Here's How Much A 2021 Nissan Altima Has Depreciated In 5 Years

Since debuting for the 2019 model year, the current sixth-generation Nissan Altima has been a mixed bag in terms of sales. After moving 209,183 units in 2019, sales of the midsize sedan fell to 137,988 in 2020 and never found traction after that. But while its winning form may have dipped, the Altima remains an attractive proposition all the same.

That's thanks in part to a combination of its nicely spacious and comfortable cabin, decent fuel economy, and quiet-running powertrain — all good reasons to add the Altima to your shortlist if you're considering a used sedan. Speaking of which, for a used model, the sweet spot sits at three to five years old. That's the age where the Altima still feels somewhat new, so reliability isn't a big concern, but it's also old enough at that point that a lot of the worst depreciation has already taken place.

But just how much less would a five-year-old Altima cost you? That would depend on the trim of choice, its mileage, and condition. According to the KBB fair purchase price, the base-spec Altima S currently averages $14,000, meaning it has lost $11,425 or 44.93% of its $25,425 MSRP. The Altima SV, meanwhile, depreciated in value by 40.24% in five years, while the SR trim lost 39.83%.

Similarly, 2021 Nissan Altima SL and VC-T SR models dropped 42.54% and 45.40% of the original purchase price, leaving the Platinum trim as the model to have lost the most value from its launch date, at 47.95%. Further proving that the 2021 Nissan Altima's depreciation rate is high, CarEdge estimates that the midsize sedan has lost 43.7% of its original price in years, with owners losing $13,618 on the assumed $31,164 they originally paid.

Based on CarEdge's estimate of a 43.7% drop in value, the Nissan Altima is among the compact sedans that have lost value the fastest in the last five years of ownership. The biggest faller of all 2021 midsize sedans is the Chevrolet Malibu, which is listed as losing a staggering 48% of its original $28,591 price. Joining the Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Malibu, the Hyundai Sonata also lost a significant 43.8% of its original purchase price, leaving its current resale value at $18,089.

By comparison, the 2021 Kia K5 did better, dropping 38.7% of its MSRP from five years earlier. This means it is typically worth $17,667, considering it had an assumed selling price of $28,810 when new. Another of the better performers that's shown on CarEdge's depreciation figures is Subaru Legacy, which holds onto 64.0% of its new price ($31,914), translating into a five-year depreciation rate of 36%.

The most impressive of the lot however is the 2021 Honda Accord, whose owners are likely to get an astounding 71.8% of their money back on the original purchase price of $33,117. That puts it just ahead of the Toyota Camry among the midsize sedan with highest retained value. At the time of writing, the Camry is estimated to retain its value ($32,393) in the region of 66.6%, meaning a five-year depreciation rate of 33.4% and current purchase price of $21,560.

Based on our used-market checks, the 2021 Nissan Altima seems to be depreciating even faster than projected. CarGurus, for one, is packed with many examples at around $10,000 or even less. The cheapest Altima models on the site ask just under $9,000, with the most expensive Altimas costing around $24,000. Even so, lower-priced examples make up most of the listing.

At the time of writing, an overwhelming 68% of the over 80 units of 2021 Nissan Altima models listed on CarGurus were priced below the CarEdge's projected $17,546 average. And it's not just CarGurus that offers used Altimas at temptingly low prices, Edmunds has hundreds available for sale, though prices start higher at around $10,500. The costliest examples top out at around $23,600.

Of course, that's charged only for examples with fewer miles, little to no signs of hard use, and a good history. High-milers that have endured a lot of wear-and-tear are way cheaper. Do keep in mind, however, that prices are as of writing and may vary in the future, especially in light of Nissan's plan to discontinue the Altima.