2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 Nissan Altima

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, despite Volkswagen's overall sales decline due to various global issues, remained a steadfast performer. It accounted for over 61 percent of VW’s U.S. sales in 2021, and this figure rose to 70 percent in the first quarter of 2022. The Jetta received a mild makeover for 2022, including an engine update, exterior styling tweaks, improved infotainment, more features, and a new Sport trim. The exterior changes were subtle, with minor updates to the front fascia, bumper, and grille, which now featured more chrome. The rear bumper was redesigned to be less squatty and more square, with standard LED lighting in the taillight housing. New wheel designs and metallic colors were also introduced.

Inside, the Jetta received subtle but appealing updates, including a new rhombus pattern on the standard cloth seats and contrast stitching on all upholstery types. The leather-wrapped steering wheel became standard on all trims except the entry-level Jetta S. The 8-inch Digital Cockpit instrument cluster became standard across the lineup, with the Jetta SEL receiving the 10-inch Digital Cockpit Pro and an 8-inch touchscreen-navigation system. The interior remained driver-centric, with buttons for climate control, audio, and heated and ventilated seats easily accessible.

The 2023 Nissan Altima, building on over 50 years of family car heritage, introduced updated front styling with a revised grille design, new wheel designs, and two new paint colors. The higher trim levels, with 19-inch wheel designs, enhanced the Altima's visual presence. The Altima SL trim level, one of the two upscale trims for 2023, featured a more luxurious interior with Gray leather for a high-contrast two-tone appearance. However, the new simulated wood dashboard trim was not convincing, though the new double-stitched seams added a touch of sophistication.

The Altima's interior was simple to understand, easy to use, and comfortable to drive. The controls were logically laid out, and the Zero Gravity seats provided exceptional comfort. The Altima SL test vehicle came with 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 offered only four-way power adjustment, and the low seating position made it harder to get in and out of the car. Rear seat comfort was good, with plenty of legroom, foot room, and headroom, but rear air conditioning vents were only available on higher trims.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta was powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous 1.4-liter turbo-four. This engine produced 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, with transmission options including a standard six-speed manual or an optional eight-speed automatic. The Jetta's fuel economy was impressive, with the stick-shift model estimated at 29 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined. Automatic transmission models had slightly different ratings, with S and Sport models at 31 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined, while SE and SEL models were rated at 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined.

During an 800-mile road trip, the Jetta averaged 46.9 highway mpg, requiring only two fill-ups for the roughly 1,000-mile journey. The Jetta offered a comfortable cockpit for cruising, with well-cushioned and supportive seats. However, the powertrain had some drawbacks, including a touchy throttle, turbo lag, and tepid dynamics. The Jetta offered Eco, Normal, Sport, and Custom drive modes, but the steering feedback was detached, and the overall acceleration was good but not without feeling jumpy in stop-and-go traffic.

The 2023 Nissan Altima, except for the SR VC-Turbo, featured 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 models and 182 hp and 178 lb-ft with all-wheel drive (AWD). The AWD system, available with SV, SR, and SL trims, delivered up to half of the engine's output to the rear wheels. The Altima SR VC-Turbo had a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder variable compression engine with 236 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque on regular gas, and 248 hp and 273 lb-ft on premium fuel.

The Altima's CVT was programmed to mimic a traditional automatic transmission, and the SR trim had paddle shifters for added driver engagement. The EPA fuel economy ratings ranged from 30 mpg to 32 mpg in combined driving, with the SL AWD averaging 27.4 mpg. The Altima's ride was firm, and rough roads produced some noise. Rear visibility was poor, and the brakes heated up easily during spirited driving. The Altima's steering was lifeless, and the overall driving experience was more akin to an automotive appliance.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, despite its compact proportions, offered ample passenger space for four adults, with the ability to accommodate five if needed. The seats were comfortable, though the front seats' bottom cushion inclined slightly, which might not be appreciated by those with shorter legs. The cabin was driver-centric, with buttons for climate control, audio, and heated and ventilated seats easily accessible. There was usable storage space up front, including door pockets, a center console bin, a slot next to the cupholders, and a sunglass holder. The center storage bin, though not large, was still usable, but the compartment cover lacked a latch.

The 2023 Nissan Altima's interior was simple to understand, easy to use, and comfortable to drive. The controls were logically laid out, and the Zero Gravity seats provided exceptional comfort. The Altima SL test vehicle came with 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 offered only four-way power adjustment, and the low seating position made it harder to get in and out of the car. 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 door panel trays, a large tray forward of the transmission shifter, and a good-sized storage bin under the center armrest. The Altima's trunk measured 15.4 cubic feet, smaller than some competitors, but the space was usefully shaped.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta received an upgrade in the technology department, with all models equipped with the Digital Cockpit digital instrument cluster. The Jetta SEL got the fancier Digital Cockpit Pro version, with a 10.25-inch display and more widgets for navigation, phone history, and driver-assist systems. The standard infotainment system in Jetta S, Sport, and SE trims was a 6.5-inch Volkswagen MIB2 system, with App-Connect for Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and MirrorLink integration. The Jetta SEL got the newer 8-inch MIB3 system, with navigation, wireless App-Connect, wireless device charging, multi-phone pairing, and enhanced voice recognition. The enhanced voice activation and navigation commands were not intuitive, and the system often misunderstood prompts.

The 2023 Nissan Altima's base S trim had a radio with a 5-inch display and Bluetooth with streaming audio capability. The SV and SR trims came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with wired Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio with the expanded 360L service. The new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, available with SV and SR trims and standard with SL and SR VC-Turbo trims, offered navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a wireless smartphone charging pad. The 12.3-inch system represented a significant improvement, with a superior user interface and more appealing graphics. The voice recognition technology performed well, though it could not adjust the climate system using voice commands. The Altima also had a Bose nine-speaker premium audio system with SL and SR VC-Turbo trims, which performed well for some types of music but not others.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta came standard with IQ.Drive, Volkswagen's umbrella term for driver-assistance tech. The Jetta S and Sport were equipped with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward-collision warning with automatic braking and pedestrian recognition. The Driver Assistance package added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane-keep assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. The full IQ.DRIVE safety list was standard on Jetta SE and SEL trims. The 2022 Jetta had not yet received crash safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, but the 2021 Jetta received a five-star rating from the NHTSA and mostly "Good" grades from the IIHS.

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 a rear automatic braking system, while the Altima SR added automatic high-beam headlights. ProPilot Assist, optional with SV trim and standard on the Altima SL and SR VC-Turbo, added adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The Altima SL and SR VC-Turbo also had a surround-view camera system. The 2023 Altima received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS for the 2022 calendar year.