Does it have wheels? Great, somebody hates it. It doesn’t matter if a car has a seemingly unshakable fan base, like the Porsche 911. Haters are, in fact, going to hate, and that includes every year, make, and model of car, SUV, truck, and minivan. But some models are going to soak up more consumer abhorrence than others, try as they might to tick every box and please every would-be buyer.
The Chrysler PT Cruiser. The Pontiac Aztek. Hell, even an Aston Martin (looking at you, Cygnet) has suffered the slings and arrows of near-endless internet and car show slander. Some perhaps too-mocked cars, however, are sensible, affordable, and utilitarian. Take this family-and-wallet-friendly Japanese sedan, for example. Car buyers keep taking one model home, despite an onslaught of silly jokes at its expense.
Haters Gonna Hate
There is no shortage of automotive punchlines from different generations. Most recently, Jaguar, as a marque, undertook a risky rebrand. That reimagining, well, didn’t resonate so well with the brand’s fans and critics. Internet-goers skewered the British automaker. Turn back the clock a little further, and you’ll find other oft-reviled cars, trucks, and SUVs.
The Pontiac Aztek, for example, reportedly warranted a disgusted gasp from onlookers at its Detroit Auto Show unveiling. Dan Neil of Time Magazine went as far as to say, “This car could not have been more instantly hated if it had a Swastika tattoo on its forehead.” Yikes. Even popular cars divide car fans and invite generalizations. Do you drive a Toyota GR Supra? Get ready for the “nice BMW” jokes. Prefer to cruise in a Mustang? Your skin had better be tough enough to survive all the crashing jokes. But all that hate doesn’t mean a car won’t sell.
People Might Hate On Them, But They Keep Buying Them
Just because a car, truck, SUV, or van often features in jokes doesn’t mean it isn’t a commercial success. For instance, everybody’s favorite fireball-in-waiting, the Ford Pinto, didn’t exactly flop in the consumer market. During its 10-year production run, the Blue Oval sold 3.1 million of the things. Go ahead, reference Ralph Nader’s criticisms when you joke about the Pinto exploding in a relatively gentle fender bender.
The Pinto was still an affordable, fuel-efficient chapter in the American Malaise era. Fast-forward a few decades, and buyers are still driving off the lot in some of the most often joked-about cars on the market. After all, people are always going to joke about something. And this Nissan sedan is a frequent target.
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The Nissan Altima: A Best-Selling Butt Of Jokes
There’s a chance you’ve already heard some of the jokes. The sort of jests that imply a Nissan Altima arrived from the factory with damage. Jokes aside, Nissan has been producing its popular midsize family car since the 1993 model year. Six generations and nearly 35 years of Altima. No easy feat. And with an affordable price tag and space for the whole family, the Nissan Altima has understandably been a mainstay of the American car market. So, where does the Altima’s serving of scorn originate?
Let’s face it: it’s a stereotype, an overgeneralization. Something along the lines of Chevrolet Corvettes, jean shorts, and white New Balance sneakers. Or Ford Mustangs and an appetite for crashes following an appearance at Cars & Coffee. As with most runaway jokes these days, the Altima’s reputational misfortune is mostly internet-based. Take a look at the Urban Dictionary, and you’ll find an entry under “Altima Energy.” It reads, “You know when you’re driving down the road and all [of a] sudden a car is swerving in between lanes and speeding and just all around a bad driver. Yeah, it was probably someone in a Nissan Altima.” Still, the knee-slapping jokes at the Altima’s expense don’t translate to poor sales. Far from it, really.
A Top Seller If There Ever Was One
In both the new and used car markets, the Nissan Altima holds its own. From 2007 to 2017, Nissan regularly sold over a quarter of a million Altimas every year. In 2014, car buyers purchased 335,644 Altimas, making it one of the hottest-selling sedans on the market at the time. Last year, however, new Altima sales dipped below 100,000 units for the first time in the model’s history.
Americans took home around 93,268 units in 2025, down from 113,896 in 2024 and 128,030 in 2023. While that’s hardly on pace with its closest competitors, it’s enough to land the Altima the number eight spot on the list of 2025’s best-selling sedans. Used car shoppers aren’t too put off by the jokes, either. Last year, the Nissan Altima accounted for 1.3 percent of all used car purchases in the United States. That percentage ties the Altima with the perennial favorite Honda Civic among used car purchases. It also establishes the Altima as the fourth-most-purchased used sedan on the market, just behind the Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu, and Toyota Corolla.
Nissan Altima Sales Figures
|
Year |
Number Sold (Units) |
|
2025 |
93,268 |
|
2024 |
113,896 |
|
2023 |
128,030 |
|
2022 |
139,956 |
|
2021 |
103,776 |
Here’s How Much A 5-Year-Old Nissan Altima Is Worth
The sixth-gen Altima is a great all-around sedan that will offer reliable service daily, along with luxury, power, and all-wheel drive dependability.
There’s A Lot To Love
Needless to say, the jokes haven’t killed the Altima. For 2026, the Nissan Altima returns to the midsize sedan segment with a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive models. The 2026 model comes in just two trims, the $27,580 Altima SV and the $28,980 Altima SR; there’s a $1,500 upcharge for those wanting AWD. For the extra money, SR buyers get a more aggressive exterior, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, a more expansive 12.3-inch touchscreen, and a more responsive suspension setup.
The Altima’s appeal remains unchanged for the 2026 model; it’s comfortable, spacious, economical, and undercuts the price of some of its closest competition. The venerable Honda Accord, for instance, starts at $28,395. Toyota’s resident midsize sedan, the Camry, starts at $29,100 and demands a $1,520 premium over the base Altima. Mind you, the Accord and Camry are nicer to drive and offer hybrid trims.
Tough Competition From Its Countrymen
Nissan discontinued one of the Altima’s smaller siblings, the Versa, after the 2025 model year, effectively pulling the plug on the sub-$20,000 car market. The brand also suggested that the Altima wouldn’t live to see the 2026 model year amid declining sales. However, Nissan kept the Altima going for another model year, opting instead to consolidate the Altima down to two trims from a previous four. The Altima isn’t the only sedan left in Nissan’s repertoire, either. The Nissan Sentra lives on into the 2026 model year, taking on the likes of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla in the compact car segment.
This Toyota sedan outsells the Prius as well as all sedans on the market.
A Familiar Face In A Dwindling Segment
The often-joked-about Nissan Altima lived on despite a popular understanding that it would bow out before the 2026 model year. Other midsize family sedans weren’t so lucky. In fact, the midsize sedan market is all but disappearing, with the Chevrolet Malibu, Subaru Legacy, Mazda6, and Ford Fusion all getting the ax in the last five years. But, at least for now, Nissan will keep selling the Altima and its so-called “Altima Energy.”
Sources: Nissan, GoodCarBadCar, Hemmings, iSeeCars.