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Different strokes, different folks.
The Malibu Hybrid is rated at 24city-32hwy.
Here is the current model year (09) Malibu breakdown:
V6 (3.6L 6-speed auto): 18/29
I4 (2.4L 4-speed auto): 22/30
I4 (2.4L 6-speed auto): 22/33
hybrid (2.4L 4-speed auto): 26/34
The V6 is strong, placing not far from the top of the class, the Sonata and the Accord. The 4 speed should be phased out and the hybrid is certainly just in its mild form.
With the exception of the 4 speed, the Malibu is very strong; and along with the Hyundai Sonata, both are at the top of their game and the leaderboard. I hear the next-gen Sonata is coming soon, despite its recent major interior facelift, it should be arriving ahead of its normal product cycle. Relevant to current discussions, Hyundai should be showcasing further improvements in the F/E area, along with the introduction of a waong and a hybrid variant. The hybrid would be using lithium ion batteries, and I believe it would be the first of its kind, at least in this class.
I think it matters, in that I want it to be adequate and all these midsize cars have adequate acceleration (for me) in their 4 cylindeer models. I personally don't really need, or want to pay for, the excesses of today's 250ish HP V6s.
To me it does not really matter much if 0-60 is 9.5 sec or 8 sec, other differences are likely to be more important. It also does not matter much to me if 45 to 65 (or whatever) is a bit slower or faster.
Uhhhhh... where did you pull this from? The strongest V6's in the segment belong to the Altima's 3.5L (270hp/258 lb/ft), Mazda6's 3.7L (272hp/268 lb/ft), and the Passat's 3.6L (280hp/ 265 lb/ft).
Honda's 3.5L is a close 4th, but it still doesn't have what it takes to play ball with the top 3. And yes, the Camry has the quickest 0-60 time, big whoop. Too bad it rolls around like a dog in a flower bed when you take a corner. :P
Has anyone noticed that the non-VCM Accord 3.5L V6 found in the Accord Coupe is rated at 17city-25hwy with a combined 20mpg overall with a 6-speed manual? That's right there with Mazda's 3.7L and has less power. I know it's not a sedan, but, I just thought I would mention it.
Funny you mentioned that, I just noticed that last evening.
With the amount of complaints I've seen about the VCM-equipped cars not getting the advertised mileage, it seems that Mazda is VERY comparable to the Accord (and others) in terms of FE. Since I've consistently met or exceeded the FE numbers for the '04 V6-equipped Mazda6 (the OLD numbers, not the new ratings), I don't see any problem with FE on the '09 6, despite what the EPA rates are.
Rose Avenue on ramp to 101-N in the 'nard, Ca (the "Costco onramp")
Najoui Falls park and 101-S in northern Santa Barbara County
Eastbound Michigan Avenue to Southbound Telegraph, Dearborn, MI
Anytime you are merging behind someone with OH plates :P
Reviewers have noted that even with paddle shifters, some transmissions are slow to downshift
That is because they are a joke.
At least when I move the shift lever in my Accord to the 3rd gear, I know it's going to be in 3rd gear as soon as I put it there.
I concur, and since the car is geared tall enough to do ~60 in second, downshifting to second becomes an option. The clutch is much easier in the '07 than the '93.
Well, a lot of them do now have those dumb red lights 1/2 way down the ramp. Not that I think any of these cars would be inadequate for either that task or passing, based on small differences in acceleration times. (Neither of which I happen to need to do very often, anyway)
Reading comprehesion > you.
If you actually read my post, you would have known exactly what I was talking about, and I was talking about fuel economy. I guess detailing the F/E figures still weren't enough...
If you actually read my post, you would have known exactly what I was talking about, and I was talking about fuel economy. I guess detailing the F/E figures still weren't enough...
Well, apparently the way you write things plays into this as well. You said "strong" V6's, and usually strength is equated with horsepower and torque. Now, if you had said "fuel economy" or "fuel efficiency" instead, it would have been clearer what you were trying to convey to everyone.
In other words, my reading comprehension is fine. I read posts for content and usually don't even look at the author's screen name. Just word your posts better next time, and this won't happen again.
On the other hand, if your purpose is to find an excuse to belittle your reader, you've already succeeded. By not only blaming your reader for misreading your post but by also accusing that reader of stupidity, you have lowered the level of discourse on this forum.
Also, for the record, I found your post ambiguous, and I'll put my SAT and GRE verbal scores up against yours anyday.
Have a nice day. And hosts, I wonder if now might be a good time to direct us gently back to the topic of midsize sedans.
2009 is a carry-over year for the 3. All the Mazda action for 2009 is with the mid-sized, all-new Mazda6.
2007 Hyundai Sonata GLS I4 4AT, 35k miles (some factory warranty left), one owner (rental car) with Preferred Package and moonroof, 6 airbags and ESC, ABS with traction, "Good" condition (very clean, and drives fine but has some dings and some flaws in the interior, OEM Michelins don't have much tread left).
2007 Mazda6i VE 5AT, 27k miles (some factory warranty left), one owner (rental car), rear spoiler, "Excellent" condition (one small scratch on lower rear bumper, otherwise perfect), has all the VE package stuff including power seat and CD changer, 6 airbags, ABS with traction but no ESC.
2000 BMW 323i, 5MT, 40k miles, one owner, black leather, moonroof, "Excellent" condition (so the dealer says, although I haven't seen the car in person yet), new clutch, ABS with traction, side airbags (but not curtains).
(BTW, all 3 cars happen to be silver, all have clean Carfax reports.)
My head tells me to get the Sonata (or maybe keep looking for a better sample since there's a lot of these coming off lease and rental lots every day) because of the safety features, but my glands tell me to get the 3-Series or the Mazda6, and then trade it after 4 years and get something else (with the latest safety equipment) for my daughter rather than handing the car down to her.
FWIW, in this class I've also looked at the Fusion/Milan, but they are no better than the same price as the Sonata and Mazda6, and for the money I'd rather have one of those. Accords, Camrys, Altimas, Passats, even smaller cars like the Jetta A5, 2006+ Civic and 2007+ Elantra are considerably more money for similar mileage and condition.
First of all, despite how fun they are to drive, BMWs are NOT fun to maintain. An 8-year-old BMW, even with low mileage, can get expensive to maintain, both in parts and labor, and their reliability scores aren't the greatest either.
That leaves the Sonata and 6. Both are IMO excellent cars, even in the used car market. The Hyundai may have the edge in the passive safety category, but IMO the 6 makes up for it in active safety (great handling, braking, and quick, precise steering). If your "glands" like the 6, then I'd get it. I'd rather enjoy the vehicle that gives me the most pleasure behind the wheel.
The Mazda6i is a lot more fun to drive than the Sonata, to be sure. Looks-wise there is no contest either IMO.
The 3-Series is kind of a wishful thing, not very practical, but I am going to check it out this week anyway. It's actually under $12k asking price, too low to pass up a look. If that doesn't work out, it will probably come down to what's the lowest priced Mazda6 or Sonata I can find in the best condition and most warranty left. If I could find another Optima with ABS/ESC I could go that route too (found a really good one recently, but it got snapped up before I got there).
backy-does the '09 Kia Optima has ESC as standard equipment? You're not looking for a new car in this discussion, though, huh?
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Any used car I buy will have a clean Carfax and will be thoroughly checked. I am trying to stick to cars with 2-3 years of factory warranty left--except the 3-Series of course.
Are you completely through looking for Kia Optima's then?
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Are they more expensive than Japanese? It depends on the mechanic and what goes wrong and what the labor rates are and whether you get genuine or genuine parts. A friend of mine had an Accord with 200,000 miles need a tranny. Estimates for a rebuilt were 2,000, 4,000 for new. That would be right in line with BMW, Lexus and Infiniti and probably Sonota and Mazda, et al.
You can get soaked if you don't know what you are doing. Example, friend has a 2006 MDX, dealer charged 275 for a 7,500 mile service. I paid $275 for a 30,000 mile service on my car.
It might be a true assumption a BMW costs more to maintain than an Accord, but I wouldn't trust any 8 year old car to be trouble free.
Just found a very sharp Elantra GLS AT with low miles, moonroof, and my favorite color for the Elantra, carbon grey. Price is pretty good, but not low enough compared to the 2007 Mazda6i VE I found. We'll see...
Regards:
OldCEM
van
Here are links to that, and another you may find interesting. I'd love to get these two topics cranked up again; I'll join you at these links if you'll post there instead of here. I'm sure others will as well.
Civic vs. Corolla vs. 3 Forum
Economy Sedans (16k-$20k)
I chose that same version of the Mazda6 as a new car. In the end, since a number of cars were acceptable, it kind of came down to the reasons that you give:
The Mazda6i is a lot more fun to drive...Looks-wise there is no contest either.
I also think the 5 speed automatic is an advantage over having only 4 and while ESC would have been nice, as someone else pointed out the Mazda6 does have great handling and braking.
Might it be easier to resell the Mazda6? Potential buyers may tend to assume, rightly or wrongly that any Japanese namplate = reliability.
2004 Accord EX, cloth, 69K miles, one owner and well maintained
2007 Elantra GLS with good options, 30K miles, prior rental car
Close in price. Accord is a bit "more car" that we need, but think we will be getting a more reliable car. We are car keepers. This one will be the second car, and used mainly for short distance commuting.
Like the newer safety features on the Elantra, and see that initial quality has improved. Stats on long term reliability (from CR) are not impressive.
Clearly not apples to apples..and that is what makes it tricky!
I'll go ahead and say I'm biased since I own a 2006 Accord EX cloth (4-cylinder) and love it; great mileage for the power it has, and it handles beautifully. That said, the Elantra has benefits too, as you've noted!
If it were me, I'd do a carfax on the Honda and make sure it hasn't been wrecked; have a mechanic look it over, and go with that one. That's just personal perspective, of course.
Does the Honda have service records?
Carfax on the Honda is clean. Service records available..though doesn't mean major repairs have been pulled out. Serviced at dealer and at private mechanic.
We have a young child...so the side curtain air bags in the Elantra are appealing. Also, the Elantra seems to ride "higher". Our other car is an 07 CR-V, so the Accord would take some getting used to.
Seems minor..but the Accord is ~2 feet longer than the CR-V. We do lots of parralel parking, so those 24 inches will be noticed!
Better half is biased to a Honda..quality perspective..though some of the talk on the Honda forums have me feeling a bit cautious about relying on the Honda reputation.
As I understand it, the Hyundai warranty only runs to 5 years/60k miles for secondhand purchasers, and there are some tales out there that suggests Hyundai has a pretty broad interpretation of "normal wear and tear," so the warranty might not provide as much protection as desired. On the other hand, the only "warranty" you get on the Honda is the name itself, and that's not 100% bankable either.
My biggest problem with Hyundai isn't the cars--on the whole, they seem to be very competitive in their respective classes. It's the dealer network--while there are improvements afoot, too many Hyundai dealers are still peddling the cars as a sideline to a used-car business. Moreover, here in central Georgia we've gone from having one Hyundai dealer to having four, to having two, to having three, all within the last two years. The franchise moves around so much it might as well have a prepaid cell as its only phone line. So service is somewhat questionable, even though you have the factory warranty.
So I'd be inclined to go with the Accord, despite wanting Hyundai to succeed.
Could you please elaborate, with some examples? I've never had a problem having a reasonable warranty claim (and even some that were a bit of a stretch) honored by Hyundai with the two cars I've owned over the past 8 years.
Just remember, only the people who actually have problems will report. Those that have nothing to report don't typically say "no problems here" and move on. For every problem report there will be lots more people who don't have them to report. This will be true for all makes on the boards.
Also, I'm not sure how long you've been around, but oddly, Honda boards seem to get more hits than those from Toyota, Hyundai, Ford etc... or so it seems to me anyway.
We have a young child...so the side curtain air bags in the Elantra are appealing. Also, the Elantra seems to ride "higher". Our other car is an 07 CR-V, so the Accord would take some getting used to.
Seems minor..but the Accord is ~2 feet longer than the CR-V. We do lots of parralel parking, so those 24 inches will be noticed!
That is important to consider; depending on the area you parallel in, the Elantra may actually be the better choice. Don't forget to consider outward visibility, too.
Carfax on the Honda is clean. Service records available..though doesn't mean major repairs have been pulled out. Serviced at dealer and at private mechanic.
I raised the question to ask how it was maintained. If you can see that it received the proper maintenance items (fluid changes in a timely manner, etc) that'd be a little more comforting. The Elantra being a rental, I think it is safe to assume this was done on the Hyundai, also. Both cars should be relatively low maintenance, however. And, if there WAS a major repair, a mechanic's inspection should be able to point that out.
I'm just trying to think out loud with you... hope it helps a little. :shades:
TheGrad
Need to go deeper on the maintenance records, for sure. :surprise: