2021 Nissan Altima vs 2022 Toyota Corolla

The 2021 Nissan Altima presented a strong family identity with its bold V-Motion grille, available in chrome or dark chrome, tastefully adorned with the Nissan logo. Its overall shape was sleek and aerodynamic, featuring a sloping “coupe-like” roofline. The body design leaned more towards folds than curves, giving it a taut and trim essence. Despite a mildly ungainly stance due to its short dash-to-axle distance, the Altima maintained a contemporary look with standard LED lighting and alloy wheels ranging from 17 to 19 inches. The fit and finish were exceptional, with deep lustrous paint and rich chrome details, available in six exterior colours with premium options. Inside, the dashboard was uncluttered, featuring a standard 8-inch touchscreen display. As one moved up the trim levels, the interior materials improved, offering better hand feel and added stitching to the dash and seats.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla aimed to counter Toyota’s reputation for blandness with extroverted exterior styling, including scowling LED headlights and a wide grille. While it couldn’t out-weird the Hyundai Elantra, it offered different styling elements for certain trims, such as the aggressive front fascia on SE and XSE models. The Nightshade Edition added blacked-out trim, while the Apex Edition featured a subtle body kit. The Corolla shared structural elements with larger Toyota models, thanks to the TNGA platform. Inside, the design was simple yet appealing, though the piano black plastic trim was prone to dust and smudges. The SE Apex Edition had the same interior as the standard SE, with light grey upholstery that seemed prone to stains. Cloth upholstery was standard, with SofTex leatherette available on some trims.

The 2021 Nissan Altima in Canada was equipped with a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with Nissan’s Xtronic CVT. Notably, all-wheel drive was standard, a rarity among mid-size sedans in Canada, with the ability to send up to 50% of torque to the rear wheels. Fuel consumption ratings were 9.1 L/100 km city, 6.5 highway, and 7.9 combined for the base model, with slight increases for higher trims. The Altima featured four-wheel independent suspension and electric-powered steering, providing decent feedback and feel.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla offered two engine options: a 1.8-litre four-cylinder with 139 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque for L, LE, and XLE models, and a 2.0-litre engine with 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque for SE and XSE models. The Apex Edition shared the 2.0-litre engine but added a sport exhaust system. A CVT was standard, with a six-speed manual available for the 2.0-litre engine. The Apex Edition featured a sportier suspension, enhancing handling but compromising ride quality. Despite its sporty aspirations, the Apex Edition lacked significant performance upgrades, making it more fun in corners but not a full-fledged performance model.

The 2021 Nissan Altima boasted Nissan’s Zero Gravity front seats, praised for comfort on long drives. Standard features included power adjustment and front seat heating, with additional options like position memory and leather appointments on higher trims. The cabin offered ample storage, including a large glovebox, centre console storage, and door pockets. The rear seats were roomy, accommodating two adults comfortably, with a 60/40 split-folding design for trunk access. The trunk itself offered 436 litres of cargo space.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla provided decent headroom and legroom, aided by a low beltline for better visibility. However, the steeply raked windshield and deep dashboard affected forward visibility. The driver’s seat was positioned for optimal comfort, though long-legged drivers might find knee space lacking. The Corolla’s 371 litres of cargo space lagged behind competitors, but it included a 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat. The interior design limited storage space for smaller items, with a thin centre console and shallow cupholders.

The 2021 Nissan Altima came well-equipped with standard tech features, including keyless entry, remote engine start, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All models featured an 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen infotainment system and a 7-inch advanced Drive-Assist display. Higher trims offered additional features like SiriusXM satellite radio, a Bose audio system, and Nissan Door to Door Navigation with trial access to premium services.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla’s infotainment system was starting to show its age, with a 7-inch touchscreen on the base model and an 8-inch screen on higher trims. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The interface was user-friendly, but some tasks were less intuitive compared to competitors. The Corolla lacked wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and didn’t offer novel tech features like Hyundai’s Digital Key.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan Safety Shield 360, a comprehensive suite of driver-assist and safety features, including automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot warning. The Platinum grade added ProPilot Assist for highway driving assistance. The Altima received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. It came with eight airbags and a suite of standard driver-assist features under Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, including forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring was available on higher trims.