Nissan Altima Safety Rating: The Truth

Catrina C
Jan 5, 2021

Safety comes first when you buy a new vehicle. That’s why the 2020 Nissan Altima should be on your list. The 2020 Nissan Altima is a safe, reliable vehicle.

How safe is the 2020 Nissan Altima?

The 2020 Nissan Altima ranked as a 2020 Top Safety Pick at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It also received five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s crash testing.

Red 2020 Nissan Altima From Front-Passenger Side

At Vehicle History, the 2020 Nissan Altima received 4.4 out of 5 stars from experts and 4.56 out of five stars from owners. In this article, we’ll go over the specifics that make this vehicle so safe and reliable.

2020 Nissan Altima Crash Test Rating

The 2020 Nissan Altima crash test ratings are excellent and available from multiple sources. Both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reviewed this vehicle positively.

IIHS Test/Results

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2020 Nissan Altima its 2020 Top Safety Pick award. This award is given to vehicles with optional front crash prevention as well as certain forms of headlights. It has an overall rating of “G” for good.

The Nissan Altima ranks “G” in small overlap front: driver side, small overlap front: passenger-side, moderate overlap front, roof strength, head restraints and seats and side crashworthiness. It ranks A/M for its headlights and G for LATCH ease of use.

NHTSA Test/Results

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the 2020 Nissan Altima five out of five stars for safety. Its overall front star rating is four out of five. The side crash rating is five out of five overall, and the rollover rating also received five out of five stars.

Additionally, the vehicle had only a 9.2% chance of rolling, and there was no tip found in the dynamic tip test. There is one recall out on the vehicle for a problem where the rear window glass could separate from the vehicle.

Other Reputable Tests/Results

At J.D. Power, the 2020 Nissan Altima was given 80/100 for its J.D. Power Score. Out of 100 vehicles, it ranks number 22 in its class. Reviewers gave it 79/100 for quality and reliability, 81/100 for driving experience and 78/100 for resale value.

It is worth mentioning that the 2021 model is out now, but J.D. Power has not yet rated it.

2020 Nissan Altima Available Safety Tech

RearView Monitor Back-Up Camera

Car Rear View Camera Closeup

With the RearView monitor back-up camera, the Nissan Altima is able to give drivers better control as they park or reverse. Drivers can see what’s behind them on their front console screen, allowing them to stop, parallel park and reverse more safely. This helps prevent the vehicle from hitting objects or individuals.

Airbags

The Nissan Altima has curtain first- and second-row airbags, driver and passenger knee airbags and rear side-impact airbags, dual-stage driver and passenger seat-mounted side airbags and dual-stage driver and passenger front airbags.

It also has an airbag occupancy sensor, so the passenger airbag will not go off if the person in the front seat is too light (which prevents injuries).

Rear Parking Sensors

Rear parking sensors are widely used to help drivers avoid collisions as they back up. In the 2020 Nissan Altima, this is combined with the RearView monitor back-up camera, which allows drivers to see behind them in what would otherwise be a blind spot.

Rear parking sensors reduce the chances of damaging cars, objects or individuals in a collision.

Lane Departure Warning

Lane Departure Warning is a new advanced safety technology that lets drivers know when they start to drift out of their lanes without using a turn signal. LDW systems cannot take full control of the vehicle, but they do let the driver know that they are drifting.

Lane Departure Warning is an option for the 2020 Nissan Altima.

Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking (PAEB)

Pedestrian Crossing The Street

Another option for the 2020 Nissan Altima is the PAEB system. The pedestrian automatic emergency braking system automatically stops a vehicle when it realizes that a pedestrian is ahead.

The vehicle automatically brakes when pedestrians are in the forward path of the vehicle and the driver has not taken evasive action.

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)

Rear cross-traffic alerts are also new for the 2020 Nissan Altima. This is a system that uses radar to detect vehicles in blind spots. This helps prevent accidents while drivers are backing out of parking spaces, for example.

The function uses two short-range radar sensors that monitor the area behind the vehicle at 120 degrees.

Rear Automatic Braking

Rear automatic braking is a type of braking assistance that helps drivers stop before backing into an object or person. When hitting the object is imminent, the vehicle automatically puts on the brakes.

This feature is optional on the 2020 Nissan Altima. In vehicles that have it, it may be toggled on or off.

Rear Sonar System

The rear sonar system is an interesting system that lets drivers know if there are objects close to their back bumpers. The system uses a tone to alert the driver that they have an item in their path.

The system is automatic and begins working once the shift lever is moved into reverse.

High Beam Assist

High beam assist is a function that automatically switches your vehicle’s headlights from a low beam to a high beam. It switches them back and forth to reduce the burden of driving at night on the driver’s eyes.

It also turns the high beam to a low beam if it senses oncoming traffic, so the other driver isn’t temporarily blinded by the light. Using high beams helps detect pedestrians sooner.

Blind Spot Warning

Car Blind Spot Monitoring System Warning Light

Blind spot warning helps improve safety by making sure that you know if there is a vehicle or object in your blind spots along the side and rear of your vehicle. The BSW system uses radar, cameras and sensors to detect vehicles or objects that drivers do not.

Blind spot warnings, on their own, will not maneuver your vehicle to avoid a collision.

Here’s What Other People Also Ask:

Is the 2020 Nissan Altima a good car?

The 2020 Nissan Altima is an excellent vehicle. It has two engine options, good fuel economy and a comfortable cabin. It has high safety ratings and many safety features available.

Both the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety agree that this is one of the safest vehicles on the market in its class.

How long will a 2020 Nissan Altima last?

A 2020 Nissan Altima is expected to last at least 200,000 miles or more. There are many Altimas available from the past 10 years that fall into this age and mileage to prove that the vehicles are durable.

The length of time any vehicle lasts depends on its maintenance, how it’s driven and other factors.

Which year is best for the Nissan Altima?

The best years for the Nissan Altima, in terms of value, are the 2011 and 2012 models. They are still available at around $10,000 to $12,000.

However, if you’re looking at safety, newer models are better. The latest 2020 and 2021 models have more safety features and automatic safety features to protect those inside.

avatar Catrina C
Catrina C. is a former auto auction block clerk and current freelance automotive industry writer. She enjoys writing, taking long trips in her Ford and providing solid automotive advice.
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