Although the Altima isn’t one of our top-rated midsize sedans, the popular Nissan offers a spacious cabin, commendable fuel economy, and excellent safety scores. However, we’ve also found it to be dynamically unsatisfying (even the turbo model) and underequipped. To some degree, your experience will depend on which of the seven trim levels you pick.
For 2022, the Altima has been updated with new packages and options. But what are the differences between the 2022 Altima trim levels, and which is best? And how do the Altima’s features compare to those on the popular Toyota Camry? Let’s find out.
2022 Nissan Altima S Pros and Cons
The base model Altima S is equipped with a standard 188-horsepower, 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline four-cylinder powertrain and front-wheel drive, a setup that extends across most of the Altima lineup. A CVT automatic is standard, as are automatic headlights with automatic high-beams, fabric upholstery, and six speakers.
For comparison, let’s look one of the 2022 Altima’s chief rivals, the 2022 Toyota Camry. The Toyota also features a standard 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-four, CVT, and FWD, but the Camry engine makes about 20 hp more. Despite that extra power, both cars earn up to 28/39 mpg city/highway depending on trim, with FWD.
The Altima offers more first-row headroom and legroom and more space in the trunk. There’s a larger 5.0-inch screen in the Altima’s gauge cluster than in the Camry, which gets only a 4.2-inch screen, and the Altima’s standard push-button start isn’t available on the Camry until higher up the Toyota’s trim range.
The base model 2022 Camry LE does have an edge in driver assist tech, boasting adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition that the Altima doesn’t get until the SL trim level. The Camry also receives a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, whereas the Altima doesn’t get its touchscreen and smartphone integration until the SV model.
In terms of pricing, the 2022 Altima S base model stickers for $25,500. That undercuts the suggested retail price of the less spacious but more powerful and tech-leaning 2022 Camry LE FWD by about $800.
2022 Nissan Altima SV Pros and Cons
Available all-wheel drive becomes an option for the 2022 Altima SV trim level. The system employs the same powertrain as the base model, but it develops slightly less power, rated at 182 hp. Standard equipment additions and upgrades include LED headlights, 17-inch wheels (on SV and SL trim levels only), a leather-wrapped steering wheel, eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and four USB ports. In all cases except the headlights, the Altima is catching up to the Camry LE base model’s features (a higher-trim Altima is shown here).
The Altima SV leapfrogs the next-level-up Camry SE with equipment like its 8.0-inch touchscreen, which is an inch bigger than the Toyota’s. The Altima SV also picks up a 7.0-inch gauge cluster display, rear cross-traffic monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, and rear automatic emergency braking. These features aren’t standard on the Camry until the XLE grade except for rear emergency braking, which is not standard on any Camry model and is only available through a package.
With AWD, the Altima SV’s fuel economy is rated at 26/36 mpg city/highway. The 2022 Camry SE AWD does a little worse, rated at 25/34 mpg. The Altima SV continues to be the more affordable choice, with the FWD retailing for $26,500 and the AWD for $27,900. The Camry SE FWD stickers for $27,860, and the Camry SE AWD is priced at $29,260.
2022 Nissan Altima SR Pros and Cons
The 2022 Altima SR comes in a few different varieties, and Nissan has broken each out into separate trim levels. There’s the standard Altima SR, the dark-themed Altima SR Midnight Edition, and the 2.0-liter FWD-only Altima SR VC-Turbo.
All Altima SR sedans are equipped with an exhaust finisher, and FWD models get a sport-tuned suspension. The standard SR and SR VC-Turbo trims also feature a dark chrome grille, black side mirrors, contrasting rear diffuser color, body-colored door handles, and a combination fabric-leather upholstered interior. The Altima SR is outfitted with machined-finish 19-inch wheels also on the range-topping Platinum model.
The 2022 Altima SR doesn’t line up exactly with any one 2022 Camry trim level. Altima SR features like its exhaust finisher and color-matching door handles are standard on the Camry SE. But for features like the Altima SR’s black side mirrors and grille, you must look at the Camry XSE, which also gets a larger standard 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and wireless smartphone charger that the Altima doesn’t offer at any trim.
Like pricing for the previous two trims, the Altima SR is the more accessible choice at $27,500 for the FWD model and $28,900 for the AWD model. Those figures come in under the Camry XSE 2.5’s and even under the lesser Camry SE. The Camry XSE 2.5 FWD stickers for $31,620 and the AWD for $33,020.
2022 Nissan Altima SR Midnight Edition Pros and Cons
The 2022 Altima SR Midnight Edition is mostly an appearance package. It features a gloss-black painted grille, rear spoiler, and 19-inch wheels, as well as black side mirrors and a black Midnight Edition badge.
A reasonable equivalent from Toyota is the Camry SE Nightshade. It features a blacked-out grille, black mirror caps, door handles, window trim, rocker panels, badges, shark-fin antenna, and wheels. But the Altima’s package also includes heated front seats, a moonroof, and LED foglights, features not available on the Camry SE Nightshade. The Altima’s wheels are also larger.
You get a bit more with the Nissan, and the price reflects that. The 2022 Altima SR Midnight Edition FWD retails for $29,250, and the AWD version goes for $30,650. The 2022 Camry SE Nightshade stickers for a few hundred less: $28,560 for the FWD model and $29,960 for the AWD model.
2022 Nissan Altima SL Pros and Cons
The Altima SL begins to skew upscale with features such as a leather interior, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control system, and rear vents. These are present on the 2022 Camry XLE 2.5, as well. The Altima also adds lane keeping, traffic sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control at this grade, equipment that’s on the base model Camry LE.
At this trim level, the Altima separates itself from the Camry with a heated steering wheel, which is only available by package for the Camry, and LED foglights, which the Toyota doesn’t get. Altima SL standard features like the Bose premium audio system with nine speakers and moonroof are also standard on the Camry XLE V-6 but optional for the XLE (and XSE) 2.5.
Pricing remains in the Altima’s favor. The 2022 Altima SL FWD retails for $30,940 and the AWD for $32,340. Both the 2022 Camry XLE 2.5 FWD and AWD models are $130 more.
2022 Nissan Altima SR VC-Turbo Pros and Cons
The SR VC-Turbo is the only Altima in the lineup to get a turbocharger and Nissan’s variable compression engine technology, a combo that’s good for 236 hp, a nearly 26 percent increase in horsepower over the standard powertrain. That’s the trim level’s main selling point, as the model is otherwise equipped as an Altima SR, with one exception: It’s only offered in FWD guise.
The 2022 Camry lineup doesn’t have a turbo-four. Its upgraded engine is a 301-hp 3.5-liter V-6, which is found first in the Camry TRD.
Despite the significant gap in horsepower between Nissan’s turbo-four and Toyota’s V-6, the Camry isn’t quicker. In testing, a 2021 Altima SR VC-Turbo we ran made the sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in 5.8 seconds. The 2020 Camry TRD is just as quick to 60 mph. Equipped with their 2.5-liter powertrains, the Altima and Camry are not surprisingly more than a second off the SR VC-Turbo’s pace, regardless of FWD or AWD.
The 2022 Altima SR VC-Turbo stickers for $31,850, and the 2022 Camry TRD retails for $33,385.
2022 Nissan Altima Platinum Pros and Cons
At the top of the 2022 Altima lineup is the Platinum trim. It’s offered only in AWD guise and comes equipped with standard interior accent lighting and a programmable garage door opener, both features that are standard on the Camry XSE 2.5. The Camry XSE also gets an eight-way power front passenger’s seat, whereas the Altima Platinum’s is only four-way. But the Altima is outfitted with a standard 360-degree camera system that costs extra on the Camry. And the Camry isn’t equipped with any kind of memory for the driver’s seat and side mirrors, standard or not, whereas the Altima Platinum is. One additional difference: The Camry XLE and XSE are available as four-cylinder hybrids but the Altima (Platinum or otherwise) is not.
Which 2022 Nissan Altima Trim Is Best?
All signs point to the 2022 Altima SV as our recommended trim level. The Altima S base model doesn’t quite feature enough, and on the opposite end of that spectrum, the Altima Platinum feels too pricey for how it’s equipped. Although the SR VC-Turbo is quick, the powertrain tuning could use some refinement, and the ride is too stiff. Note that if you’re in a colder climate and you’re tempted by features such as a heated steering wheel and heated front seats, it may be worth looking into the Altima SL.
Otherwise, we think the SV offers the best mix of features for the price. The Altima SV has essential conveniences such as LED headlights, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and more comfortably riding 17-inch wheels. Our 2022 Altima SV also receives a bump in active safety features that Nissan skimps on at the lowest trim level. For a reasonable price of about $28,000, we’d get the AWD variant. Those searching for an actual sporty sedan might do better looking elsewhere, but if a practical and fun daily driver is the threshold, the Altima SV does well.
2022 Nissan Altima Trim Levels:
- 2022 Nissan Altima S
- 2022 Nissan Altima SV (MT’s pick)
- 2022 Nissan Altima SR
- 2022 Nissan Altima SR Midnight Edition
- 2022 Nissan Altima SL
- 2022 Nissan Altima SR VC-Turbo
- 2022 Nissan Altima Platinum
Keyword: What’s the Best 2022 Nissan Altima Trim? Here’s Our Guide