Nissan Altima vs Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid received notable styling updates, enhancing its modern appeal. The front fascia featured a streamlined design with a single slim lightbar, known as the “seamless horizon lamp,” giving the sedan a contemporary look. The badge was repositioned above the grille, while the headlights were placed independently below it. The rear end, already equipped with a lightbar, now resembled the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe, forming a wide “H” shape with the taillights. Despite these changes, the side profile remained similar to the 2023 model. In Canada, the Preferred-Trend trim came with 18-inch alloy wheels, while the N Line trim boasted 19-inch wheels. The interior saw updates with a redesigned dash, a new T-shaped steering wheel, and a relocated gear shifter to the steering column. The Preferred-Trend trim offered a basic black interior with leather upholstery, while the N Line trim featured a light grey option with Nappa leather, suede inserts, and red accents.

The 2025 Nissan Altima presented an appealing design with just enough flair to maintain visual interest without alienating its customer base. The Canadian lineup included S, SR, SR Premium, and Platinum trims. The test car, in SR trim, featured 19-inch wheels and sport-bolstered front seats. However, the Tactical Green paint colour and bronze wheels were not available in Canada. The Altima was powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, the sole option in both Canada and the U.S., as Nissan discontinued the more powerful VC-Turbo engine. The interior of the test model was unremarkable, lacking leather seats and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The SR Premium trim offered a more refined interior, though low-grade plastic remained. The dashboard materials and visible foam insulation detracted from the overall finish.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid introduced an all-wheel drive (AWD) system for the first time, available on the Preferred-Trend trim for an additional $2,000. The N Line remained front-wheel-drive (FWD) only. The Preferred-Trend trim was equipped with a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The N Line featured a turbocharged version of the same engine, delivering 290 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque, available from 1,650 to 4,000 rpm, with power transferred via an 8-speed wet-clutch dual-clutch transmission (DCT). The Sonata's steering feel and handling were praised, along with the configurable driver-information display.

The 2025 Nissan Altima, sold in Canada with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and standard AWD, generated 182 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The driving experience was described as unremarkable, with decent acceleration and a quieter ride than expected. The brakes felt good, and the steering wheel was easy to manoeuvre. In SR trim, the suspension and 19-inch wheels provided a firm but comfortable ride, though the steering lacked precision. The Altima did not offer a hybrid powertrain, but it delivered real-world fuel efficiency matching the official rating from Natural Resources Canada. The Altima AWD burned 8.2 litres per 100 kilometres in S trim and 8.4 L/100 km in other trims in combined driving, with the test car averaging 8.3 L/100 km on a mountainous testing loop.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid offered competitive interior space, with 975 millimetres of front-seat headroom, slightly above the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, and just below the Nissan Altima. Rear-seat headroom was 950 mm, while front-row legroom was prioritized at 1,170 mm, with rear-seat passengers receiving 885 mm. Heated and ventilated front seats were standard in the Preferred-Trend trim, though ventilation was dropped in the N Line's sport seats. The slimmer rim of the steering wheel was appreciated for comfort, and the trunk close button added an extra convenience feature.

The 2025 Nissan Altima boasted a comfortable interior, with front seats using Nissan's Zero Gravity design to reduce pressure and fatigue on long drives. The front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster but offered excellent leg support. The back seat was supportive and roomy enough for adults. Rear climate vents were standard in Canada. Interior storage space was commendable, with a 437-litre trunk offering practicality. The cargo volume could be expanded to 1,645 litres by folding the 60/40-split rear seat down, providing similar utility to SUVs.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid featured a selectable functionality for the driver’s side front USB-C port, allowing it to switch between data-transmitting and charging-only modes. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard on all trims. The curved display combined the infotainment touchscreen and driver-information display into a single panel. The N Line had a pair of 12.3-inch screens, while the Preferred-Trend trim had a smaller digital instrument cluster. The N Line also included navigation and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, while a six-speaker sound system was standard.

The 2025 Nissan Altima offered two infotainment systems. The standard setup included an 8-inch touchscreen, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a six-speaker stereo, with a wireless charging pad added in SR trim. The SR Premium and Platinum trims featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, NissanConnect services, and navigation. The standard sound system was adequate, with a Bass Enhancer, while the nine-speaker Bose system was reserved for the SR Premium and Platinum trims.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid came with blind-spot collision warning and rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist as standard. Forward collision-avoidance assist with junction turning detection, safe exit warning and assist, lane-following and lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, automatic emergency braking, and rear occupant alert were also included. Hyundai's infotainment system made safety features easy to find and use.

The 2025 Nissan Altima's SR Premium trim included ProPilot Assist 1.0, combining adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and lane-centring assist. Nissan Safety Shield 360 was standard, equipping the car with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic rear braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Altima earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, but the IIHS rated its crash protection as Poor in side impact protection and Marginal in frontal-impact tests.