The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S stands out as a reliable and safe sedan, earning impressive safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This article delves into the detailed safety performance of the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S, providing a comprehensive overview of its crash test results and safety features. Understanding these ratings is crucial for car buyers prioritizing safety and making informed decisions.
Small Overlap Front: Driver-Side Evaluation
The small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end (driver-side in this case) impacts an object. This is a challenging test that evaluates how well the car’s structure and safety systems protect the driver in such scenarios.
The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S achieved a Good rating in the driver-side small overlap front test, the highest possible rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
| Structure and safety cage | A |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Hip/thigh | G |
| Driver injury measures – Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The structural performance of the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S in this test was rated as Acceptable, while all driver injury measures and restraints were rated as Good. This indicates robust protection for the driver in a driver-side small overlap frontal crash.
Technical Measurements – Driver-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion | Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max | 15 |
| Footrest | 7 |
| Left toepan | 3 |
| Brake pedal | 1 |
| Parking brake | 19 |
| Rocker panel lateral average | 5 |
| Steering column | 4 |
| Upper hinge pillar max | 8 |
| Upper dash | 8 |
| Lower instrument panel | 8 |
| Driver Injury Measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 59 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 9 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.16 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 19 |
| Femur – Left (kN) | 0.4 |
| Femur – Right (kN) | 0.5 |
| Knee displacement – Left (mm) | 1 |
| Knee displacement – Right (mm) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index – Left | 0.53 |
| Maximum tibia index – Right | 0.45 |
| Tibia axial force – Left (kN) | 0.9 |
| Tibia axial force – Right (kN) | 0.4 |
| Foot acceleration – Left (g) | 43 |
| Foot acceleration – Right (g) | 35 |
Small Overlap Front: Passenger-Side Evaluation
Extending the small overlap test to the passenger side provides a more complete picture of frontal crash safety. The passenger-side test evaluates how well the vehicle protects the front passenger in a similar small overlap frontal impact.
The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S also earned a Good rating for passenger-side small overlap front crash protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Chest | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Hip/thigh | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Lower leg/foot | G |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Similar to the driver-side test, the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S demonstrated excellent performance with a Good rating for structure and safety cage, and all passenger injury measures and restraints.
Technical Measurements – Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion | Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max | 12 |
| Footrest | 9 |
| Right toepan | 3 |
| Center toepan | 4 |
| Rocker panel lateral average | 2 |
| Center dash | 2 |
| Upper hinge pillar max | 5 |
| Upper dash | 5 |
| Right lower dash | 5 |
| Passenger Injury Measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 52 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 14 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.19 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 19 |
| Femur – Left (kN) | 1.4 |
| Femur – Right (kN) | 1.5 |
| Knee displacement – Left (mm) | 2 |
| Knee displacement – Right (mm) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index – Left | 0.37 |
| Maximum tibia index – Right | 0.32 |
| Tibia axial force – Left (kN) | 0.9 |
| Tibia axial force – Right (kN) | 1.3 |
| Foot acceleration – Left (g) | 29 |
| Foot acceleration – Right (g) | 38 |
| Driver Injury Measures (Passenger-Side Test) | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 37 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 11 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.13 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 23 |
| Femur – Left (kN) | 0.3 |
| Femur – Right (kN) | 0.2 |
| Knee displacement – Left (mm) | 0 |
| Knee displacement – Right (mm) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index – Left | 0.19 |
| Maximum tibia index – Right | 0.32 |
| Tibia axial force – Left (kN) | 0.7 |
| Tibia axial force – Right (kN) | 0.8 |
| Foot acceleration – Left (g) | 23 |
| Foot acceleration – Right (g) | 31 |
Moderate Overlap Front: Original Test
The moderate overlap front test is the traditional frontal crash test, involving a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end impacting a barrier.
The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S again secured a Good overall rating in the moderate overlap front test.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/foot, left | G |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/foot, right | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
All aspects of driver protection in the moderate overlap frontal crash were rated as Good, highlighting the robust frontal crashworthiness of the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S.
Technical Measurements – Moderate Overlap Front Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion | Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| Footrest | 7 |
| Left Footwell | 10 |
| Center Footwell | 10 |
| Right Footwell | 6 |
| Brake pedal | 4 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement – Left | 0 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement – Right | 0 |
| Steering column movement – Upward | 1 |
| Steering column movement – Rearward | -5 |
| A-pillar rearward movement | 0 |
| Driver Injury Measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 155 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 25 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.30 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 27 |
| Femur force – Left (kN) | 0.4 |
| Femur force – Right (kN) | 0.7 |
| Knee displacement – Left (mm) | 1 |
| Knee displacement – Right (mm) | 3 |
| Maximum tibia index – Left | 0.29 |
| Maximum tibia index – Right | 0.42 |
| Tibia axial force – Left (kN) | 1.7 |
| Tibia axial force – Right (kN) | 1.5 |
| Foot acceleration – Left (g) | 47 |
| Foot acceleration – Right (g) | 56 |
Side: Original Test
Side impact crashes pose significant risks, and the side crash test evaluates how well a vehicle protects occupants in such collisions.
The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S earned a Good overall rating in the side crash test.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
| Structure and safety cage | A |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Torso | G |
| Driver injury measures – Pelvis/leg | A |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Torso | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Pelvis/leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
While the structure and safety cage received an Acceptable rating, all driver and rear passenger injury measures were rated Good or Acceptable, demonstrating good side impact protection for occupants of the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S.
Technical Measurements – Side Impact Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion (Driver Side) | Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat | -10.5 |
| Driver Injury Measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 138 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.6 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 37 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 1.3 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 31 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 28 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.11 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.36 |
| Pelvis Iliac force (kN) | 2.8 |
| Pelvis Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.8 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 5.5 |
| Left femur L-M force (kN) | 1.6 |
| Left femur L-M moment (Nm) | 289 |
| Left femur A-P moment (Nm) | 71 |
| Passenger Injury Measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 99 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.3 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 30 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 1.0 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 14 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 12 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.16 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.16 |
| Pelvis Iliac force (kN) | 0.3 |
| Pelvis Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 1.3 |
| Left femur L-M force (kN) | 0.3 |
| Left femur L-M moment (Nm) | 104 |
| Left femur A-P moment (Nm) | 29 |
Roof Strength
Roof strength is crucial for rollover protection. This test measures the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover scenario.
The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S received a Good rating for roof strength.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
| Curb weight | 3,203 lbs |
| Peak force | 14,235 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 4.44 |
The strength-to-weight ratio of 4.44 significantly exceeds the minimum requirement, indicating excellent roof crush resistance for the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S.
Head Restraints & Seats
Good head restraints and seats are vital in preventing whiplash and other neck injuries in rear-end collisions.
The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S with power cloth seats received a Good overall rating for head restraints & seats.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
Both dynamic performance and seat/head restraint geometry were rated as Good, indicating effective whiplash protection in rear impacts for the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S.
Technical Measurements – Head Restraints & Seats
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Backset (mm) | 18 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 20 |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 10.4 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 58 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 0 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 288 |
Headlights
Headlight performance is a critical safety feature, especially for nighttime driving. IIHS evaluates headlights based on visibility and glare.
The base S trim of the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S comes with Halogen projector headlights, which received a Marginal overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | M |
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen projector |
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
While low beams provided fair visibility on straightaways, curve visibility was inadequate. High beams were better on straightaways but still inadequate on left curves.
Technical Measurements – Halogen Headlights
| LOW BEAMS | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 83.6 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 54.0 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 51.6 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 45.1 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 42.0 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 38.0 m |
| HIGH BEAMS | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 154.8 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 128.7 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 67.8 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 62.5 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 55.9 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 54.4 m |
It’s worth noting that higher trims (SR, SV, SL, Platinum) of the 2020 Nissan Altima feature LED projector headlights which achieve an Acceptable rating, offering improved headlight performance.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems are crucial for mitigating or avoiding frontal collisions. IIHS tests vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention in two scenarios: 12 mph and 25 mph.
With optional Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) with Pedestrian Detection, the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S achieves a Superior rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | Superior |
| Forward Collision Warning | Yes |
| 12 mph test | Collision Avoided |
| 25 mph test | Collision Avoided |
The system successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests, demonstrating excellent vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention capabilities when equipped with the optional Driver Assist Package.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian front crash prevention systems are increasingly important for urban safety. This test evaluates the system’s ability to detect and react to pedestrians in daytime conditions.
When equipped with optional Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S achieves an Advanced rating for pedestrian front crash prevention (day).
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | Advanced |
| Crossing child (12 mph) | Collision Avoided |
| Crossing child (25 mph) | Speed Reduced by 11 mph |
| Crossing adult (12 mph) | Collision Avoided |
| Crossing adult (25 mph) | Collision Avoided |
| Parallel adult (25 mph) | Speed Reduced by 18 mph |
| Parallel adult (37 mph) | Collision Avoided |
The system showed strong performance, avoiding collisions in most pedestrian scenarios and significantly reducing speed in others, earning an Advanced rating for pedestrian front crash prevention.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Child seat anchors (LATCH) ease the installation of child safety seats, making them more secure and convenient.
The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S received a Good rating for child seat anchors (LATCH) usability.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor, earning a Good rating for LATCH system ease of use.
Child Seat Anchor Details
| Position | Rating | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Good | Tether anchor, easy-to-find location, Lower anchors not too deep, easy to maneuver |
| 2 | Good | Tether anchor, easy-to-find location, No Lower anchors available |
| 3 | Good | Tether anchor, easy-to-find location, Lower anchors not too deep, easy to maneuver |
Conclusion
The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S demonstrates strong safety performance across various IIHS crash tests. It achieves Good ratings in all crashworthiness evaluations, showcasing robust occupant protection. While headlight performance is Marginal in the base trim, optional front crash prevention systems offer Superior and Advanced performance in vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian scenarios, respectively. The 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S is a safe and reliable choice in the sedan segment, particularly when equipped with optional safety features. For those prioritizing safety, the 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 S is a compelling option to consider.
