2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2022 Nissan Altima

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, part of the W213 generation introduced in 2017, showcased a departure from the sharper, boxier angles of its predecessor to adopt the fluid, curvier forms seen in the 2014 S-Class and 2015 C-Class. Mercedes' chief designer, Gorden Wagener, described this design theme as "sensual purity." The 2021 model featured a slightly edgier front with squinted headlights and an inverted trapezoid grille, while the rear resembled the W212 with horizontal taillights cutting into the trunk lid. New bumpers with larger air intakes, new exhaust tips, and new wheels were among the major changes. Despite the updates, the E-Class remained a handsome and elegant car, available as a sedan, wagon, coupe, or convertible.

However, the standing hood ornament on the sedans and wagons was no longer available, a classic Mercedes look that was replaced by a giant star emblem in the grille. This change was part of the Sport package, which had become very popular among buyers. The AMG models, with their vertical grille slats and quad exhaust tips, embraced this look more fittingly. Inside, the E-Class cabin was a luxurious space filled with rich woods, aluminum, carbon fiber, and intricate details like metal speaker grilles and elaborate stitching. The black monolith on the dash revealed two 12-inch screens with crisp detail and brilliant color, making the interior unmatched by any car at this price point.

The 2022 Nissan Altima, available in five trim levels (S, SV, SR, SL, and Platinum), continued the sharp, sporty design introduced with the third-generation model in 2002. The Altima featured Nissan's hallmark V-Motion grille, a low, wide stance, tall doors, creased body lines, and a sharply sloped "floating" roofline. The Midnight Edition package on the SR trim added gloss black painted sport grille, LED fog lights, 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, a moonroof, and other blacked-out elements, enhancing the Altima's sporty appearance. Our test car, painted in Gun Metallic, blended well with the Midnight Package, making it one of the better "black-out" packages available.

Inside, the Altima offered comfortable Zero Gravity front seats, a well-laid-out instrument panel, and high-quality materials that gave it a premium feel. However, lower trims did not look and feel as nice. The Altima's interior was practical and comfortable, with easy-to-use controls and a decent-sized trunk. While it didn't stand out in any particular way compared to its competitors, it provided a competent and comfortable ride for everyday use.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class saw a significant change with the switch from conventional V6 engines to electrified inline-six powertrains for the highest-volume models. The E450 became a hybrid, featuring a 3.0-liter inline-six engine with a single turbo, producing 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, with an additional 21 hp and 184 lb-ft from the electric starter-generator. This setup allowed the engine to shut off more often, saving fuel and reducing emissions. The base E350's 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, producing 255 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, was adequate for everyday driving but lacked the performance expected of a luxury car.

The AMG E53 added a second turbo, powered by the 48-volt battery, to the E450's engine, resulting in 429 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. The AMG E63 S, with a hand-built 4.0-liter V8 engine, produced 603 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, making it a high-performance machine. The E-Class offered a range of driving experiences, from the comfortable and efficient E350 to the high-performance AMG models. Fuel economy varied, with the E450 4Matic returning 26 mpg combined, while the AMG E63 S achieved 18 mpg combined.

The 2022 Nissan Altima offered two four-cylinder engine options: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine producing 188 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque, and a 2.0-liter variable-compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engine making 248 hp and 273 lb-ft. The base engine was available with either FWD or AWD, while the VC-Turbo was only available on the SR trim with FWD. Both engines featured direct injection and were paired with Nissan's Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT). The VC-Turbo engine could actively change its compression ratio for high performance or high efficiency, offering a balance of power and fuel economy.

Our test car featured the base 2.5-liter engine with AWD, providing a smooth and composed ride, thanks to Nissan's Active Ride Control. However, acceleration was mediocre, and the CVT struggled to get the car up to speed. The VC-Turbo engine, while more powerful, was not available with AWD, limiting its performance potential. Overall, the Altima offered a comfortable and refined ride, but its performance was not as strong as some competitors.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured a redesigned infotainment system with a touchscreen, making everyday tasks easier and faster. The touchpads on the steering wheel were reshaped, and shortcut buttons for navigation, stereo, and other settings remained. The cabin was spacious for four adults, with ample headroom and legroom, supportive cushions, and knee cutouts on the seatbacks. The E-Class offered various body styles, including a sedan with 13 cubic feet of trunk space, a coupe with 10 cubic feet, and a wagon with 35 cubic feet of cargo space (64 with all seats folded). The E450 All-Terrain wagon added ground clearance and plastic body cladding for a more rugged look.

The 2022 Nissan Altima provided comfortable seating for four (five for short distances), easy-to-use controls, an accessible back seat, and a decent-sized trunk. Its dimensions fell in the middle compared to its main competitors, with a 15.4 cubic feet trunk and a 16.2-gallon fuel tank. However, the high rear shelf compromised rear visibility, and the trunk's metal bar supports could crush items when closing the lid. Despite these minor complaints, the Altima offered a practical and comfortable interior for everyday use.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured the MBUX infotainment system with a touchscreen interface, natural voice processing, and online searches. The system included a live feed from the front camera with overlay arrows and street names, massaging seats with side bolsters, and seat kinetics function. While the system didn't update over-the-air, it offered standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (not wireless), a wireless phone charger (optional), and 4G WiFi. Optional driving assists included lane changes, curve slowing, and limited autonomous driving. The instrument cluster offered various display options, from traditional analog gauges to bar graphs and zany colors.

The 2022 Nissan Altima's entry-level S trim came with a 5-inch multi-function information display and a 7-inch color touchscreen audio display with Bluetooth connectivity. Higher trims featured a 7-inch advanced drive-assist display and an 8-inch color touchscreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and multiple USB ports. The SL trim added a nine-speaker Bose premium audio system, navigation, and connected services. The SR VC-Turbo trim offered active noise cancellation, and the Altima also had available technologies like traffic sign recognition, an Around View Monitor, and ProPilot Assist for semi-autonomous driving.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class was one of the safest cars on sale, with a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick+" designation from the IIHS. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking, a driver-attention monitor, and blind-spot monitoring. Optional features included Pre-Safe Sound, side bolster inflation during a side collision, and crosswind countermeasures. The coupe and cabriolet models were not tested but were considered equally safe.

The 2022 Nissan Altima came with a high level of standard driver-assist technology, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and forward-collision warning. The SV trim and above added Safety Shield 360, which included rear automatic braking, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic warning. The Altima received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick+" designation from the IIHS, with high ratings in crash tests and crash avoidance and mitigation.