The Lemon Index
Subscribe

All cars · Compare

Honda Civic vs Nissan Altima: which has fewer problems?

Honda CivicNissan Altima

Photos: Elise240SX · Mr.choppers (Wikimedia Commons)

Verdict

Too close to call

Overall they drew about the same complaints per car sold (67 vs 70). Pick by model year below.

Head to head

Honda Civic
Nissan Altima
Lemon Index
100 = average, lower is better
67
70
Years with fewer complaints
2000–2024
13 of 25
12 of 25
Recalls
2000–2024
226
111
MPG
latest year
24–49
28–31
Crash test
best, latest year
★★★★★
★★★★★
Best year to buy
2011
2022

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the government within 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average, lower is better. Green check = the better of the two on that line.

Year by year

Shorter bar = fewer complaints per car sold. Tap a year for its full report.

2000
Honda Civic 39 Nissan Altima 45
2001
Honda Civic 92 Nissan Altima 43
2002
Honda Civic 59 Nissan Altima 123
2003
Honda Civic 55 Nissan Altima 116
2004
Honda Civic 35 Nissan Altima 36
2005
Honda Civic 40 Nissan Altima 123
2006
Honda Civic 202 Nissan Altima 108
2007
Honda Civic 184 Nissan Altima 52
2008
Honda Civic 108 Nissan Altima 65
2009
Honda Civic 81 Nissan Altima 86
2010
Honda Civic 44 Nissan Altima 33
2011
Honda Civic 25 Nissan Altima 17
2012
Honda Civic 57 Nissan Altima 34
2013
Honda Civic 31 Nissan Altima 194
2014
Honda Civic 33 Nissan Altima 90
2015
Honda Civic 32 Nissan Altima 86
2016
Honda Civic 106 Nissan Altima 66
2017
Honda Civic 51 Nissan Altima 52
2018
Honda Civic 46 Nissan Altima 63
2019
Honda Civic 35 Nissan Altima 50
2020
Honda Civic 40 Nissan Altima 51
2021
Honda Civic 32 Nissan Altima 30
2022
Honda Civic 437 Nissan Altima 16
2023
Honda Civic 140 Nissan Altima 19
2024
Honda Civic 64 Nissan Altima 40

Every Honda Civic year · Every Nissan Altima year · How the index works