Hyundai Sonata vs Nissan Altima
Head-to-head reliability comparison from 41,989real NHTSA consumer complaints. Year-by-year breakdown, shared problems, crash & fire rates.
Which is more reliable, Hyundai Sonata or Nissan Altima?
Verdict from 41,989 NHTSA complaints
Nissan Altima wins this comparison overall. Nissan Altima comes out ahead on 3 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 83% lower complaint rate. The Hyundai Sonata edges ahead on crash-involvement rate.
Head-to-Head Metrics
Lower is better on every metric. Bar length = relative magnitude. ✓ = winner.
Nissan Altima wins by 83%
Hyundai Sonata wins by 19%
Nissan Altima wins by 137%
Nissan Altima wins by 85%
NHTSA Crash Test Ratings
Official NCAP star ratings — government crash test data. Most recent rated model year.
Hyundai Sonata
2025 model yearNissan Altima
2025 model yearSource: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Lower star = higher injury risk in that crash type.
Complaint Rate per 10K Sold — Year by Year
Lower line = fewer complaints relative to vehicles sold that year. Crossovers reveal which model improved (or got worse) over generations.
Most Reported Problems
Top component complaints for each model. Identical bar lengths = both have the same recurring issue.
Year-by-Year Head-to-Head
Complaints per 10,000 sold that year; lower is better. Click either model column to see that year's full breakdown.
| Year | Hyundai Sonata | Nissan Altima | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 16.6 | 53.3 | Sonata |
| 2006 | 95.1 | 44.9 | Altima |
| 2007 | 62.2 | 21.0 | Altima |
| 2008 | 47.2 | 50.6 | Sonata |
| 2009 | 50.8 | 105.6 | Sonata |
| 2010 | 21.1 | 23.5 | Sonata |
| 2011 | 203.4 | 11.8 | Altima |
| 2012 | 98.0 | 17.1 | Altima |
| 2013 | 128.0 | 92.8 | Altima |
| 2014 | 49.1 | 41.2 | Altima |
| 2015 | 75.8 | 35.8 | Altima |
| 2016 | 48.4 | 25.3 | Altima |
| 2017 | 73.2 | 19.5 | Altima |
| 2018 | 49.6 | 15.1 | Altima |
| 2019 | 21.6 | 16.0 | Altima |
| 2020 | 30.9 | 19.3 | Altima |
| 2021 | 19.3 | 9.4 | Altima |
| 2022 | 23.6 | 3.6 | Altima |
| 2023 | 32.2 | 2.8 | Altima |
| 2024 | 10.1 | 5.0 | Altima |
| 2025 | 2.1 | 1.0 | Altima |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hyundai Sonata vs Nissan Altima — the most common buyer questions, answered from NHTSA data.
Which is more reliable, the Hyundai Sonata or the Nissan Altima?
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Nissan Altima wins this comparison overall. Nissan Altima comes out ahead on 3 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 83% lower complaint rate. The Hyundai Sonata edges ahead on crash-involvement rate. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.
Should I buy a Hyundai Sonata or a Nissan Altima?
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On reliability data alone, the Nissan Altima is the safer bet — but the actual condition of the specific car matters far more than the model average. Check the VIN of any vehicle you're considering for accident history, title issues, and odometer rollbacks.
What problems do the Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Altima share?
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Top complaints for the Hyundai Sonata: Engine Problems, Steering Defects, Airbags. Top complaints for the Nissan Altima: Transmission / Drivetrain, Airbags, Electrical Faults. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Which has fewer NHTSA complaints, the Hyundai Sonata or the Nissan Altima?
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Across all model years, the Hyundai Sonata has 21,890 NHTSA complaints and the Nissan Altima has 20,099. Normalized for sales volume (complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold), the Nissan Altima has the lower complaint rate. Raw counts can mislead — a 2× more popular model will naturally collect 2× more complaints. Detailed normalized comparison: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/compare/hyundai/sonata/vs/nissan/altima
Which is safer in a crash, the Hyundai Sonata or the Nissan Altima?
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Crash-involvement rate from NHTSA complaints: Hyundai Sonata 5.2% vs Nissan Altima 6.2% — the Hyundai Sonata has the lower crash rate. NHTSA NCAP star ratings (frontal, side, rollover) for both models are also shown on the comparison page. Note: the per-VIN history matters more than the model average — a salvage-title car of any model carries higher crash exposure than the median.
Does the Hyundai Sonata or the Nissan Altima have more fires?
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Fire-involvement rate based on NHTSA complaints: Hyundai Sonata 3.80% vs Nissan Altima 1.60%. The Nissan Altima has the lower reported fire rate. Fire complaints are a relatively rare but important safety signal — they often correlate with electrical-system or fuel-system defects. Check specific recall campaigns at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/hyundai/sonata and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/nissan/altima
What years of the Hyundai Sonata are worse than the Nissan Altima?
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The comparison page renders a year-by-year head-to-head table — for each model year (where both models have data), it shows complaint count or per-10K rate side by side and marks which model fares better that year. Buyers cross-shopping a specific model year should always check the year-level VinItel pages: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/hyundai/sonata/{year} and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/nissan/altima/{year}.
Where does this Hyundai Sonata vs Nissan Altima comparison data come from?
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All complaint, crash, fire, and fatality data comes from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) consumer-complaint database — the same source insurance regulators and the federal government use. NCAP star ratings come from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. Sales-volume normalization (per 10K sold) uses US annual vehicle sales. Data refreshes every 6 hours. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Related Reliability Comparisons
Other head-to-head matchups buyers cross-shopping the Sonata or Altima also look at:
Comparison data refreshed 2026-11-04 from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.·Source: NHTSA ODI
A model average can't see the car you're buying.
Even the Nissan Altima has cars with hidden accidents, salvage titles, and odometer rollbacks. Check the VIN before you buy — full report $8.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Deep-dive into either model: