Is the Toyota Camry more reliable than the Nissan Altima?

No, the two are effectively tied. Both have a good reliability standing and both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year. The Camry has a slightly lower chance of a major repair, 11% against 12%, and costs less to repair. The Altima has fewer recalls and complaints per car sold.

Which has more recalls, the Camry or the Altima?

The Camry has more. Federal recall records show 35 recalls across its nine model years from 2018 to 2026, against 20 for the Altima. More recalls do not always mean a worse car, since a recall means a fix is available, but check any car you buy for open recalls.

Which costs less to repair, the Camry or the Altima?

The Camry costs less. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $388 a year, against $483 for the Altima. That is $95 a year, or $475 over five years. Shop-visit frequency is the same for both cars.

What is the most serious Nissan Altima problem?

Electrical fires and steering failures stand out. Owners report flames under the steering wheel, in the dashboard and near the battery, some after the car was parked. Tie rods have also come apart during turns, leaving the car impossible to steer, and several of those ended in crashes.

Which Camry and Altima model years should I avoid?

For the Camry, avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. For the Altima, avoid 2019 and 2020. The 2022 Camry and 2023 Altima are among the stronger picks. The 2026 models rank well too, but they have had little time to collect complaints.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Nissan Altima vs Toyota Camry: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Nissan Altima

Good

Toyota Camry

Good

Reliability is effectively tied between the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, and the Camry is cheaper to repair at $388 a year versus $483. The Altima has fewer recalls and fewer complaints per car sold. The better pick depends on which problems and model years you can accept.

How Do the Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry Generations Compare?

Each car's weakest years came at the start of its latest generation. The Camry's eighth generation (XV70) covers US model years 2018 through 2023, and its weakest years, 2018 and 2019, were the first two. The 2022 model is among its strongest. The Altima's sixth generation (L34) began in 2019 and ran through 2023, with a refresh in 2023. Its weakest years, 2019 and 2020, came early in that run, and 2023 is among its strongest. The previous Altima generation (L33) ended with 2018. Years after 2023 fall outside the listed generations and have had little time to collect complaints.

Verdict

The Nissan Altima is more reliable than the Toyota Camry, scoring 79/100 vs 78/100.

Neither car pulls clear on reliability, so call it effectively tied. Both sit at a good standing, both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, and the chance of a major repair is 11% for the Camry and 12% for the Altima. The Camry is cheaper to repair each year, and the Altima has fewer recalls and fewer complaints per car sold. Those trade-offs cancel out. Pick on the specific failures you are willing to live with and on the model year, not on a reliability gap.

Key Differences

1Toyota Camry costs $95 less per year to repair
2Nissan Altima has 15 fewer total recalls
3Nissan Altima scores 1 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

3Nissan Altima

—

2Toyota Camry

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Nissan Altima vs Toyota Camry: Which Is More Reliable?

Nissan Altima vs Toyota Camry at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Nissan Altima	Toyota Camry
Reliability Score	79/100	78/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	20	35
Complaints per 10k Sold	1.6	2.1
Annual Repair Cost	$483/yr	$388/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	12%	11%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	4 (1 tied)	4 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry?

Different systems fail on each car. Camry owners report an engine that can be shut off with the key removed while the shifter is in Drive, and a coolant bypass valve that fails. Camry air bags are the most crash-linked area on either car. Altima complaints center on electrical fires and on tie rods that come apart during turns, which have caused crashes. Steering is a crash-linked area for the Altima that is not among the Camry's main problems. Altima power train complaints describe lagging acceleration and CVT failures, with no crash links listed.

Nissan Altima vs Toyota Camry common problem areas comparison
Component	Nissan Altima	Toyota Camry
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.1Very Low	0.4Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
ENGINE	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	—None	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry?

The cheaper car to repair is the Camry, at an estimated $388 a year against $483 for the Altima. That gap is $95 a year, or $475 over five years. Shop-visit frequency is identical at 0.3 unscheduled visits a year for each car. The chance that a repair is major is close as well, at 11% for the Camry and 12% for the Altima. The Camry's edge comes from a lower price per repair rather than fewer visits.

How Does Nissan Altima vs Toyota Camry Reliability Compare by Year?

Nissan Altima vs Toyota Camry year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Nissan Altima	Toyota Camry	Edge
2026	88/1000R / 0C	88/1000R / 0C	Tie
2025	78/1001R / 4C	76/1004R / 6C	Nissan Altima
2024	82/1001R / 31C	83/1002R / 35C	Toyota Camry
2023	84/1000R / 24C	79/1004R / 47C	Nissan Altima
2022	83/1000R / 20C	84/1002R / 47C	Toyota Camry
2021	79/1002R / 53C	82/1002R / 144C	Toyota Camry
2020	71/1006R / 162C	75/1005R / 253C	Toyota Camry
2019	72/1008R / 230C	70/1008R / 364C	Nissan Altima
2018	76/1002R / 217C	65/1008R / 708C	Nissan Altima

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Nissan Altima scored 84/100 and the 2022 Toyota Camry scored 84/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Nissan Altima vs the Toyota Camry?

Choose the Camry if you want lower running costs. Its estimated annual repair bill is lower, and its most common engine complaint is a specific part, the coolant bypass valve, which some owners had replaced. Target 2022, one of its strongest years, and avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest. The 2026 model also ranks well, but it has had little time to collect complaints, so do not read that as proof. Choose the Altima if you want fewer recalls and a lower complaint rate per car sold. Before you buy, watch for unexplained electrical faults, burning smells, and clicking noises when turning, because fires and tie rod failures are the serious cases. Have a mechanic test for acceleration lag from a stop. Target 2023, one of its strongest years, and avoid 2019 and 2020. Whichever car you pick, confirm that every open recall has been completed.

Nissan Altima vs Toyota Camry: Common Questions

Is the Toyota Camry more reliable than the Nissan Altima?: No, the two are effectively tied. Both have a good reliability standing and both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year. The Camry has a slightly lower chance of a major repair, 11% against 12%, and costs less to repair. The Altima has fewer recalls and complaints per car sold.
Which has more recalls, the Camry or the Altima?: The Camry has more. Federal recall records show 35 recalls across its nine model years from 2018 to 2026, against 20 for the Altima. More recalls do not always mean a worse car, since a recall means a fix is available, but check any car you buy for open recalls.
Which costs less to repair, the Camry or the Altima?: The Camry costs less. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $388 a year, against $483 for the Altima. That is $95 a year, or $475 over five years. Shop-visit frequency is the same for both cars.
What is the most serious Nissan Altima problem?: Electrical fires and steering failures stand out. Owners report flames under the steering wheel, in the dashboard and near the battery, some after the car was parked. Tie rods have also come apart during turns, leaving the car impossible to steer, and several of those ended in crashes.
Which Camry and Altima model years should I avoid?: For the Camry, avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. For the Altima, avoid 2019 and 2020. The 2022 Camry and 2023 Altima are among the stronger picks. The 2026 models rank well too, but they have had little time to collect complaints.

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More Toyota Camry comparisons

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How we score the Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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