Nissan Altima vs Toyota Corolla: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Nissan Altima typically lists for $20,799 against $22,298 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 $18,709 vs the LE at $22,378; 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 ($18,709) faces the Toyota Corolla LE ($22,378); the most common trims on the market are the SV (68.2% of Nissan Altima listings) and the LE (74.3% of Toyota Corolla listings); at the top of the market, the SL ($24,185) faces the XSE ($25,152). 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 | $18,709 | 5.8% | LEMost popularCheapest | $22,378 | 74.3% |
| SVMost popular | $20,000 | 68.2% | SE | $23,998 | 20.1% |
| SR | $22,098 | 21.3% | XSEPriciest | $25,152 | 5.6% |
| SLPriciest | $24,185 | 4.7% | — | ||
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 | $22,298 | $24,798 | Toyota Corolla +$2,500 | 28–30 MPG | 34–50 MPG |
| 2025 | $20,799 | $22,298 | Toyota Corolla +$1,499 | 28–31 MPG | 34–50 MPG |
| 2024 | $19,662 | $20,995 | Toyota Corolla +$1,333 | 29–31 MPG | 34–50 MPG |
| 2023 | $20,589 | $20,700 | Toyota Corolla +$111 | 29–31 MPG | 34–50 MPG |
| 2022 | $17,495 | $18,991 | Toyota Corolla +$1,496 | 29–32 MPG | 31–52 MPG |
| 2021 | $15,995 | $17,500 | Toyota Corolla +$1,505 | 29–32 MPG | 31–52 MPG |
| 2020 | $14,265 | $17,000 | Toyota Corolla +$2,735 | 29–32 MPG | 32–52 MPG |
| 2019 | $13,950 | $15,908 | Toyota Corolla +$1,958 | 29–32 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2018 | $10,987 | $14,495 | Toyota Corolla +$3,508 | 26–31 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2017 | $9,777 | $13,995 | Toyota Corolla +$4,218 | 26–31 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2016 | $8,995 | $12,995 | Toyota Corolla +$4,000 | 26–31 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2015 | $7,995 | $12,250 | Toyota Corolla +$4,255 | 26–31 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,499 | $10,995 | Toyota Corolla +$3,496 | 25–31 MPG | 30–34 MPG |
| 2013 | $6,933 | $9,799 | Toyota Corolla +$2,866 | 25–31 MPG | 29 MPG |
| 2012 | $5,995 | $9,136 | Toyota Corolla +$3,141 | 21–26 MPG | 29 MPG |
| 2011 | $5,790 | $8,900 | Toyota Corolla +$3,110 | 21–33 MPG | 24–30 MPG |
| 2010 | $5,493 | $7,993 | Toyota Corolla +$2,500 | 21–34 MPG | 25–30 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,500 | $7,495 | Toyota Corolla +$1,995 | 21–34 MPG | 25–30 MPG |
| 2008 | $4,993 | $6,990 | Toyota Corolla +$1,997 | 22–34 MPG | 29–31 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,888 | $5,995 | Toyota Corolla +$1,107 | 22–34 MPG | 29–31 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,995 | $5,775 | Toyota Corolla +$780 | 21–24 MPG | 25–31 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,785 | $4,999 | Toyota Corolla +$214 | 21–24 MPG | 25–31 MPG |
| 2003 | $4,973 | $5,495 | Toyota Corolla +$522 | 19–23 MPG | 28–31 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 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 $20,799 versus $22,298 for the Toyota Corolla (national medians, October 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 $18,709 vs $22,378 for a Toyota Corolla LE; the most common trims on the market are the SV ($20,000, 68.2% of Nissan Altima listings) and the LE ($22,378, 74.3% of Toyota Corolla listings); at the top of the market, the SL ($24,185) faces the XSE ($25,152). 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.