2021 Nissan Altima vs 2021 MINI Cooper

The 2021 MINI Cooper carried an iconic styling that was immediately recognizable, much like the Jeep Wrangler. Its rounded shape, compact dimensions, and a wide variety of color choices set it apart in the subcompact car market. MINI offered several customization options for the exterior, including graphics for the roof and hidden Easter eggs like Union Jack taillights. Despite its small size, the MINI Cooper was larger than the original Mini, with available wheel and trim upgrades depending on the model. Inside, the MINI Cooper continued its unique design language with plenty of circles and rounded shapes, including a funky infotainment touchscreen design. The cabin was generally high quality but lacked space, making the back seats more suitable for packages than passengers.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured a strong family identity with its bold V-Motion grille, available in chrome or dark chrome, adorned with the Nissan logo. The Altima's overall shape was attractive, with a sloping "coupe-like" roofline that gave it a sleek, aerodynamic profile. The body had more folds than curves, giving it a taut, trim essence, though its stance was somewhat ungainly with a lot of overhang ahead of the front wheels and behind the rear wheels. Modern features like standard LED lighting and wheels ranging from 16-inch steel to 19-inch alloy helped keep the look contemporary. The Altima's fit and finish were exceptional, with deep lustrous paint and rich chrome details. It offered nine exterior colors with funky names like "Super Black" and "Sunset Drift ChromaFlair," with some colors costing an extra $395.

The 2021 MINI Cooper offered four powertrain options depending on the trim. The base model had a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with 134 horsepower. The Cooper S featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 189 hp, the John Cooper Works (JCW) had a 228-hp turbo-four, and the John Cooper Works GP boasted a 301-hp turbo-four. All models were front-wheel drive (FWD). The Cooper and Cooper S came with a six-speed manual as standard, with a seven-speed automatic available. The JCW GP had an eight-speed automatic transmission. The MINI felt spritely and energetic due to its small size, with the turbocharged four-cylinder engines providing noticeably stronger performance, especially at highway speeds. The JCW GP model offered the best acceleration. However, all Cooper models had a somewhat stiff ride, making long drives tiresome. The car felt agile and ready to change direction quickly, making it fun to drive in most situations. EPA fuel economy varied, with the most efficient being the Convertible at 28/37/31 mpg city/highway/combined, while the Cooper S Convertible returned 23/32/26 mpg.

The 2021 Nissan Altima had a Jekyll-and-Hyde nature with its available powertrains. Most of the lineup featured a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with Nissan’s Xtronic CVT. FWD was standard, with AWD available on all but the base S trim. The AWD system could send up to 50% of the torque to the rear wheels when needed. Fuel economy for this engine was 28 mpg city/39 mpg highway/32 mpg combined with FWD, and 25 mpg city/35 mpg highway/29 mpg combined with AWD. The SR VC-Turbo trim level featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with variable compression, producing 248 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. This engine was FWD only and rated at 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway/29 mpg combined. The VC-Turbo made the Altima a much livelier performer. All Altima models had four-wheel independent suspension, with the VC-Turbo’s suspension being "sport-tuned." The electric-powered steering provided decent feedback and feel.

The 2021 MINI Cooper's interior continued its commitment to heritage, with the rear seat more usable for cargo storage than passengers. The front seats were comfortable with decent head and legroom for average adults, though taller drivers might struggle with knee placement due to the dash shape. Interior storage was tight, with a small center console and door pockets. The Cooper Hatchbacks offered decent cargo space with foldable back seats, while Convertible models had a small cargo hold under the folding top compartment.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan’s praised Zero Gravity front seats, which were comfortable even on long drives. Upper trim levels offered power adjustment, position memory, leather appointments, and electric heating. The front cabin had ample storage, including a big glovebox, center console storage bin, cupholders, and door pockets. The second row was roomy for two adults and could accommodate three for short rides. The second row folded flat in a 60/40 split for trunk access, and the trunk offered 15.4 cubic feet of space.

The 2021 MINI Cooper was not generous with standard features. The base screen was a 6.5-inch unit, with an 8.8-inch unit available that included SiriusXM satellite radio and Apple CarPlay. Optional features included a Harman Kardon sound system, automatic climate controls, and LED headlights. MINI included more physical controls, improving the technology experience. However, Android Auto was not available, leaving many users to rely on Bluetooth. The infotainment system used BMW’s software, with a physical iDrive controller that was difficult to reach due to the tight space.

The 2021 Nissan Altima included basic tech features as standard. The Nissan Intelligent Key with pushbutton start, remote engine start, Bluetooth, cruise control, HomeLink, rear-view camera, Siri Eyes Free, Google Assistant Voice Recognition, and streaming audio were standard. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard on all but the S models. The base touchscreen was 7 inches, with an 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen on other models. The S model had one USB port, while others had multiple USB and USB-C ports. SiriusXM satellite radio was standard on all but the S model, with a Bose audio system on the SL and Platinum. Active Noise Cancellation was included with the VC-Turbo engine. Nissan Door to Door Navigation was standard on Platinum and optional on other trims. NissanConnect Services were included with trial access on Platinum.

The 2021 MINI Cooper missed out on a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS. It scored top "Good" ratings in crash tests but had "Acceptable" or "Poor" ratings for headlights. The standard front crash prevention systems earned "Advanced" scores, and the LATCH system earned a "Marginal" rating. The NHTSA had not yet rated the 2021 model. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included front parking sensors, a parking assistance system, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan Safety Shield 360, standard on every Altima SV and above. This included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and high-beam assist. ProPilot Assist was available for highway driving assistance, including intelligent forward collision warning, intelligent lane intervention, traffic sign recognition, intelligent driver alertness, and adaptive cruise control. An Intelligent Around View Monitor was available on upper trims. The 2021 Altima received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick + rating from the IIHS.