2015 Nissan Altima vs 2015 Hyundai Sonata

Ask almost anyone closely watching trends within the automotive industry, and they’ll tell you roughly the same thing: the mid-size sedan segment is a’booming. The powertrains have become more sophisticated, the fuel efficiency numbers are through the roof and they routinely are as accommodating as the so-called large sedans were just a few years ago. And now, Robbins Nissan is looking at two of the most popular models in this increasingly competitive segment, the 2015 Nissan Altima and the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. Both boast impressive measurable stats, and both are rightly revered by critics and drivers alike. So how are they different?

The powertrains, for starters. The 2015 Nissan Altima returns its two world-beating options for this model year--a 2.5L four-cylinder option and the 3.5L V6--while the Sonata debuts three new ones for 2015. The standard option is a 2.4L four-cylinder, while a 2.0T four-cylinder and 1.6L Eco model are available as well. So what is the takeaway here? Mostly, that the Hyundai might have overextended itself; none of the available powertrains is more efficient than Nissan’s 2.5L, or is more powerful than the 3.5L. Those are numbers that are tough to argue with.

While the 2015 Hyundai Sonata has certainly made strides in its quest to supplant the 2015 Nissan Altima from its perch atop the mid-size sedan class, it still has work to do.