2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2024 Nissan Altima

The 2024 Nissan Altima, a familiar name since 1993, retained much of its sixth-generation design introduced in 2019, with a notable update in 2023 featuring a new grille for a more imposing look. In Canada, the Altima was available in four trims: S, SR, SR Premium, and Platinum, all equipped with standard all-wheel drive (AWD), setting it apart from its midsize sedan competitors. The U.S. specification model, similar to the Canadian Platinum trim, sported a red exterior and 19-inch alloy wheels, offering a conservative yet pleasant appearance. The front featured LED projector headlights, while the rear was enhanced by dual exhaust pipes and an optional spoiler, adding a touch of sportiness to the aging design. Inside, the Altima's interior felt outdated, with soft yellow lights and wood trim reminiscent of older vehicles. However, the seats were notably comfortable, and the layout was practical, with easy-to-reach controls and a wireless phone charger. Despite the comfort, the front passenger seat had limited adjustability, and the leather upholstery felt subpar, with some cheap plastic elements detracting from the overall quality.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI, a sporty version of the VW Golf, was only available as a five-door hatchback in North America. Its styling was more expressive than its predecessor, featuring a wide-mouth grille, standard LED headlights, and a light strip on certain models. The 2024 model introduced a 380 special edition package for manual-transmission models, marking the end of the manual GTI. This package included gloss black 19-inch wheels with summer performance tires. The GTI's interior combined classic styling with modern tech, featuring a digital instrument cluster, a large infotainment screen, and signature plaid upholstery on the well-cushioned front seats. The shifter had a unique golf-ball-like design, adding a touch of humour, while the steering wheel was borrowed from the VW Atlas. The GTI's design aimed to balance performance with everyday usability, offering a mature driving experience with excellent grip and well-tuned suspension. However, some excitement was lost in the process, making it a great daily driver but less thrilling than some competitors.

The 2024 Nissan Altima was powered by a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. This setup provided adequate performance, with a 0 to 96 km/h time of approximately 7.5 seconds. Unfortunately, the more powerful VC-Turbo engine available in the U.S. was not offered in Canada due to its incompatibility with the standard AWD system. The Altima's "intelligent" AWD system monitored wheel traction and distributed power to the rear wheels as needed, enhancing fuel efficiency. The Altima achieved a fuel consumption rating of 9.1 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 6.5 on the highway, and 7.9 combined. The steering felt light, but the low centre of gravity minimized body roll in corners. The brakes were predictable, and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) managed power well, though it produced a droning noise under heavy acceleration.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI featured VW's EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. It offered a choice between a six-speed manual transmission and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The GTI was front-wheel drive, with an electronically controlled limited-slip differential and optional adaptive damping. Built on the MQB architecture, the GTI's chassis was revised for added strength and reduced weight, resulting in precise handling and a stable feel. The driving experience was smooth and mature, with linear power delivery and minimal turbo lag. The GTI excelled as a daily driver, offering comfort and quietness, especially with adaptive dampers. While it lacked the excitement of some competitors, it struck a balance between performance and everyday usability.

The 2024 Nissan Altima offered impressive interior space, with front seats providing more room than some competitors like the Honda Accord and Subaru Legacy. The rear seat offered 895 millimetres of legroom, surpassing the Hyundai Sonata and matching the Kia K5. Trunk space measured 437 litres, outclassing the Legacy and Camry but falling short of the Koreans and the Accord. The trunk's wide opening facilitated loading bulky items, and the 60/40-split folding rear seat allowed for increased cargo space. The Altima's interior was user-friendly, with comfortable seats and well-placed cupholders and cubbies.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI, with its hatchback body style, offered 563 litres of cargo space, expandable to 977 litres with the rear seats folded. This surpassed rival sedans like the Honda Civic Si and Hyundai Elantra N. While passenger space was comparable to sport compact sedans, the GTI had slightly more second-row headroom but less first-row headroom than most competitors. The GTI was well-equipped, with heated front seats, automatic climate control, and ambient lighting standard on all trims. Higher trims added features like leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, and a power driver's seat. However, the haptic controls for temperature and audio volume on higher trims hindered functionality, making them difficult to use while driving.

The 2024 Nissan Altima featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system on most models, with a 12.3-inch display available on higher trims. The larger screen offered crisp graphics and excellent resolution, with static icons for easy navigation. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were standard, with wireless versions available on the larger screen. The nine-speaker Bose stereo was underwhelming, and the SiriusXM interface appeared cluttered. NissanConnect, standard on higher trims, allowed remote access and vehicle health monitoring through the MyNissan app.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI came with an 8-inch touchscreen on the base model, while higher trims featured a 10-inch screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Performance trim added a nine-speaker Harman Kardon audio system and a head-up display. The infotainment system was generally user-friendly, though satellite radio information took time to display. The 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro instrument cluster offered multiple configurations, but the design was somewhat cheesy, and the fuel gauge was difficult to read. The GTI's focus on screens detracted from the driver-centric experience expected in a hot hatchback.

The 2024 Nissan Altima received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with excellent side-impact and rollover crash test results. However, it scored four stars in frontal crash tests. The IIHS had not awarded the 2024 model a Top Safety Pick+ designation due to poor side-impact test performance. The Altima came equipped with standard advanced driver assist systems, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-departure warning. Higher trims added features like a 360-degree surround-view monitor and traffic-sign recognition. ProPilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving system, was standard on most trims.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI had not been fully tested by the IIHS or NHTSA at press time. It received top "Good" scores in some crash tests, but headlights were rated "Acceptable" or "Marginal" depending on the trim. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane keep assist. The Autobahn trim added adaptive cruise control and Travel Assist, which maintained speed and lane positioning on highways. The GTI also featured Intelligent Crash Response and Emergency Assist on certain models.