Performance
Winner: Tie
In our first category, where we rank a brand’s overall performance across its lineup, both Nissan and Toyota score an identical 7.7 points out of a possible 10. The performance pendulum swings back and forth, depending on whether you’re focused on a truck or SUV, or looking for sportier performance in something like a midsize sedan or fuel-sipping subcompact.
The nimble and responsive 2018 Toyota Camry registers an impressive 9.2 points in our midsize car rankings, while the 2018 Nissan Altima scores only 7.6 points. Jumping to the battle between the Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra pickup trucks, you’ll see the Titan scores an easy win (8.5) versus the Tundra (7.0). The Yaris and C-HR are Toyota’s lowest scoring models, with scores of 6.4 points. For Nissan, the brand’s weakest performer is the Versa subcompact, which also has a 6.4 point rating.
Interiors
Winner: Tie
How close is this competition going to be? The average interior score for every Nissan and Toyota sold today also results in a deadlock. Each brand registered an overall rating of 7.7 points. Highlights for Nissan include the Nissan Murano SUV, whose comfortable cabin rings in at 8.9 points out of 10.
Two of the most impressive Toyota vehicles include the Camry and Avalon sedans, both of which score 8.5 points in our rankings, thanks to their well-designed and high quality cabins. The dubious award for worst interior from either brand goes to the Toyota C-HR. An interior filled with hard plastics and extremely limited outward visibility earns this SUV a lowly 5.8 points.
Reliability
Winner: Toyota
If you think we’ve been trying to be polite and call everything a tie, think again. That’s because when it comes to a brand’s average predicted reliability score, as determined by J.D. Power and factored into our rankings, the Toyota brand scores a big win. Toyota registers an average of 4.0 out of a maximum five points. For the 2018 model year, a total of 14 Toyota vehicles earn a near-perfect 4.5. In comparison, the Nissan brand trails significantly with an average of 2.9 out of five. No Nissan car, SUV, or truck scores any higher than a 3.5.
Price
Winner: Toyota
By the sheer volume and scale of its product lineup, the winner when it comes to overall pricing has to be Toyota. The Toyota brand has a number of entry-level small cars to choose amongst, including the Yaris, Corolla, and even the economical Prius and Prius c. The Versa and Sentra are Nissan’s lowest priced models, with the Versa having an especially low-cost starting price of roughly $12,000. On the other side of the spectrum, the Nissan GT-R is the highest priced Nissan vehicle, starting at $99,990. Toyota’s most expensive vehicle, the Land Cruiser, starts at $84,565.
Still, when looking at the entire lineup of each brand, Toyota’s larger range of vehicles offers car shoppers greater choice and flexibility within their budget.
Safety
Winner: Nissan
Nissan scores an impressive 9.1 points out of 10 when it comes to the brand’s overall safety rating. Toyota isn’t far behind at 8.7, and it has two models that score a perfect 10 (the 2018 Camry and Camry Hybrid). The Nissan Maxima sedan also earns a perfect score, while the 2018 Altima has a rating of 9.8.
With more and more Nissan and Toyota vehicles coming standard with features like rearview cameras, lane keep assist, and automatic emergency braking, separating from the pack is harder to do when it comes to safety. That’s a safety-related win-win scenario for car shoppers, of course.
Pickup Trucks
Winner: Toyota
In the battle of full-size trucks, the Nissan Titan gets consistently higher scores in our rankings compared to the somewhat dated Toyota Tundra. While the Tundra earns a 4.5 out of five point score for predicted reliability, there’s no hiding the fact that the Titan offers more power and better handling.
In the compact pickup segment, the roles are reversed. The Nissan Frontier offers a low entry-price, but very little else to tempt truck buyers. The Toyota Tacoma, on the other hand, is more expensive but happens to be a vastly better truck.
Small SUVs
Winner: Nissan
In the red-hot segment for subcompact SUVs, Nissan is the clear winner. The recently introduced Kicks (pictured above) and Rogue Sport offer the high ride height, fuel economy, and cargo space many shoppers are looking for in a small SUV. While Toyota has many fine SUVs in its lineup, the C-HR isn’t one of them. An underwhelming engine and ho-hum handling don’t match this SUV’s sporty exterior. Worse still, visibility is terrible, especially for anyone seated in the C-HR’s rear seats.
Meanwhile, the Nissan Rogue and Toyota RAV4 are locked in a virtual dead heat in our midsize SUV rankings, with the Rogue scoring 8.1 points to the RAV4’s 7.8. The Rogue has a long list of standard safety equipment, while the RAV4 impresses with its driving comfort and reliability.
Midsize SUVs
Winner: Toyota
Considering the Highlander (pictured above) ranks at the very top of our midsize SUV rankings, it makes sense for Toyota to take the victory in this category. The refined driving manners and excellent reliability of the Highlander make it a stand-out performer. In contrast, the more rugged design and all-terrain capability of the 4Runner will hold appeal to SUV shoppers who venture off road (or at least want to look like they do).
The Nissan Murano gets praise for its strong safety scores and classy cabin, while the Pathfinder comes with a potent V6. But when the dust settles and everything is factored into our rankings, Toyota (particularly the Highlander) is the clear winner.
Large SUVs
Winner: Toyota
If you need the passenger and cargo capacity provided by a full-size model, Toyota comes out ahead when your SUV shopping demands a bigger vehicle. The Toyota Sequoia offer lots of room for passengers and massive amounts of cargo space. It also has an excellent record for predicted reliability, though the interior trim can look low-rent for a vehicle of this class.
Nissan’s Armada has a strong V8 engine and good towing capability, but an outdated cabin and sub-par predicted reliability scores see it sink in our rankings of large SUVs. This is why the Sequoia gets the win.
Small Cars
Winner: Toyota
When talking about Toyota’s small car lineup, the first two vehicles that spring to mind for many car shoppers on a budget are the Yaris and Corolla. The Yaris earns a 7.4 overall rating out of 10, while the Corolla registers in at 8.3. Neither car is perfect, and we’ve noted the Yaris delivers boring handling and underwhelming engine power. Yet, they still outscore the Nissan Versa (6.7) and Sentra (7.6) in our rankings.
Midsize Cars
Winner: Toyota
The recently redesigned Toyota Camry sedan carries on the tradition of reliability and value. What’s surprising is that this four-door Toyota is also finally fun to drive, with much improved dynamics compared to previous models. The Camry registers a 9.0 point overall score in our midsize car rankings, which easily eclipses the 8.0 score posted by the latest Nissan Altima.
The Altima simply gets lots in a crowded playing field because of its mediocre driving behavior, below-average predicted reliability rating, and drab interior.
Large Cars
Winner: Toyota
The Toyota Avalon (pictured above) is a great choice for anyone who wants a premium sedan without the snob-appeal of a luxury badge. With its Lexus-like cabin quality and hushed ride, the Avalon is an extremely smooth operator.
In comparison, the Nissan Maxima is still a good car, but it’s less spacious than the Avalon and has less overall cargo capacity. One thing working in the Nissan’s favor is price, since the base model is a couple thousand dollars cheaper than the Toyota. But considering the Avalon has more standard and available features, it’s simply the better large sedan.
Hybrids
Winner: Toyota
As the car company that basically brought the idea of a hybrid-powered car to the world’s attention, it makes sense that Toyota would take the win in this category. The fuel-sipping Prius (pictured above) is now offered in several varieties, with models like the Prius Prime delivering true electric-only driving range.
Nissan is no stranger to hybrids, but it can’t match Toyota when it comes to overall economy and sheer range of hybrids to choose among. One caveat is that Nissan offers a full-electric vehicle, the Leaf hatchback, while a pure electric car is still missing from the Toyota stable.
Minivans
Winner: Toyota
Toyota wins this one be default because Nissan no longer has a minivan in its lineup. The Toyota Sienna is roomy and has a potent 296-horsepower engine. It’s also the only minivan currently available with all-wheel drive, and it comes loaded with many standard safety features. One flaw is the Sienna’s below-average record for predicted reliability, a rare occurrence with a Toyota vehicle.
Sports Cars
Winner: Toyota
While all the buzz is about the imminent return of the Toyota Supra, the nimble 86 (pictured above) coupe has been with us (and relatively unchanged) since it arrived wearing a Scion badge back in 2013. We like the sharp handling and low base price of the 86, but the miniscule rear seat and cramped cargo area could be deal breakers.
Still, the Toyota 86 seems positively brand-new compared to the Nissan 370Z, which first arrived more than a decade ago. Along the way Nissan has added a larger engine and more features, but the Z is feeling dated and falls behind the Toyota. This is a somewhat hollow victory, however, since our favorite budget-friendly sports car happens to wear a Mazda badge.
Vehicle Lineup
Winner: Toyota
Toyota offers a total of 23 models, compared to 16 currently offered by Nissan. In many ways the two brands still face off directly in most categories, though Nissan did recently kill off the Quest, it’s rival to the Toyota Sienna minivan.
Toyota’s biggest advantage might be in its truck and SUV lineup. While Nissan keeps things close, and sometimes exceeds the scores set by Toyota’s truck and SUV offerings, there is no doubt that Toyota offers the wider range of options.
The Winner Is …
Toyota
Toyota chalked up nine outright wins in each of our ten vehicle categories, compared to only one outright win for Nissan. That should mean that Toyota has the ultimate bragging rights, but the competition is closer than those numbers suggest.
Toyota’s main advantage is that it offers such a wide range of vehicles, covering pretty much every market segment. Nissan’s one obvious edge is in the small SUV class, where Toyota struggles with the overwrought and uncompetitive C-HR. Nissan also holds a slight lead in terms of the brand’s safety rating, though Toyota counters with some stellar scores for predicted reliability.
Each brand has models that are far above the competition. But be warned, they also have a few that sink to the middle or bottom of our rankings. Do your research and don’t assume the badge on the front grille is going to make or break a vehicle purchase.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
See the entire Nissan and Toyota lineup on their brand pages, which show how each automaker’s models rank within their classes. You can also check out the best deals offered by these automakers on our Nissan deals and Toyota deals pages.
Then, when you’re ready to buy or lease, use our U.S. News Best Price Program to find the dealership in your area with the best prices. Shoppers who use the program save an average of more than $3,000 off their new car purchase.
Nissan vs. Toyota: Battle of the Brands
- Performance - Winner: Tie
- Interiors - Winner: Tie
- Reliability - Winner: Toyota
- Price - Winner: Toyota
- Safety - Winner: Nissan
- Pickup Trucks - Winner: Toyota
- Small SUVs - Winner: Nissan
- Midsize SUVs - Winner: Toyota
- Large SUVs - Winner: Toyota
- Small Cars - Winner: Toyota
- Midsize Cars - Winner: Toyota
- Large Cars - Winner: Toyota
- Hybrids - Winner: Toyota
- Minivans - Winner: Toyota
- Sports Cars - Winner: Toyota
- Vehicle Lineup - Winner: Toyota
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Which Dealership Should You Visit First?
Car shopping is often a confusing process, and it can become even more complicated when your search is narrowed to a couple different makes, especially when the two are highly competitive brands. Nissan and Toyota go head-to-head in a wide range of automobile segments, from compact SUVs and midsize sedans, to hybrids and large SUVs, too. In fact, these two Japanese automakers have a counter-attack to each other in just about every segment you can imagine.
So whether you’re shopping for a great family car, or want something fuel-efficient and with great cargo space, we’ve broken down the pros and cons between these two brands. Remember that our scores change as new data comes in, so the rankings you see here may not match with the ones elsewhere on our site.
Read on to see which brand comes out on top.