Nissan Altima vs Volkswagen GLI: 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 $2,050 for the Volkswagen GLI. That $150 yearly gap compounds to roughly $750 over five years and $1,200 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 26 and 37 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 Volkswagen GLI with 1 (SIDI). Across 46 recorded Nissan Altima configurations and 11 for the Volkswagen GLI, 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 Volkswagen GLI with Front-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 Compact 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 297 g/mile for the Volkswagen GLI. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.