Is The Nissan Altima Reliable? This Is What Consumer Reports Says

If you're in the market for a Nissan Altima, you might be wondering if the midsized sedan is reliable, and rightly so. The car routinely offers good fuel economy and a hugely spacious and comfortable cabin, but never seemed to receive the same level of appreciation from consumers as its rivals. It's named among the least satisfying cars to own, and based on comments online, a big part of why people aren't totally sold on it is its reliability issues. The past years have even been rife with discussions about Nissan killing off the Altima entirely due to slow sales. But we thought it deserved a fair shake, and thus, we turned to Consumer Reports (CR) to determine if the concerns about unreliability are warranted or overstated.

Consumer Reports' assessment of the 2025 Nissan Altima shows the midsized car has average predicted reliability and below-average owner satisfaction scores. Yet, its score still manages to stay ahead of the 2022, 2020, and 2015 Altima models, all of which also earned average reliability ratings. The 2019, 2017, 2016, 2014, and 2013 Altima versions did worse, ranking as some of the least reliable models in more than a decade with below-average ratings. There are no reliability ratings available for the 2021 and 2024 Altima.

2013 suffers the indignity of being the worst model year for the Nissan Altima in terms of reliability. Owners of that version have reported faults with the transmission and air conditioning system, as well as the electrical and infotainment systems. The same problems also impact the 2014 Altima, but to a lesser degree.

While Consumer Reports' ratings show that Nissan Altimas are not the best when it comes to reliability, the 2018 and 2023 models seem to have fared very well. The two cars reach well above average in these reliability studies, with the 2023 model ranking as the highest-rated version of the car. Based on its performance that year, the Altima took the top position in CR rankings alongside the Toyota Camry Hybrid, which performed equally well in reliability assessments. In third place was the Honda Accord, with a reliability score just slightly lower than the Altima's. The Hyundai Sonata and nonhybrid Toyota Camry earned above-average ratings, but still ended up far below the Altima.

These Altima models aren't perfect, however. The 2023 Altima, for example, received a few complaints on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, with many of those complaints focusing on the car unexpectedly shutting off while driving. Some owners have found that this problem often happens when the alternator or battery stops working properly; simply replacing the battery can resolve it. Others believe that the issue occurs due to the car not being driven for long periods of time. For the 2018 Altima, its transmission tends to be a major problem area, as owners commonly reported the CVT shuddering when shifting gears or even failing to engage. 

If you're set on the Nissan Altima, the 2023 Altima may be worth considering. Despite the potential battery issues, it's a more up-to-date car and it received a major update that refreshed its design and interior.