Nissan Altima vs Subaru BRZ: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Nissan Altima burns about $1,900 of fuel annually against $2,700 for the Subaru BRZ. That $800 yearly gap compounds to roughly $4,000 over five years and $6,400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Nissan Altima leads in both cycles — 28 mpg city and 39 mpg highway against 24 and 33 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Nissan Altima is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, SIDI & PFI, SIDI & PFI; VCR), the Subaru BRZ with 1 (SIDI & PFI). Across 46 recorded Nissan Altima configurations and 26 for the Subaru BRZ, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Nissan Altima is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, the Subaru BRZ with Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Midsize Cars and Minicompact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Nissan Altima emits 278 g/mile of CO2 versus 321 g/mile for the Subaru BRZ. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.