The midsize family sedan is unarguably one of the most common sights on the roads of the UAE. With every major automaker on the planet producing at least a few models in this category, buyers have at their disposal many, many cars to choose from. Among all these models, today, we are going to look at the new Honda Accord and Nissan Altima.
In their own right, both the Accord and the new Altima are very successful and well-liked cars. However, since this article will be seeing these two segment rivals go head-to-head, we will figure out which one makes a better case for itself.
Exterior
When it comes to exterior design, these two sedans look refreshingly modern and unmistakable as anything other than representatives of their respective brands. Take the all-new Honda Accord as an example… Its contemporary and elegant styling is definitely going to attract attention from pedestrians and onlookers, alike. The sharp but bold-looking LED headlamps gel well with the well-contoured front end styling. The flamboyant but well executed coupe form-factor works really well, too!
However, it’s not like the new Nissan Altima is a bad-looking car. Nissan has worked on ensuring that their star player in the D-segment. In its newest avatar, the 2020 Nissan Altima has benefited from the marque’s latest iteration of the V-Motion grille along with other styling tweaks all over its entire bodywork. From the sleek headlamps, sculpted front bumper, bold window line to the sporty-looking rear with its LED lights - the 2020 Altima finally looks modern.
Interior
Both of these stylish sedans can carry five adults in reasonable comfort, though the sloping roof of the new Accord could eat into headspace for rear passengers. However, it isn’t really bad overall, while the Altima’s cabin is quite spacious and offers enough comfort -- its cockpit design is sporty and quite interesting. While it may not be as suave or classy as that of the Honda, it certainly doesn’t lack character.
The new Honda Accord’s interior offers comfortable seating, plush-looking decor & trim, modern gadgets and layout, and excellent build quality and fit & finish. The Accord’s cabin is noticeably quiet as well, though it doesn’t feel as spacious (visually) as the Altima. However, the Accord’s digital instrument cluster, non-traditional gear selector, and cooler interior lighting arguably gives it a certain edge over the Nissan Altima’s interior.
Performance
If we match these two cars taking their most powerful variants into play, then the 2020 Nissan Altima’s 2.0-liter four-popper outputs 248 hp and 380 Nm of torque. On the other hand, the 2020 Honda Accord has its 2.0-liter four-cylinder motor tuned to generate 247 hp and 370 Nm at the crank. Put head-to-head, the all-new Nissan Altima can hit a top whack of 220 km/h - while the Accord maxes out at an indicated 205 km/h.
However, if you trying to gun these two sedans neck & neck at a set of lights, the quicker Accord will likely leave the Altima behind -- the Honda can get from naught to 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds, whilst the Altima beats it when it comes to top speed. Of course, in terms of their attainable fuel efficiency, the Nissan’s score of 6.2L/100 kilometers is better than the Accord’s claimed 7.0L/100 kilometers.
Verdict
It is important to know the amount of dough you can expect to shell out for any one of these cars before entering the showroom. So, which one makes more sense as an overall package - the Accord or Altima? If contemporary styling, quicker engine response and classier interior are your thing, then the 2020 Honda Accord should do the trick.
As for pricing in the UAE, the 2020 Honda Accord costs between AED 94,900 and AED 129,900. Meanwhile, the 2020 Nissan Altima wears a sticker price of between AED 94,900 and AED 127,500 for the base and top trims, respectively.
