Drive Time
Best Midsize Sedans
The models may look similar, but distinctions in value, power and comfort can be striking.
By Mark Solheim, Senior Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance
September 2007
Don't let the cookie-cutter looks of midprice, midsize sedans fool you. While the Toyota Camry, for example, has a soft ride and light steering, the nimble and quick Volkswagen Passat has a stiff suspension that might seem cruel to a Camry lover. In fact, those staples of middle-American garages can be as different as oatmeal and triple-chocolate fudge.
True, because they're designed with families in mind, they all have generous legroom and trunk space, plus a long menu of options. But when it comes to resale value and repair and maintenance costs, the differences among sedans become more obvious.
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So to find the best ones, we delved beneath the surface. We drove a dozen 2007 models, rating them not only on power, fuel economy, roominess and safety, but also on transaction price, resale value, comfort, design and driving impressions.
The seven we rank here are new or recently redesigned (see reviews for all 12 in our SLIDE SHOW). For the sake of consistency, we tested the lowest-trim-level models equipped with a six-cylinder engine and automatic transmission -- except for the Volkswagen Passat 2.0T, which has a comparably powerful four-cylinder, turbocharged engine. All others are available as four-cylinder models, which get better fuel economy but have less power and fewer amenities.
The time is right to get a bargain. Generally, in late summer and early fall, you can cut a great deal on a purchase or lease of the outgoing (in this case, 2007) model. The 2008 versions of many of these are already at dealers and will be selling closer to the sticker price.
1. NISSAN ALTIMA 3.5 SE
In Kiplinger's ranking of family sedans, which awards extra points for resale value and such family-friendly attributes as extra legroom, cargo area and safety features, the new Altima clobbers the competition. A smart redesign gives it a sharper look inside and out and shaves 2.5 inches off its length without shrinking interior space. The 3.5-liter V6 engine puts out 270 horsepower -- more than any car in this class. But fuel economy is comparable to that of the competition. The ride and handling are sporty without being harsh.
The Altima 3.5 SE's interior features push-button ignition and plenty of storage, with the largest trunk in this group and 60/40-split folding rear seats (a feature found in most family sedans). A Bose audio system and Bluetooth hands-free phone system are available with the $4,400 "premium" package. Most of the essential safety features are standard, although stability control is a $900 option.
2. TOYOTA CAMRY LE
A Lexus-derived design and more power -- 268 hp, versus the old V6 model's 190 -- update America's best-selling car. While the comfy ride and light steering remain, the new design helps dispel the image of the Camry as a bland appliance. Toyota's trademark reliability and its safety-conscious drivers translate to the lowest cost in the class for insurance and one of the lowest for maintenance.
The Camry runs about $1,000 less than the Altima, and it gets three more miles per gallon on the highway -- due in part to its six-speed transmission. As with the Altima, stability control is optional ($650). But Toyota slices and dices its options into smaller packages; for example, an upgraded audio system (by JBL) with Bluetooth costs $1,000.
3. SATURN AURA XE
Talk about value: Saturn's brand-new Aura is the least-expensive V6 model in its class, yet it's elegant, has plenty of cargo space and is loaded with standard safety features (except for stability control, which is available only on the pricier, XR trim). It shares DNA with the German Opel Vectra, which explains its Euro-sport-sedan-smooth handling. And the 3.5-liter, 224-hp engine has plenty of pep.
A few compromises: Fuel economy and performance are hampered by the four-speed transmission (a six-speed is an option on the XR model). Steering-wheel audio controls (standard on most of the Aura's peers) are part of a $375 package -- and you need that before you can order the $725 advanced audio package (with a CD changer and two sets of wireless headphones). No Bluetooth or navigation system is available.
4. HYUNDAI SONATA SE
The Sonata doesn't have the most refined engine (a 3.3-liter V6 that produces 234 hp) or suspension of the bunch. Service costs and insurance run a bit high, and resale values run a bit low. But a value price, a thoughtful list of standard equipment, a full array of safety features and 16 cubic feet of trunk space push the Sonata to fourth place. Hyundai also offers the best guarantees in the business -- a five-year/60,000-mile comprehensive and ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Long-legged drivers and front passengers take note: No car in this class matches the Sonata's nearly 44 inches of front-seat legroom. XM satellite radio with a three-month subscription comes standard. A power driver's seat is available only as part of a $550 options package, and other options are limited -- there's no Bluetooth or navigation system available. Plus, the rear seats don't fold down for extra cargo room, as they do in the Sonata's peers.
5. VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0T
Unquestionably one of the safest cars on the road, the Passat has a full array of standard safety equipment -- side and side-curtain airbags, joined by anti-lock brakes and stability and traction control -- and gets top scores in front and side crash tests. Although the 200-hp four-cylinder engine looks tame on paper, its turbocharger helps deliver all the performance most drivers need. And Volkswagen's sporty driving dynamics make this car a fun ride. All-wheel drive is available in the 3.6-liter V6 model for an additional $7,000.
A few things prevent the Passat from ranking higher: The automatic-transmission-equipped Passat costs more than its peers. Fuel economy is good, but if you fill up with premium gas as recommended, the annual cost spikes. And front-seat legroom is the stingiest of the bunch.
6. FORD FUSION SE
If we were to judge the Fusion based on just the options and the numbers, it would fall to the bottom of our list. Curiously, ABS isn't standard (you pay $595 for the option), and stability control isn't offered at all. But there's more to the story. The Fusion's sleek looks, attractive interior and excellent dependability ratings give it a boost.
Also, the 3-liter, 221-hp engine mated to a six-speed transmission yields good acceleration, and the suspension handles curves and corners well. Navigation is available, but Bluetooth is not. All-wheel drive is an $850 option.
7. CHRYSLER SEBRING TOURING
Chrysler's midsize sedan gets a redesign for 2007 that beefs up safety. Anti-lock brakes and head-protection airbags are now standard, and stability control is a $425 option. Fuel economy gets a boost -- too bad it's the result of a less-powerful engine that trails the competition (a 235-hp, 3.5-liter engine is available on the Limited version).
The trunk is the smallest of the lot. And the busy design, complete with a grooved hood, isn't everybody's cup of tea. Among the model's nifty options are a cup holder that cools or heats drinks (part of a $915 package), the "Uconnect" hands-free phone system ($360) and a rear-seat video system ($1,195). Unfortunately, steering-wheel audio controls cost $135, and navigation isn't available.
NEXT: See our SLIDE SHOW for pricing, resale values and fuel economy data for these sedans plus five others.