

The 2024 Nissan Altima achieved a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with exceptional side-impact and rollover test results but just four stars in frontal and driver-side crash tests. The ever-vigilant Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) dropped its previous Top Safety Pick+ designation for the 2024 model due to a subpar score in the updated side-impact test. Despite these concerns, the Altima came well-equipped with standard advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including Nissan Safety Shield 360, ProPilot Assist, and several semi-autonomous driving aids.

The 2024 Mazda MAZDA3 also earned high marks, securing five stars from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. The model came loaded with essential safety features, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality. The Turbo Premium Plus trim added advanced traffic support, enabling semi-autonomous driving in heavy traffic conditions.