Nissan Altima vs Volvo S60: 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 Volvo S60. 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 versus highway split: the Volvo S60 is the stronger commuter at 30 mpg city, while the Nissan Altima pulls ahead on the interstate at 39 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Nissan Altima is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, SIDI & PFI, SIDI & PFI; VCR), the Volvo S60 with 4 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI; PHEV, 2.0). Across 46 recorded Nissan Altima configurations and 51 for the Volvo S60, 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 Volvo S60 with Front-Wheel Drive, All-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 Volvo S60 emits 99 g/mile of CO2 versus 278 g/mile for the Nissan Altima. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.