I want to like the Altima. It's roomy, it's cheap, it's a whole lot of midsize sedan for very little money. And then you get to the transmission, and I have to be blunt with you: there are Altima years I wouldn't take for free.
The villain of this entire story is one part, the CVT automatic. I sorted our complaint data and the damage is impossible to miss:
| Model year | Complaints | Top problem area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | CVT transmission | Avoid | |
| 2009 | Steering | Avoid | |
| 2014 | CVT / lighting | Avoid | |
| 2005 | Body / engine | Caution | |
| 2008 | Structure | Caution |
That 2013 figure, north of two thousand complaints, is almost all one thing. These CVTs judder, whine, then quit, sometimes before 100,000 miles, and a replacement can cost more than the car is worth. The 2013 to 2015 cars are the danger zone. Find one, and you treat the transmission as guilty until the seller proves otherwise with paperwork.
Honestly? Show me a 2013 or 2014 Altima with no CVT service records and I walk. Life's too short.
The Altima years that are actually fine
Now the good news, and it's a big one. Nissan slowly toughened the CVT up, and the newer cars are a different animal:
| Model year | Complaints | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Best pick | |
| 2021 | Great | |
| 2020 | Great | |
| 2019 | Solid |
Look at that 2022, just 20 complaints on record. The 2020 and 2021 cars are close behind. My take is dead simple: if you want an Altima, buy the newest one you can afford. The reliability gap between old and new here is night and day.
The one thing to check first
On this car, transmission history is everything. Before you buy any Altima, run the VIN through our free VIN check for title and recall records, and read the full story on our Nissan Altima page. Two minutes now beats a five-figure surprise later.
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Altima years should I avoid?
Avoid the 2013–2015 Altimas, whose CVT transmissions are widely reported to fail, often before 100,000 miles. The 2009 and 2002–2006 cars also draw heavy complaints.
What is the best year for a Nissan Altima?
By NHTSA complaint data, the 2022 Altima is by far the cleanest, followed by 2021 and 2020. The newest cars have a much more durable CVT.
Do Nissan Altima CVT transmissions fail?
The 2013–2018 Altima CVTs are notorious for juddering, whining and premature failure. Nissan extended some warranties, but replacement is expensive — always verify transmission history.
Is a used Nissan Altima worth buying?
A newer Altima (2020 or later) can be a good, affordable used buy. Older 2013–2015 cars are risky because of CVT failures and are best avoided unless the transmission was replaced.
Denis Kataev is a serial solopreneur and the founder of ForCar. With 15+ years in software engineering and 10 years in SEO, he builds data-driven products end to end — backed by a sharp eye for design. At ForCar he mines proprietary vehicle datasets, turning raw numbers into buying advice you can actually trust.
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