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Midsize Sedans Comparison Thread - READ ONLY

12297 messages,  Last post on Apr 13, 2007 at 12:55 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

What is this discussion about? Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Volkswagen Passat, Mazda MAZDA6, Ford Fusion, Subaru Legacy, Saturn Aura, Sedan

Messages Page 56 of 1231

#545 of 12297 What's next....and Ctalk. by maxamillion1

Aug 02, 2005 (5:21 pm)

We have a all kinds of new cars coming out in the next couple years.
 
Toyota has a new Camry and RAV for 2007.
Nissan has a new Altima, Sentra and two subcompact cars by MY2007. Also rumors of a CRV/RAV4 competitor in 2007 as well.
Honda will have the FIT, Civic and facelifted Accord by at least MY2007.
Hyundai is coming out with the new Santa Fe, Azera and a minivan
VW is coming out with a Cabrio, Minivan, small SUV.
DCX has new "Cloud Cars" for 2007(?)
The Saturn Aura (beautiful BTW) will be here by 2007.
The Ford Fusion/Milan/Zephyr will be here by Sept. of this year. (I don't care for them much though)
A facelifted Mazda6 hits the streets in Sept or Nov of this year.
The Subaru Legacy will get a facelift this year too I believe.
 
Bascially the days of buying a new car are getting more and more interesting by the day it seems.
 
Competition is great. My personal favorite car companies right now are Honda and Nissan, but I've got my eyes on Hyundai as of late.
 
Also, I got a gift certificate in the mail from Hyundai. Something about $25 bucks for test driving the new Sonata, anybody done this yet?
 
Thanks in advance.
 
I can't WAIT until the 07 Camry and Altima get here....
 
And Ctalk, thanks for the kind words. My mother and I were fine in the accident, but the car isn't totaled. It has been out of service for nearly a month and I'll get it back this Friday. I'm personally TIRED of my 1991 Honda Accord EX and will be so glad when I get my 05 Altima back.

#546 of 12297 Unadjusted Numbers by truethat

Aug 02, 2005 (5:26 pm)

Toyota Camry: Up 3.7% to 43,004 from 41,459
Honda Accord: Down 3.2% to 36,129 from 37,315
Nissan Altima: Up 8.4% to 24,865 from 22,933
Hyundai Sonata: Up 1.7% to 9,768 from 9,605
Mazda 6: Up 60.5% to 8,979 from 5,593
Kia Optima: Up 44% to 4,958 from 3,443
 
All the adjustments confuse me, so I calculated the percentage myself.
Whoa, look at Mazda6 and Kia Optima, too!
 
Detroit Free Press report of all car companies here.

#547 of 12297 Re: What's next....and Ctalk. [maxamillion1] by backy

Aug 02, 2005 (5:48 pm)

Replying to: maxamillion1 (Aug 02, 2005 5:21 pm)
Don't forget for Hyundai the new Elantra next fall (which could be in mid-sized territory based on the up-sizing of the Accent and Sonata) and the Tiburon replacement after that. And we should get at least two new mid-sized hybrids next year, the Altima and the Camry--and maybe the Fusion.
 
I got two Target gift certificates for stopping into my Hyundai dealer for a Sonata preview show (didn't have to drive one but did for the fun of it). But I had to go there to get them--they didn't arrive in the mail.

#548 of 12297 Re: What's next....and Ctalk. [maxamillion1] by w9cw

Aug 02, 2005 (6:36 pm)

Replying to: maxamillion1 (Aug 02, 2005 5:21 pm)
I've been a fan of Honda and Toyota for years, although I've also owned a Mazda and a Nissan. I'm in the market for a new car, and have been driving and carefully inspecting several Asian marques since last March. What I've discovered is rather interesting, and somewhat surprising.
 
First of all, the apparent build quality (at least from a visual inspection of exteriors and interiors) of the Accords and Camrys that I've driven is, generally speaking, a bit inconsistent. Almost every Camry that I've driven, or inspected, has mis-aligned (albeit minor) rear doors. If one sights down each side from the rear, the door lower beltline trim pieces do not line up. And, at least 1 out of 2 Camrys have upper panel door trim anomalies on the driver's door. Of course, these are only of aesthetic value, and the mechanicals are probably fine, but it does make one question the overall attention to detail and QC at the Kentucky plant.
 
I've also noted mis-aligned trunks and rear doors on several Accords that I test drove. The intereior, however, tends to have better attention to detail than the Camry.
 
Here is the suprise -- I've never, ever . . . looked at a Hyundai until they launched the new 2006 Sonata. The exterior build quality appears excellent. Everything lines up properly, and all seams match. I've noted a few very minor glitches in the Sonata interior, but nothing glaring. With such attention to detail, including usiing a hydraulic strut for the hood, plus hood blanket insulation, and a unique strut/hinge system for the trunk lid -- also covered with insulation -- the Sonata appears, on the surface, to be built well. Only time will tell of its mechanical reliability, since both the inline 4 and V6 are new designs, both of which use timing chains, not belts -- which is generally considered an improvement.
 
Nevertheless, it appears Hyundai is improving with each new model. I'm old enough (58) to remember when Honda, Nissan (then Datsun), and Toyota launched cars in the USA. I owned a 1968 Toyota Corona, and was the first person to drive a Honda 600 in this area! With all due respect, the early Japanese cars were no great gems either, and I think we may now be witnessing Hyundai evolving into a quality auto manufacturer.
 
I certainly hope Honda, Toyota, et. al. are not resting on their laurels, but an objective comparison does raise some questions.

#549 of 12297 Mainstreamer Sales by ctalk

Aug 02, 2005 (7:01 pm)

http://www.automobear.com/images/statistics/Sales%20mainstream%20midsize-large%202005.jpg
They have all the mid-size sedans there.

#550 of 12297 Re: Mainstreamer Sales [ctalk] by autonomous

Aug 02, 2005 (7:53 pm)

Replying to: ctalk (Aug 02, 2005 7:01 pm)
If I am reading the chart properly, the Mazda6 appears not to have had any sales.

#551 of 12297 Re: Mainstreamer Sales [autonomous] by ctalk

Aug 02, 2005 (9:35 pm)

Replying to: autonomous (Aug 02, 2005 7:53 pm)
Nop you read it right never noticed that.
 
http://www.automobear.com/index_home_content.html
Heres the site i got it from, under mainstreamers. Did Mazda 6 get that little sales?
 
*They just reviewed the Sonata

#552 of 12297 Re: Mainstreamer Sales [ctalk] by truethat

Aug 02, 2005 (10:25 pm)

Replying to: ctalk (Aug 02, 2005 9:35 pm)
Fascinating review...
I like the article a lot. Thank you very much for the article.
The best review of anything I've read in a while.
I totally agree with what the article says.

#553 of 12297 interesting review by choe13

Aug 03, 2005 (12:09 am)

I feel the writer did hit alot of good points, and did it in a fashion that anyone and everyone could understand(even biased camcord owners). I did appreciate alot of the little technical talks he made that most average consumers nor car editors probably knew.
 
My disappointments however come that, i got the feeling he wants a car that is Honda + Camry + Mazda 6. I feel the car facinated him alot, and gave him something extra that most other mid size will not at this time. With this in my opinion i think he was trying to find the pot in the rainbow and forgot that after all this is a family car trying to acomodate to the common family drivers. For example he starts to praise the cars ability to drive smooth straightly and its sophicated suspension set up but then he starts to nitpick about steering feel, personally i didn't think that was very fair. Does he expect this car to run with bmw??
 
Most family drivers won't have steering feel as their high priority, and hyundai knew this. Thus they concentrated a fair amount on straight driving sophistication(As the editor explained in the article). To me the steering is not Mazda 6 level, but it felt better than the camry, and very close to the accord and at this segment where cost means something there are always going to be a tradeoff(sonata great ride, competent handling, mazda 6 great handling, competent ride)
 
otherwise from this nitpick, and his problem with their marketing strategy, which i think is excellent, it was the fairest but positive review i've read of the sonata.

#554 of 12297 The Mazda6 hasn't been successful here by maxamillion1

Aug 03, 2005 (12:11 am)

Didn't Mazda say that the M6 should have never been sold here?
 
I read that some place.
 
But the Mazda3 on the otherhand and been a big hit here and in Canada.

Messages Page 56 of 1231

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