The Chevy Cruze and Nissan Altima are two great vehicles for navigating daily commutes in the Indianapolis area. But they each have their own distinct list of pros and cons.
Andy Mohr Automotive compared these two cars side-by-side to see where they differ in the benefits they offer Plainfield and Bloomington area drivers.
Shop New Cruze Shop New Altima
Chevy Cruze vs Nissan Altima Powertrain
First things first, if you prefer a manual transmission, the 2019 Chevy Cruze is the better pick over the 2019 Nissan Altima, since the Altima only operates with an Xtronic CVT®.
This kind of continuously variable transmission has historically provided a seamless acceleration, which accounts for the 250 lb-ft of torque the Altima is able to generate with the available 3.5L 24-valve V6 engine.
Compare this to the Cruze, which produces a maximum of 240 lb-ft of torque with an upgrade to the available 1.6L ECOTEC® Turbo Diesel 4-cylinder engine.
If you prefer a competitive fuel economy, however, the Cruze gets an EPA-estimated 37 combined MPG with the right options. The Altima, comparatively, gets a maximum EPA-estimated fuel economy of 31 MPG combined.1
If you want the option of a manual transmission and a higher fuel economy, the Cruze has more to offer. If you prefer a powerful engine with a smooth acceleration, go for the Altima.
Altima and Cruze Interior Dimensions
The Chevy Cruze and Nissan Altima provide plenty of space for cargo and passengers, but they each pick a different focus.
When you want to bring your friends along, the Altima offers 101.9 cubic feet of passenger volume, while still keeping the driver comfortable with 40 inches of headroom and 45 inches of legroom.
The Cruze only has up to 94 cubic feet of passenger volume, 38.9 inches of driver headroom, and 42 inches of driver legroom.
However, the Chevy Cruze offers a hatchback version that provides 22.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. Compare this to the 15.4 cubic feet of trunk space in the Altima, which only comes as a sedan.
It’s completely up to driver preference whether more passenger volume or more cargo space is of higher value.
Standard Safety in the Cruze vs Altima
Both the Cruze and Altima offer their own features to keep you and your family safe while out on the road.
The Altima makes the Intelligent Forward Collision System and Automatic Emergency Braking standard on all trims. When this system senses a collision up ahead, it sends an alert or automatically applies the brakes to prevent or lessen the potential impact.
The Cruze only makes this kind of safety technology available in higher trim levels, but makes OnStar® Emergency Services, Automatic Crash Response, and Crisis Assist a standard.
In the event of a crash, this system notifies an OnStar® Advisor of your exact location and connects you with someone who can walk you through the aftermath of the incident. The Altima only makes this kind of post-collision assistance available on upper-level trims.
Ultimately, it’s up to drivers to decide if collision mitigation or personalized post-crash assistance is more important to them.
Test Drive the Chevy Cruze or Nissan Altima Today
If either the Cruze or Nissan Altima is sticking out as the right car for your Indianapolis, Plainfield, or Bloomington area commutes, it’s time to try it out for yourself.
Find your local Chevrolet or Nissan dealer here on the Andy Mohr Automotive website to schedule a test drive today.
1 Actual mileage may vary with driving conditions – use for comparison only.