Episode Details
Back to EpisodesToyota Camry Vs. Nissan Altima Safety: One Sedan Is Miles Ahead
Description
The Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima are two mainstays of the midsize sedan segment. Both offer exceptional value and low running costs for families requiring a spacious car. But they’re also at different points in their life cycles: An all-new Camry arrived for the 2025 model year, while the current Altima was first introduced in 2018. That puts the Toyota at a distinct advantage, but does this apply to safety, too? We’ve compared the latest safety results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to find out which of these two Japanese sedans comes out on top for overall safety.
Crashworthiness: Camry Excels, Altima Struggles in Two Tests
The IIHS runs the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side crash tests to evaluate how the vehicle holds up in various crashes. The first test involves a collision with the vehicle’s front corner, while the moderate overlap front is an offset crash between two cars. Ratings of Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor are given for each test—here's how the two cars fared.
Toyota Camry | Nissan Altima | |
Small Overlap Front | Good | Good |
Moderate Overlap Front | Good | Marginal |
Side | Good | Poor |
The Camry was the clear winner for crashworthiness, achieving Good ratings in every test. The Nissan, meanwhile, was off the pace in the moderate overlap front and side tests. The side crash test for the Altima was particularly disappointing, as most vehicles achieve at least a Marginal result here. In it, the IIHS discovered an increased chance of head, neck, torso, and pelvis injuries for the driver. The driver’s head moved downward beyond the side curtain airbag, striking the window sill.
IIHS/YouTube
Due to these results, the Altima was immediately disqualified from an IIHS award, whereas the Camry achieved a Top Safety Pick+ award—the safety authority’s top recognition for safety.
Related: Toyota Corolla Vs. Mazda 3 Vs. Honda Civic: Which Is Safest?
Crash Prevention: More Problems For The Altima
Nissan
Crash prevention is an important part of modern vehicle safety. Here, the IIHS tests a vehicle’s headlights as well as its ability to avoid a crash with another vehicle or pedestrian. Collision