Nissan Altima vs Hyundai Sonata
Head-to-head reliability comparison from 41,989real NHTSA consumer complaints. Year-by-year breakdown, shared problems, crash & fire rates.
Which is more reliable, Nissan Altima or Hyundai Sonata?
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.
Nissan Altima
2025 model yearHyundai Sonata
2025 model yearSource: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Lower star = higher injury risk in that crash type.
Complaint Volume — Year by Year
Sales-volume data not available for both models — showing raw complaint counts. Higher-volume models will appear higher even when reliability is comparable.
Most Reported Problems
Top component complaints for each model. Identical bar lengths = both have the same recurring issue.
Year-by-Year Head-to-Head
Lower is better. Click either model column to see that year's full breakdown.
| Year | Nissan Altima | Hyundai Sonata | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 150 | 46 | Sonata |
| 1994 | 120 | 7 | Sonata |
| 1995 | 216 | 93 | Sonata |
| 1996 | 117 | 37 | Sonata |
| 1997 | 141 | 74 | Sonata |
| 1998 | 141 | 68 | Sonata |
| 1999 | 110 | 187 | Altima |
| 2000 | 199 | 378 | Altima |
| 2001 | 202 | 293 | Altima |
| 2002 | 1,321 | 407 | Sonata |
| 2003 | 1,099 | 247 | Sonata |
| 2004 | 334 | 285 | Sonata |
| 2005 | 1,360 | 217 | Sonata |
| 2006 | 1,043 | 1,422 | Altima |
| 2007 | 597 | 906 | Altima |
| 2008 | 1,375 | 554 | Sonata |
| 2009 | 2,150 | 610 | Sonata |
| 2010 | 539 | 415 | Sonata |
| 2011 | 317 | 4,597 | Altima |
| 2012 | 576 | 2,260 | Altima |
| 2013 | 2,975 | 2,607 | Sonata |
| 2014 | 1,383 | 1,066 | Sonata |
| 2015 | 1,192 | 1,616 | Altima |
| 2016 | 778 | 965 | Altima |
| 2017 | 498 | 965 | Altima |
| 2018 | 316 | 521 | Altima |
| 2019 | 334 | 189 | Sonata |
| 2020 | 266 | 238 | Sonata |
| 2021 | 98 | 161 | Altima |
| 2022 | 50 | 123 | Altima |
| 2023 | 36 | 131 | Altima |
| 2024 | 57 | 62 | Altima |
| 2025 | 9 | 12 | Altima |
Frequently Asked Questions
Nissan Altima vs Hyundai Sonata — the most common buyer questions, answered from NHTSA data.
Which is more reliable, the Nissan Altima or the Hyundai Sonata?
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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 Nissan Altima or a Hyundai Sonata?
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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 Nissan Altima and Hyundai Sonata share?
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Top complaints for the Nissan Altima: Transmission / Drivetrain, Airbags, Electrical Faults. Top complaints for the Hyundai Sonata: Engine Problems, Steering Defects, Airbags. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Which has fewer NHTSA complaints, the Nissan Altima or the Hyundai Sonata?
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Across all model years, the Nissan Altima has 20,099 NHTSA complaints and the Hyundai Sonata has 21,890. 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/nissan/altima/vs/hyundai/sonata
Which is safer in a crash, the Nissan Altima or the Hyundai Sonata?
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Crash-involvement rate from NHTSA complaints: Nissan Altima 6.2% vs Hyundai Sonata 5.2% — 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 Nissan Altima or the Hyundai Sonata have more fires?
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Fire-involvement rate based on NHTSA complaints: Nissan Altima 1.60% vs Hyundai Sonata 3.80%. 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/nissan/altima and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/hyundai/sonata
What years of the Nissan Altima are worse than the Hyundai Sonata?
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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/nissan/altima/{year} and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/hyundai/sonata/{year}.
Where does this Nissan Altima vs Hyundai Sonata 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 Altima or Sonata also look at:
Comparison data refreshed 2026-05-04 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 $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Deep-dive into either model: