Nissan Altima vs Toyota Corolla: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Nissan Altima typically lists for $20,975 against $21,354 for the Toyota Corolla (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Toyota Corolla takes fuel economy (32 MPG combined vs 26 MPG); the Nissan Altima leads on NCAP safety (4.9★ vs 4.7★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the S at $18,999 vs the LE at $22,995; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Nissan Altima S ($18,999) faces the Toyota Corolla LE ($22,995); the most common trims on the market are the SV (67.9% of Nissan Altima listings) and the LE (69.5% of Toyota Corolla listings); at the top of the market, the SL ($24,686) faces the XSE ($25,781). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Nissan Altima | Toyota Corolla | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| SCheapest | $18,999 | 5.7% | LEMost popularCheapest | $22,995 | 69.5% |
| SVMost popular | $20,337 | 67.9% | SE | $24,370 | 24.3% |
| 25 SV | $21,130 | 2.2% | XSEPriciest | $25,781 | 6.1% |
| 25 SR | $21,899 | 0.3% | — | ||
| SR | $22,099 | 19.4% | — | ||
| SLPriciest | $24,686 | 4.5% | — | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Nissan Altima prices · Toyota Corolla prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Nissan Altima typical | Toyota Corolla typical | Difference | Nissan Altima MPG | Toyota Corolla MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $22,118 | $25,787 | Toyota Corolla +$3,669 | 28–30 MPG | 34–50 MPG |
| 2025 | $20,975 | $23,127 | Toyota Corolla +$2,152 | 28–31 MPG | 34–50 MPG |
| 2024 | $19,984 | $21,354 | Toyota Corolla +$1,370 | 29–31 MPG | 34–50 MPG |
| 2023 | $20,995 | $20,998 | Toyota Corolla +$3 | 29–31 MPG | 34–50 MPG |
| 2022 | $17,995 | $19,399 | Toyota Corolla +$1,404 | 29–32 MPG | 31–52 MPG |
| 2021 | $16,541 | $17,988 | Toyota Corolla +$1,447 | 29–32 MPG | 31–52 MPG |
| 2020 | $14,775 | $16,999 | Toyota Corolla +$2,224 | 29–32 MPG | 32–52 MPG |
| 2019 | $13,995 | $15,824 | Toyota Corolla +$1,829 | 29–32 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2018 | $10,499 | $14,900 | Toyota Corolla +$4,401 | 26–31 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2017 | $9,950 | $13,995 | Toyota Corolla +$4,045 | 26–31 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2016 | $9,499 | $12,995 | Toyota Corolla +$3,496 | 26–31 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2015 | $8,145 | $12,003 | Toyota Corolla +$3,858 | 26–31 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,500 | $11,495 | Toyota Corolla +$3,995 | 25–31 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2013 | $6,995 | $9,900 | Toyota Corolla +$2,905 | 25–31 MPG | 29 MPG |
| 2012 | $5,995 | $9,495 | Toyota Corolla +$3,500 | 21–26 MPG | 29 MPG |
| 2011 | $5,859 | $8,995 | Toyota Corolla +$3,136 | 21–33 MPG | 24–30 MPG |
| 2010 | $5,688 | $7,995 | Toyota Corolla +$2,307 | 21–34 MPG | 25–30 MPG |
| 2009 | $4,999 | $7,500 | Toyota Corolla +$2,501 | 21–34 MPG | 25–30 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,000 | $6,948 | Toyota Corolla +$1,948 | 22–34 MPG | 29–31 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,495 | $6,500 | Toyota Corolla +$2,005 | 22–34 MPG | 29–31 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,495 | $5,450 | Toyota Corolla +$955 | 21–24 MPG | 25–31 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,780 | $5,330 | Toyota Corolla +$550 | 21–24 MPG | 25–31 MPG |
| 2003 | $4,500 | $5,383 | Toyota Corolla +$883 | 19–23 MPG | 28–31 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Nissan Altima or Toyota Corolla?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Nissan Altima is cheaper: it typically lists for $20,975 versus $21,354 for the Toyota Corolla (national medians, August 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Nissan Altima or Toyota Corolla?
The Toyota Corolla: its typical rated version returns 32 MPG combined versus 26 MPG for the Nissan Altima (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Nissan Altima or Toyota Corolla?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Nissan Altima averages 4.9 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.7 for the Toyota Corolla. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Nissan Altima or Toyota Corolla?
NHTSA lists an average of 4.0 recalls per model year for the Nissan Altima and 5.5 for the Toyota Corolla — an edge for the Nissan Altima. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Nissan Altima S typically lists for $18,999 vs $22,995 for a Toyota Corolla LE; the most common trims on the market are the SV ($20,337, 67.9% of Nissan Altima listings) and the LE ($22,995, 69.5% of Toyota Corolla listings); at the top of the market, the SL ($24,686) faces the XSE ($25,781). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/nissan/altima/vs/toyota/corolla.
Dig deeper
Nissan Altima — live listings & specs Toyota Corolla — live listings & specs Nissan Altima prices by year Toyota Corolla prices by year Nissan Altima MPG by year Toyota Corolla MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.