My comparison: midsize sedans

[ifcar]

This will be appearing over the next week: Malibu vs. Fusion vs. Accord vs. Sonata vs. 2010 Optima vs. Mazda6 vs. Legacy vs. Camry. Introduction here:

http://www.examiner.com/autos-in-national/comparison-review-eight-family-sedans

[the Teuton]

Guess:

1) Fusion
2) Sonata
3) Camry
4) Accord (I think it's a better car than the Camry and Fusion, but this isn't my comparo...)
5) Legacy
6) Optima
7) Mazda6
8) Malibu

[SVT666]

Guess:

1) Fusion
2) Sonata
3) Camry
4) Accord (I think it's a better car than the Camry and Fusion, but this isn't my comparo...)
5) Legacy
6) Optima
7) Mazda6
8) Malibu

My guess:
1. Sonata
2. Fusion
4. Accord
5. Camry
6. Mazda6
7. Malibu
8. Legacy
9. Optima

[Vinsanity]

My guess:
1. Sonata
2. Fusion
4. Accord
5. Camry
6. Mazda6
7. Malibu
8. Legacy
9. Optima

which one would place third?

[ifcar]

Eighth place: Honda Accord

It's a top-seller, it's well-respected, it's typically well-reviewed, and it's in last place?

The Honda Accord, which is wrapping up its third model year in its current form, is pleasant to drive and has lots of passenger space. With more better handling than the Toyota Camry and more room than the Nissan Altima, someone who shops just those three might well find the Accord to be the best balance of practicality with sportiness.

And of those three flawed cars, it is. But in the broader, highly competitive family sedan market, the Accord's virtues don't take it far enough to offset a high price, a noisy ride, some iffy crash test scores and mediocre fuel economy....

Continued at link:
http://www.examiner.com/autos-in-national/comparison-review-eight-family-sedans-eighth-place

[2o6]

That was unexpected.

[SVT666]

I'm shocked.

[SVT666]

which one would place third?

There is no third place.  There's the winner, the not winner, and the rest.

[Vinsanity]

more better handling than the Toyota Camry

[the Teuton]

Wow, indeed.

[CJ]

That's what I was going to point out. 

[CJ]

You know, it honestly doesn't surprise me that the Accord placed dead last. 

[ifcar]

Lots moar better.

[ifcar]

Seventh place: Subaru Legacy

The Subaru Legacy has long been an unusual vehicle in the midsize sedan market. It was rare in its class for offering ? and now unique in its class for including as standard equipment ? an all-wheel-drive system, and it's significantly smaller than some of the other eight cars in this comparison.

Some iterations of Legacy over the years have also been sportier than the competition ? including the generation that wrapped up for the 2009 model year. That disappeared in a redesign that focused on improving the car's most glaring shortcomings: interior space and gas mileage.

Those definitely have been resolved. Despite its compact size and all-wheel-drive, the 2010 Legacy boasts a spacious cabin and impressive fuel economy ratings of 23 miles per gallon in the city and 31 on the highway with its new continuously variable automatic transmission. And the ride is now smoother, at the expense of taut handling control.

But even as Subaru has pushed the Legacy more mainstream, the standard all-wheel-drive will still represent an unnecessary hindrance to many mainstream buyers....

Continued at link:
http://www.examiner.com/autos-in-national/comparison-review-eight-family-sedans-seventh-place

[SVT666]

I got the Legacy right in my predictions.

[the Teuton]

I disagree.

[Raza]

I disagree.

No, he's right, on pretty much every point he brought up. 

[the Teuton]

No, he's right, on pretty much every point he brought up.  

But he discredited the car on sloppy handling and slow acceleration in spite of the fact that it's still more capable than half of the cars in the test.

And to say that the AWD is unnecessary is moot. It's a ridiculous reason to knock the car down several places because Subie isn't going to start selling FWD Legacies anytime soon. It is what it is.

[ifcar]

But he discredited the car on sloppy handling and slow acceleration in spite of the fact that it's still more capable than half of the cars in the test.

It's definitely among the slowest and feels even slower than it apparently is, and I wouldn't put its handling near the top half either.

[ifcar]

And to say that the AWD is unnecessary is moot. It's a ridiculous reason to knock the car down several places because Subie isn't going to start selling FWD Legacies anytime soon. It is what it is.

It is what it is, and I'm saying that most people shouldn't buy what it is because most people don't need AWD.

[the Teuton]

It is what it is, and I'm saying that most people shouldn't buy what it is because most people don't need AWD.

You live in DC. Need I remind you about last winter?

[ifcar]

You live in DC. Need I remind you about last winter?

When the city is shut down, what's AWD going to get me?

[the Teuton]

When the city is shut down, what's AWD going to get me?

AWD got me to the grocery store not last year but the year before. It saved my ass to make sure I wasn't going to starve. This year, I was lucky I went out to get food when I did.

On the snowbelt we're on, yes, I think AWD is good, and I think it's more valuable than you suggest. Don't think of it as an unnecessary feature for more money. Think of it as an added benefit that's still being sold at very competitive prices versus its rivals.

[ifcar]

AWD got me to the grocery store not last year but the year before. It saved my ass to make sure I wasn't going to starve. This year, I was lucky I went out to get food when I did.

On the snowbelt we're on, yes, I think AWD is good, and I think it's more valuable than you suggest. Don't think of it as an unnecessary feature for more money. Think of it as an added benefit that's still being sold at very competitive prices versus its rivals.

In D.C., if the grocery stores won't be open if only AWD cars can get there. And even if that weren't the case, it's a compromise that I'd be paying for during the 361 days of the year it's not snowing.

[the Teuton]

In D.C., if the grocery stores won't be open if only AWD cars can get there. And even if that weren't the case, it's a compromise that I'd be paying for during the 361 days of the year it's not snowing.

It's not that hard to live with at all, and hundreds of thousands of soccer moms buy AWD crossovers yearly. You think they're complaining? And come on, the point in the Subie is moot because it still achieves better gas mileage than some of the other cars in the test.

[ifcar]

It's not that hard to live with at all, and hundreds of thousands of soccer moms buy AWD crossovers yearly. You think they're complaining? And come on, the point in the Subie is moot because it still achieves better gas mileage than some of the other cars in the test.

Yeah, because it's a slug with CVT drone.

I'm not saying AWD is bad. I'm saying that if you don't especially want it -- and every indication is that most midsize sedan buyers don't -- then there's no reason to deal with it.

[the Teuton]

Yeah, because it's a slug with CVT drone.

170 hp in that size of car isn't a whole lot, and I agree with the drone. But is the car actually that much slower than any of the others on paper?

[SVT666]

I gotta agree with Teuts on the AWD thing.  That's not a knock against it.  We had an AWD car for 3 years.  Loved it in the winter, and didn't notice it in the summer.  Stupid thing to complain about.

[Atomic]

mid-sized car ratings can be pretty subjective as i believe it was motor trend (eh? or c&d?) that brought this to light recently by selecting the camry as #1. older folks seem to love it for its smooth as silk ride over handling. personally, i think the honda accord does everything well, but there is a lot of competition when money comes into play. the accord ex-l v6 with navi can be considered pricey for anyone not familiar with honda. my parents will buy nothing else having owned many top-of-the-line accords - all flawless and NEVER in the shop.

great review, iffy! not an easy job, as i think this segment of cars already has its customer base establish; yet, there must be plenty of "open-minded" shoppers outside of my large, extended family of acura and honda owners  .

[ifcar]

I gotta agree with Teuts on the AWD thing.  That's not a knock against it.  We had an AWD car for 3 years.  Loved it in the winter, and didn't notice it in the summer.  Stupid thing to complain about.

It's not that you notice it -- "omg, AWD is getting in my way again" -- but it's quietly draining your power and gas mileage. It's not AWD that's a problem, it's its inherent compromises. If you want an AWD car, the Legacy is fine; if you don't (and most people clearly don't), there's not enough left going for it to make it better than other midsize sedans.