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Midsize Sedans Comparison Thread
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So if ya wanted a sharp looking car with a V6 is it on this list:
Azera
Camry
Accord
Altima
Fusion/Milan
Sonata
Impala
Malibu (yes, they call it that in name only)
Subaru Legacy
IMO, cars in the midsize segment will offer you a decent V6 with an average look (give or take a little) which get you from point A to point B without any drama.
I think I can generalize the midsize sedans into 3 groups:
1. CamCord: Camry, Accord (pretty obvious here)
2. The Sporty Ones: Mazda6, Altima, Legacy
3. Every Body else: The rest...
:shades:
Backy would you agree?
The worst upgrade i've seen is the accord in terms of exterior looks. The ugly rear but was not pretty but it worked better with the way the front light were shaped than the recent ultra vanilla style lights
I agree the back-end change on the Accord is not great. Maybe a little better than the old styling though. There is something about the squareness of the back end now that doesn't jive with the rest of the car. It's as if different design teams did the front 2/3 of the car and the back 1/3.
I do think the Sonata is one of the best-looking mid-sized cars. It is also one of the blandest-looking mid-sized cars. There was a study done awhile back about what kinds of faces most people find "beautiful". They are the so-called "blurry" faces, that is, nondescript without any stand-out features. That is why I think cars like the Sonata are pleasing to the eye--clean lines, but nothing to jar the senses. Cars like that may not get a strong emotional response on their styling, but it's likely few will find them offensive enough to strike them off their "consider" list. For example, the Fusion is that way for me. A little too "hey look at me, I have a Gillette razor in my grille!" for me.
Uh...NO.
Not yet at least.
Not yet at least.
Well it was a try. Sorry Sonata maybe in 10 yrs when you earn a good reputation. LOL
Agree.
The various rating "experts" and the car owning public have all given Sonata very good ratings for 5 or 6 years.
Remember the Accord went, in the public's eye, from a mediocre model when first introduced to a great car in about 10 years.
I guess the question is how long does it take to establish a car's reliability? I'm thinking it should take less time now than 20 years ago based on improved technology in designing and building today's cars.
Look at the Altima. The first generation was a decent car, a low-cost knock off of the J30. The second generation was, well, forgettable. The third generation was the first that directly challenged the Camcord. Yet no one is saying, wait 10 years before the Altima can be taken seriously.
I couldnt agree with you more. I feel like people today are more demanding on a vehicle, so the sonata doesnt need 20 years like the cam/cords of the 80's to establish itself. If its reliable for 5 yrs/100k miles of continuous service, in this day and age, it will be a good vehicle. Even the prev. gen Sonata's have gained a reputation for reliabilty so im sure the current gen. will do the same.
Why would you think it should take less time now, than 20 years ago? There are 1000 times more parts that can malfunction now, than there were then. More sensors, more electronics, more airbags. Hell, 20 years ago there were no airbags. And higher tech, means higher repair costs.
Long term reliability may be more important now, than ever.IMO
also, i hate the new camry especially the front. i thought it was different and fresh when it came out, but now i hate the front so much! its yaris times 1.5 and i really believe toyota gambled too much on the grill. it's kinda sad because hong kong version looks great.
i personally can't wait till how the new accord will look like. the current gen is another huge disappointment, but the new one should be a looker.
I like the looks of the Fusion and Milan.
-Loren
Its just a good car priced right.
From the post you are questioning, "I'm thinking it should take less time now than 20 years ago based on improved technology in designing and building today's cars."
So the points you make are even stronger if "30 years" is substituted for "20 years" in your post # 4174.
Honda has never had a "bad reputation". Hyundai has.
Keeping this up, they'll just turn more and more people away from Hyundai. Everybody have their own opinion, they can hate/love a car all they want and don't need someone to tell them what to think.
I said this before and I'll say it again...Hyundai needs to earn its reputation/respect just like the Honda/Toyota did in the 70's and 80's (or even the 60's). It's just a process they'll need to go through and if they want to play with the big boys they better suck it up and take it.
Rome isn't build in one day, nor does Hyundai!!!
I was saying it Honda and Toyota could make the improvements they accomplished in a 10 year period from the mid 70's to mid 80's, people should recognize that Hyundai can do likewise today, especially with present day technology. (But, please don't say Honda made great cars from the start. Honda wasn't up to GM, Ford or Chrysler at the time. I don't recall anyone having a Toyota back then so I can't comment on Toyota.)
Yes, it will take more than one car to build Hyundai's reputation. Like the pre-'06 Sonata (Gen 3 was not a bad car, just not a great car); Accent (starting in '95, a really nice little car for its time); Elantra (especially the Gen 3 starting in '01, although the Gen 2 wasn't that bad either); Santa Fe; Tiburon; and all the "24x7" vehicles starting in late 2004: Tucson, Sonata, Azera, Accent, Entourage, Santa Fe, Elantra; and the new models to come e.g. Mesa and Equus.
This is getting very old, folks.
Thank you. When I go car shopping, that's exactly what I'm looking for. No glitz, no glamor, no $500 per month notes, no ego, no sports car ride to damage my kidneys. Just a good car priced right. That's the essence of what the mid sized sedan genre should be. Yet some people try to stuff them with NAV and every gizmo in existance, make a luxury road car out of them. That doesn't make sense to me. If I wanted a comfortable road car, the Sonata, Camry, Accord, FMZ, Mazda6, Altima... all fall far short. I would much prefer a big Buick, Caddy,etc for that purpose.
It's entirely possible to turn build quality around from horrible to excellent in 1 year. However, you are right that it takes a few years to improve an entire car. Hyundai is deadly serious about surpassing their competition in quality and price. The Sonata is close as it stands right now, and rapidly gaining. Take a peek underneath a Sonata, Accord, and Camry. The Sonata's suspension components are undeniable proof that Hyundai is committed to winning the quality war.
The Accords had problems in 2003. Read the Accord problems discussion that's closed because it was replaced by small groups of years since all the years together were collecting a large list of problems.
The transmissions in Odysseys? Accords? Pilots? Pilots have a list of problems. Odysseys have noise from driveline or something...
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I can't understand anyone that would limit their choices to one particular Brand. How boring can that be? I like to look at all options in a certain price point that suit my needs in a vehicle. I know there are people out there that are so closed minded that they may limit their choice to Honda only for instance. That's too bad for them or at least narrow minded IMHO.
Ew - a Buick. Let me guess. You're over 75 years old. You'll fit right in at Hardees for breakfast.
Two of my friends bought new cars about the same time I did. James bought a Nissan Altima, Dwayne bought a Toyota Camry, and I bought a Honda Accord. They were very unhappy with their cars after about 5 years (always in the shop). I was very happy with my car, and kept it for 12 years. When I decided to buy a new car, it was going to be another Accord. If you had my experience, you would have too. Call me boring if you want, I will stick with what works for me.
The 92 Accord was a totally different car than the 03 Accord I have now. So it's not like I bought another car exactly like the one I had before. The only thing the two cars share is Honda quality. After 12 great years with a car, you don't just forget about it, and try something else. I would call that looking for trouble.
I noticed you talked about friends who had purchased a Camry and an Altima. You said they had a lot of problems. Have you talked about Camry & Altima the same way you have offered opinions about the Sonata? Have you had a friend who owned a Sonata and had the same bad experiences your friends had with Camry & Altima? Or are your stated opinions based on real old information?
Seen the latest JD powers? Fusion/Milan ranked high for fit/finish and quality.. :shades:
Now I drifted off. Sorry. The Fusion may be a good mix of sport, looks, ride, and economy. Looks good parked next to a sports car
-Loren
Has anyone sat in the VW Passat? I was discussing it with a co-worker today. Though reliability is in question, it seems you get a whole lot for your money. They have a lot of nice features in it as well as gadgetry and the base line engine isn't a slutch either, delivering 200hp and being lighter than most cars in its segment. I have considered buying one before. I am not too sure on the styling though. It is kind of bland, though perhaps with a slight 1 inch drop and bigger rims it may turn into the prom queen.
Its a very conservative car, not like maxima not even like the acura tl, but i know alot of people like it because of its excellent interior and quiet smooth drive.
Fact is the early Accords and Camries were rustbuckets after a few years. I recall a coworker who bought a first generation Accord in the 1970's. He raved about the car, but the story changed a few years later, when he was spending a fortune on expensive replacement parts. If I recall correctly, he even had to have extensive body repair just to keep the car structurally safe-the corrosion wasn't just cosmetic.
What does that have to do with today's model choices? Absolutely nothing, except that you cannot judge a manufacturer by what it was building 20, 10, or in some cases even 5 years ago.
Also VW tends to be somewhat pricey and quality/reliability is indeed still iffy for VW.
It has everything to do with today's model choices. It shows that Honda and Toyota learned from their mistakes and produce better cars year after year. It also shows how incompetent the US auto manufactures are when they were met with serious challengers whom are able to beat them at their own game. Why did the big 3 prosper in the 50's, 60's and even 70's? BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO COMPETITION!
Since I am on this topic, let's think why the big 2.5 did fairly well in the 90's. Well, my first guess will be the SUV. But what happened to them ever since? Because the imports caught up with this SUV wave and produce even better models. WOW, the history has just repeated itself a decade or 2 later.