[MUSIC PLAYING]
Midsize sedans have been comfortable, practical, family
haulers for decades.
And the current crop are some of the best we've ever seen.
I'm Travis from Edmunds.
At Edmunds, we test and review hundreds of cars, trucks,
and SUVs every year, while CarMax buys, sells,
and expertly appraises thousands upon thousands of vehicles.
We've combined forces to put our testing knowledge
to use with CarMax's experience and help
you find the right choice for your next car.
Be sure to subscribe to the CarMax YouTube channel
for more videos like this.
And for all the details on the cars in this video,
be sure to click the link in the description below.
Oh, and if your favorite car didn't make the list,
let us know in the comments.
Ignore any list of midsize sedans
that doesn't include the Honda Accord.
It's been one of the best vehicles
that money could buy for some time now.
It's got an excellent interior.
It's fun to drive.
And it's comfortable in pretty much any scenario.
So let's take a look at that one first.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
The Accord was redesigned in 2018.
So anything newer than that falls into the most
recent generation.
And this is a 2020 model, which comes
in five available trim levels.
This one we have here is a Sport.
And while it doesn't really add any sporty things
to the Accord, what it does do is
come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
And the Sport is the lowest trim level
that you can get those features.
There are two available engines for this generation, a 1.5
liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, and a 2 liter
turbocharged 4-cylinder.
As you'd probably expect, the 2 liter is more powerful.
The interior is one of the places where
the Accord shines brightest.
There are lots of soft touch materials.
There's a really attractive overall design.
And there's plenty of room for front and rear seat passengers.
We do like the infotainment system.
It's easy to use.
But if there is a drawback, it's that some
of the buttons and controls are not
in exactly logical locations.
So it might take you some time to learn.
But smartphone connectivity helps out with that.
The Accord comes standard, or is available with a number
of driver aids, stuff like adaptive cruise control,
forward collision mitigation, and lane keep assist.
Fair warning though, some of those systems
can be a little bit sensitive.
For instance, I was driving the Accord just this morning,
and it set off an alert, but there
was nothing in front of me.
And a quick reminder, just because you're in the Sport,
doesn't mean you're getting the upgraded engine.
The 1.5 liter engine is standard across the range,
except for topped out touring models.
Otherwise, we're big fans of the way the accord drives.
It performs better than you might expect around
corners with accurate steering, and relatively flat handling.
At highway speeds, it can be a bit noisier than some rivals,
but not so much that we'd take it off our list of top sedans.
Oh, and when it comes to cargo space,
the Accord is a class leader.
Pros, the Accord has a powerful optional engine.
Big interior, it's a joy to drive.
Cons, its interior is a bit noisy.
And driver aids are a bit oversensitive.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
The Mazda 6 gets my personal award
for a car I'd want to see in my driveway every day
before I go to work.
Not that you were looking for a winner in that category,
but it's really good looking.
The Mazda 6 was last redesigned in 2014,
but it's had a number of updates over the years
to keep it modern.
And it still looks pretty sleek.
2019 was a big year for the Mazda 6.
So you may want to look for a 2019 or newer models,
because that year, all the turbo models got bigger brakes,
and every sixth in the lineup got additional driver
aids, stuff like adaptive cruise control,
forward collision warning with automatic braking,
and lane departure warning.
High end interior appointments make it feel borderline luxury,
especially on top trims.
There are two engines, a 2.5 liter 4-cylinder,
making 187 horsepower.
And the turbocharged 2.5 liter 4-cylinder,
making 250 horsepower.
These engines get EPA estimates of 29 MPG,
and 26 MPG respectively.
Lest we forget, the Mazda 6 has one of the best infotainment
interfaces in the class.
It's super easy to use.
Cargo space is about average, nothing
really there to complain about.
But driver aids, stuff like adaptive cruise control,
is really well tuned in the Mazda 6.
In Edmunds testing, we've found it to set off the least
amount of false alarms.
Then when it comes to tech like Apple CarPlay, and Android
Auto, it works well.
But unfortunately, you have to go with the higher trim levels
to get it, the Touring, or the Signature.
The interior is well designed, spacious, and classy.
Seats are comfortable, and the cabin is quiet.
It's a bit of a stiff ride though,
which is a compromise that we're willing to make
for fun driving.
The pros for the Mazda 6, it's a blast to drive.
It has excellent interior quality, good driver aids,
and user friendly tech.
The cons, the ride can be a bit stiff,
and it's not the biggest trunk in the class.
This one is all new.
The 2020 Hyundai Sonata is completely redesigned,
and it's one of our favorites in the class.
What are the highlights, you ask?
Well, besides the looks, for 2020,
there are five trim levels.
And this is the base SE, but that doesn't mean it's basic.
There are two available engines for this generation.
Honestly, these two engines aren't that different on paper.
And EPA fuel economy estimates aren't very different either,
so pretty similar.
At Edmunds, we're big fans of the Sonata's interior.
Even if my personal opinion, is that the exterior
and those headlights aren't my favorite.
I mean, where do they end?
Where do they begin?
What is the universe?
Anyways, thankfully, the inside is roomy
in both the front and the back seat.
There are lots of places for small item storage.
And it's got a big trunk, almost as big as the Accord's, which
is pretty big.
The infotainment controls are pretty easy to figure out.
And everything's well labeled and within reach.
But one thing we're not big fans of at Edmunds
are these push button shifter controls.
Especially when you're in a high stress scenario,
like parallel parking in a busy city,
this is going to get real confusing.
Thankfully, stuff like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
are standard, as are a number of driver aids,
like adaptive cruise control, and forward collision
mitigation with automatic emergency braking.
We wouldn't turn to the Sonata for driving fun,
nor is it a class leader in comfort.
Essentially, it gets all those things
right by not getting them too wrong.
Pros, lots of driver aids, good value, and impressive cargo
space.
Cons, they're not very exciting driving experience,
and more powerful engine upgrade isn't offered.
Come on, you want to say it.
It's a car called Stinger.
That's just a fun name to say.
Sporty, sporty, sports, sport, and somewhat practical.
The Kia Stinger is one of the most fun
to drive vehicles in the mid-size segment.
And it was just introduced in 2018.
So all the models you find are going
to be part of the most recent and only generation.
It gives the Mazda 6 a run for its money.
The Stinger has an excellent interior.
It's stylish, and it's utilitarian thanks
to its hatchback style design.
Well, we like to think of it as a sedan,
even though it looks like a hatchback.
It's got easy to use tech, a very straightforward interface
and layout on the interior.
And you'll be used to it in no time.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.
But there is a drawback in terms of tech.
You can't get many driver aids, even on the options sheet.
The Kia Stinger is available with two different engines.
There's a 2 liter turbocharged engine
that puts out 255 horsepower.
Or there's a 3.3 liter V6 that puts out 365 horsepower.
That's a lot of power.
Like a sports car, the Kia low slung design
means it's a little bit difficult
to get in and out of, especially thanks to the low roof.
It's spacious enough in the front seat,
but there's low rear headroom because
of the sweet looking roof and hatchback design,
hatchback sedan, whatever.
The optional V6 is super quick, and it
makes for luxury levels of acceleration.
It's a little bit pricier than some of the other options,
but we like it because it's so sporty and entertaining
to drive.
The pros for the Kia Stinger, it's big on driving fun.
It's got plenty of cargo space.
And it's got excellent style.
The cons, it's got a stiff ride, low headroom in the back seat.
There aren't a lot of available driver aids,
or fuel economy estimates from the EPA.
And it's on the expensive side.
And now, the car that at least one of your buddy's moms
drove in high school, yup, the Toyota Camry.
Well, at least that's how I remember it.
To be fair, the Camry is one of the most popular vehicles
of all time.
It often outsells trucks and SUVs by a good margin.
And you probably know someone, or you
are someone who's owned a Camry in the past,
and with good reason.
The Camry was redesigned in 2018,
getting aggressive new looks, and a lot of new features
inside and out.
This one is a 2020 model.
And it's an XSE trim level, which
is right in the middle of the lineup.
In 2020, there were five trim levels available.
There are two engines for the Camry, a 4-cylinder and a V6.
Depending on the trim level and equipment,
the EPA estimates for the 2.5 liter engine range
between 28 and 34 MPG combined.
While the V6 drops to a range of 25 to 26 MPG combined.
Getting into the Camry is easy, thanks to tall doors
and wide openings.
It's also a roomy cabin once you get inside.
There's plenty of space in the front
and the back seat for adults.
And outward visibility is really good.
I mean, look at how tall these windows are.
The best thing I can say about the infotainment interface
is that it's functional.
The buttons and the fonts are small.
And they don't exactly fold a hand easily.
Thankfully, there's Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
But Apple CarPlay was available from 2018
on, while Android Auto was only available starting in 2020.
Does the base 2 liter engine offer higher fuel
economy ratings?
Sure.
But it's also pretty sluggish off the line.
And it doesn't match the sporty character of the SE or XSE
trim levels.
The Camry also has a number of standard driver aids.
And we like items like the 360 degree parking camera.
But during our testing, we found the adaptive cruise control,
and lane keep assist to be oversensitive.
Pros for the Camry, fun to drive in the corners,
big cabin, good value.
Cons, underwhelming base engine, sensitive driver aids.
So what have we learned?
Mid-size sedans have a lot to offer,
whether you're looking for one with a lot of high tech
features, one that's practical or comfortable,
or one that's just fun to drive.
There's something out there for everyone
as long as you know where to look.
Not seeing what you're looking for?
Well, maybe you could check out the Nissan Altima,
which has a lot of features for the money.
And typically, average prices start a little bit lower
than competitors.
Or maybe take a look at the Volkswagen Passat, which
has a comfortable and roomy interior, and lots
of cargo space.
Thanks for watching.
Be sure to subscribe to the CarMax YouTube channel
for more videos like this.
And for a full breakdown of all the midsize sedans
in this video, click the link in the description below.
[MUSIC PLAYING]