2018 Nissan Altima MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2018 Nissan Altima is rated 26 to 31 mpg combined across 3 EPA-tested gas versions; the best is the 2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT.

EPA fuel economy

2018 Nissan Altima · 3 EPA-tested versions

Best EPA rating

31MPG combined

27 city 38 highway

$2,100 a year to fuel

Fuel economy score7/10

2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT

Best version saves $1,000 in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.32 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Sep 27, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $2,100 to $2,500 a year. Ratings for the best versions are unchanged from 2017.

Every 2018 Altima version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT Best EPA listing: Altima	31 mpg	27 / 38	$2,100
2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · SR EPA listing: Altima SR	30 mpg	26 / 37	$2,150
3.5L 6-cyl · FWD · CVT EPA listing: Altima	26 mpg	22 / 32	$2,500

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.32 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT	$2,090	$174	$10,452
2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · SR	$2,160	$180	$10,800
3.5L 6-cyl · FWD · CVT	$2,492	$208	$12,462

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

Nissan Altima MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 30 to 32 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); highest in 2019.

2018: gas 31 mpg

Show as a table

Nissan Altima best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version
2016	31
2017	31
2018	31
2019	32
2020	32
2021	32
2022	32
2023	31
2024	31
2025	31
2026	30

How the 2018 Altima compares

2018 midsize sedans covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2018 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Toyota Camry Best: hybrid	52 mpg	34 mpg	$1,250
Honda Accord Best: hybrid	47 mpg	33 mpg	$1,400
Chevrolet Malibu Best: hybrid	46 mpg	30 mpg	$1,400
Hyundai Sonata Best: hybrid	42 mpg	31 mpg	$1,550
Kia Optima Best: hybrid	42 mpg	31 mpg	$1,550
Nissan Altima This page Best: gas	31 mpg	31 mpg	$2,100

Nissan Altima vs Toyota CamryMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests side by side

2018 Altima recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 225 owner complaints for the 2018 Altima.What they cover, and crash test ratings

Questions

Does the 2018 Nissan Altima need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2018 Nissan Altima version on regular gasoline.

How does the 2018 Altima's MPG compare with the 2017?

For 2018, the best gas version is rated 31 mpg, the same as the year before.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.32, midgrade $4.93, premium $5.32, diesel $6.29 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.