Nissan Altima vs Volvo S90: 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 $2,550 for the Volvo S90. That $650 yearly gap compounds to roughly $3,250 over five years and $5,200 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 S90 is the stronger commuter at 28 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 S90 with 4 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI; PHEV, 2.0). Across 46 recorded Nissan Altima configurations and 23 for the Volvo S90, 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 S90 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 Midsize 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 S90 emits 110 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.