2020 Honda Accord vs 2020 Nissan Altima in West Burlington IA

Vehicle Overview

The Accord and Altima are two of the most recognized brand names in the midsize sedan segment. The Accord by Honda is beloved by consumers and regularly a top pick by automotive journalists. The 2020 Honda Accord, which is now available at your local dealer serving West Burlington Iowa City Davenport, is Car and Driver’s Editors’ Choice, Edmunds’ Top-Rated 2020 sedan and Kelley Blue Book’s 2020 Best Buy. While not as critically acclaimed, the 2020 Nissan Altima is quite popular with drivers as well, and we often field questions comparing the two models. With that in mind, let’s explore how these two nameplates stack up in our 2020 Honda Accord vs 2020 Nissan Altima comparison.

Exterior - 2020 Honda Accord

Although the Accord and Altima boast distinct aesthetics, they are fundamentally similar in terms of the exterior. Honda has based the Accord on a 111.4-inch wheelbase. It measures 192.2 inches long, 73.3 inches wide and 57.1 inches high. Nissan, on the other hand, has based the Altima on a 111.2-inch wheelbase. It measures 192.9 inches long, 72.9 inches wide and 57.3 inches high. The biggest difference is the trunk. The Accord provides you 16.7 cubic feet, which vies for best in class, whereas the Altima affords you 15.4, which can make a real difference when loading it with carry-ons, for instance.

Interior - 2020 Honda Accord in West Burlington

Both the Accord and Altima seat five passengers, but the 2020 Honda Accord offers notably more passenger volume: 105.6 vs 98.8 cubic feet. This extra space will make the biggest difference for your rear passengers who’ll have 37.3 inches of headroom and 40.4 inches of legroom. Seat adults in the rear of an Altima, and they only have 36.7 inches of headroom and 35.2 inches of legroom. That is a significant difference in the legroom department. The dual-zone climate control enhances the passenger experience as well. Nissan does offer it, but you have to move up to at least the SV trim level.

Mechanical - Accord specs in West Burlington IA

The Honda Accord is a front-wheel-drive sedan. With the 2020 Nissan Altima, front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional. The base powertrain for the Accord is 192-hp 1.5L turbo four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission. There are 1.5T editions of the LX, Sport, EX and EX-L. The optional powertrain pairs a 252-hp 2.0L turbo i-4 to a 10-speed automatic. There is a 2.0T edition available for the Sport, EX-L and Touring. In addition, the Sport 2.0T lets you swap out the automatic transmission for a six-speed manual. Nissan offers a similar arrangement. The base powertrain features a 188-hp 2.5L i-4 mated to a CVT, and the optional powertrain features a 248-hp 2.0L i-4 also mated to a CVT.