2 Nissan Car Models Earned Top Safety Pick+ Ratings, But There’s a Catch
The Nissan car lineup has much to offer, including commendable safety scores. For instance, the Nissan Altima and Maxima secured Top Safety Pick+ ratings for the 2022 and 2023 models. However, there’s a caveat to the Nissan sedan models’ safety credentials; the Maxima goes without a perfect score, and an updated test reveals troublesome news for the Altima.
Are Nissan Altimas safe cars?
The Nissan Altima earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for its 2022 and 2023 model years. Moreover, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Altima a five-star safety rating for crashworthiness.
Those are the highest safety ratings the agencies award. However, the IIHS subjected the 2022 Nissan Altima to an updated side crashworthiness test, and the results were less than spectacular. Specifically, the Altima’s updated scorecard shows an overall “Poor” evaluation in side testing. Moreover, the simulated injury metrics revealed extensive injuries to the driver-side dummy, including “Poor” scores for damage to the test subject’s torso and pelvis.
Still, even with the “Poor” and “Marginal” scores in the updated side test, the Nissan car model keeps its Top Safety Pick+ rating for now. Additionally, the Altima held “Good” ratings in every other crashworthiness category. While “Good” might seem underwhelming, it’s the agency’s highest individual score in crash test categories.
Are Nissan Maximas safe?
Like the Altima, the 2022-2023 Nissan Maxima earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and NHTSA five-star safety rating. Moreover, the IIHS kept the original side and moderate overlap front tests on the Maxima’s safety scorecard.
However, the Nissan car model also goes without a perfect bill of health from the IIHS. Instead, the Maxima earned an “Acceptable” rating for headlight performance. Specifically, the IIHS says the Nissan model’s low beams were inadequate in gradual corners.
Conversely, the Maxima received top scores from the NHTSA in every category, from frontal crash to side crash to rollover protection.
What is Nissan’s cheapest car?
Nissan’s cheapest car for 2023 is the Versa, which starts at $15,730. However, it’s not just the cheapest car in the automaker’s lineup; it’s one of the most affordable cars in America.
However, the Versa is a compromise when it comes to safety. The diminutive Nissan sedan didn’t earn a Top Safety Pick+ rating like its larger siblings, the Altima and Maxima.
Are Nissan vehicles safe?
Of Nissan’s cars in the 2023 lineup, the Maxima and Altima retain their IIHS Top Safety Pick+ ratings. However, the 2022 and 2023 Versa go without a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ rating. Still, the Versa managed to earn a five-start crashworthiness rating from the NHTSA.
Still, the 2022 Nissan Versa didn’t get a perfect score from the NHTSA; the Versa earned a four-star score in front crash testing and rollover testing. Despite the two four-star categories, the Versa retains its overall five-star rating.
What are your thoughts on these Nissan cars and their safety scores? Tell us in the comments below!
