Audi A3 vs. Nissan Altima
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Audi A3 and Nissan Altima contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Audi A3 and the Nissan Altima.
In comparing the Audi A3's and the Nissan Altima's specifications and ratings, the Audi A3 has the advantage in the area of base engine power. The Nissan Altima has the advantage in the areas of reliability, resale value, interior volume and overall quality score. Based on this comparison of the Audi A3's and the Nissan Altima's specifications and ratings, the Nissan Altima is a better car than the Audi A3.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Audi A3 loses 51.6 percent of its value and the Nissan Altima loses 47.8 percent of its value. This means the Nissan Altima retains 3.8 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Audi A3.
Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Audi A3 is 7.7 out of 10 while the Nissan Altima's quality rating is 7.9 out of 10. This results in the Audi A3 being ranked 18 out of 35 Best Luxury Small Cars and the Nissan Altima being ranked 6 out of 11 Best Midsize Cars.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Audi A3 is 7.3 out of 10. For the Nissan Altima the reliability rating is 7.7 out of 10. This gives the Nissan Altima a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Audi A3.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Audi A3’s base engine makes 201 horsepower, and the Nissan Altima base engine makes 188 horsepower.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Nissan Altima, a midsize car, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear head room, rear shoulder room, and cargo space. The Audi A3 and Nissan Altima are comparable in regards to rear leg room.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, both the Audi A3 and the Nissan Altima have the same average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
40100
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
48679
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
33400 - 78400
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
25808 - 35879
Starting MSRP:
27000
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Midsize Cars)
26816
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Midsize Cars)
24700 - 28295
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
Price Range:
-
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
53319
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
44192 - 62446
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
25110
Price Range:
20696 - 31498
Category Avg Price:
(Midsize Cars)
27493
Category Avg Price Range:
(Midsize Cars)
25110 - 29237
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
20783
Depreciation %:
0.518269
Resale Value $:
19317
Residual Value %:
0.481731
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
0.51152734
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
0.43209812 - 0.57076625
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
13046
Depreciation %:
0.48316873
Resale Value $:
13954
Residual Value %:
0.51683127
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Midsize Cars)
0.43738499
Category Depreciation Range:
(Midsize Cars)
0.35336067 - 0.49749174
Audi A3 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.7 / 10
Reliability:
7.3 / 10
Retained Value:
7.7 / 10
Safety:
8.0 / 10
Nissan Altima Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.9 / 10
Reliability:
7.7 / 10
Retained Value:
7.9 / 10
Safety:
8.0 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Audi A3
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
10.7
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
10.7
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
9.5 - 11.7
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.009
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Nissan Altima
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
10.9
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Midsize Cars)
10.9
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Midsize Cars)
7.8 - 13.6
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.194
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
Typical Category Recalls:
N/A
Category Range for Recalls:
N/A
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
1.6151994693340448
Typical Category Recalls:
(Midsize Cars)
3.5
Category Range for Recalls:
(Midsize Cars)
1.6 - 7.3
Audi A3 Rankings
Ranking
4 out of / 30Ranking
7 out of / 30Ranking
11 out of / 35Ranking
12 out of / 35Ranking
18 out of / 35Ranking
18 out of / 35Ranking
27 out of / 35Ranking
34 out of / 35Ranking
34 out of / 35Ranking
34 out of / 35Nissan Altima Rankings
Ranking
3 out of / 11Ranking
4 out of / 11Ranking
4 out of / 7Ranking
4 out of / 6Ranking
4 out of / 6Ranking
5 out of / 11Ranking
5 out of / 11Ranking
5 out of / 11Ranking
5 out of / 7Ranking
6 out of / 11Ranking
6 out of / 11Ranking
8 out of / 11Ranking
8 out of / 11Ranking
9 out of / 11Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Audi A3 Trim Levels
quattro Premium 40 TFSI, quattro Premium Plus 40 TFSI
Nissan Altima Trim Levels
2.5 S, 2.5 SL, 2.5 SR, 2.5 SV
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
3 years / 36000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
3 years / 36000 miles
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
201 hp @ 4500 rpm
Torque:
236 foot-lbs @ 1600 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.059 hp per pound
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
188 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque:
180 foot-lbs @ 3600 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.058 hp per pound
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
Not yet available
Range (city/hwy):
Not yet available
Recommended Fuel Type:
Not yet available
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT Automatic)
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
27 / 39 / 32
Range (city/hwy):
437 / 632 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Roof Rack:
Available
Satellite radio:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Available
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Available
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Available
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Roof Rack:
N/A
Satellite radio:
Standard
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Available
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Available
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
36.8 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.2 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
54.8 inches
Rear Head Room:
36.6 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.2 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
53 inches
Cargo Space:
8.3 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
87.0 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
39.1 inches
Front Leg Room:
43.8 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
58.2 inches
Rear Head Room:
36.9 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.2 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
57.1 inches
Cargo Space:
15.4 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
100.6 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3417 lbs
Width:
78.1 inches
Height:
56.2 inches
Length:
177.3 inches
Wheelbase:
103.7 inches
Ground Clearance:
Not yet available
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3253 lbs
Width:
72.9 inches
Height:
56.7 inches
Length:
192.9 inches
Wheelbase:
111.2 inches
Ground Clearance:
Not yet available
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 x 8.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
225/45R17
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
16.0 x 7.0 inches
Wheel Type:
steel
Tire Size:
P215/60R16
Exterior Colors
Black
Brilliant Black / Mythos Black Metallic
Blue
Navarra Blue Metallic
Gray
Arrow Grey Pearl Effect / Manhattan Gray Metallic
Green
District Green Metallic
Red
Progressive Red Metallic
White
Arkona White / Glacier White Metallic
Silver
Not available
Exterior Colors
Black
Super Black
Blue
Not available
Gray
Gun Metallic
Green
Not available
Red
Not available
White
Glacier White
Silver
Brilliant Silver Metallic
Interior Colors
Beige
Parchment Beige w/ Steel Gray Stitching
Black
Black w/ Rock Gray Stitching
Brown
Santos Brown w/ Steel Gray Stitching
Interior Colors
Beige
Not available
Black
Charcoal
Brown
Not available
