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Midsize Sedans 2.0

13285 messages,  Last post on Nov 29, 2009 at 8:27 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

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


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#11165 of 13285
Re: Lively safety info...offer more comparisons? [leonfam] by stephen987
Nov 07, 2008 (6:23 am)
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Replying to: leonfam (Nov 06, 2008 10:40 pm)

At the risk of going down an oft-traveled road in this discussion, leonfam, have you looked at an Elantra SE? It has the compact dimensions of a Civic, interior room that's not far from the midsize sedans, and ESC standard, and it's significantly cheaper than a Civic EX-L.
#11166 of 13285
Re: 2009 Optima gets with the (ES)program [akirby] by kdshapiro
Nov 07, 2008 (7:26 am)
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Replying to: akirby (Nov 06, 2008 5:37 pm)

However, it doesn't stop wheelspin - that's traction control and while TC is almost always included with ESC you can get TC without ESC in some vehicles.
 
We'll that's true, but without TC ESC isn't effective. It's the TC which modulates the brakes. Do you have an example of a manufacturer that has ESC but not TC?
#11167 of 13285
Re: Lively safety info...offer more comparisons? [stephen987] by leonfam
Nov 07, 2008 (7:58 am)
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Replying to: stephen987 (Nov 07, 2008 6:23 am)

Ah...the Elantra...yes, the Hyundai fan club has done a great job of pushing, I mean describing, that car.
 
Just funnin'...These forums have been great for getting me to think more broadly.
 
And...the other half believes in 'brands" and "quality"..and is so luke warm on a Hyundai it becomes a dead-end conversation. Last thing I need is the "i told you so" at the first sign of trouble...and I want to be able to switch back and forth between the cars. I'll be stuck in the Hyundai with no escape if I go that route.
 
I could drag us out to drive one this weekend...and while it will surely be "fine"...i don't see it overcoming doubts or arrousing any passion...
#11168 of 13285
Re: Lively safety info...offer more comparisons? [leonfam] by stephen987
Nov 07, 2008 (8:08 am)
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Replying to: leonfam (Nov 07, 2008 7:58 am)

Fair enough. FWIW I'm mostly a Honda guy, so I guess I'm one of the "brands" people. I drove an Elantra as a rental for a few days last month, and was pleasantly surprised with the power and the room. Despite these factors and the high level of equipment it was clearly a compact car of the same ilk as Civic, Corolla, et al, and not IMHO a true competitor to the midsize sedans generally discussed in this thread.
 
I was, on the other hand, very impressed with a four-cylinder Milan I drove for a couple of weeks in the summer.
 
My apologies for the brief detour down Elantra Avenue.
#11169 of 13285
Re: Lively safety info...offer more comparisons? [leonfam] by thegraduate
Nov 07, 2008 (8:17 am)
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Replying to: leonfam (Nov 06, 2008 10:40 pm)

I tend to agree with stephen... check out the Hyundai Elantra. Lower price, compact dimensions, ESC standard. It also happens to have midsize interior room, according to the EPA. The Accord and Sonata are technically full-size sedans, though just barely.
 
I do...but would like to hear some opinions/facts on comparing safety in Mazda6, Accord and Civic.
 
To answer your request directly, all of the vehicles you mention are very safe, and MUCH safer than the average compact or midsize car was 5 or 6 years ago. It's actually hard to make a bad decision based on safety, these days.
 
Here are the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's "Top Picks" for the vehicle categories you are looking at (compact and midsize, non-lux models) These sedans did exceptionally well in testing, and offer ESC.
 
MIDSIZE
Ford Fusion
2009 models with optional electronic stability control
 
Honda Accord
4-door models
 
Mercury Milan
2009 models with optional electronic stability control
 
Subaru Legacy
with optional electronic stability control
 
Volkswagen Jetta
2009 models
 
Volkswagen Passat
2009 models
************************************
COMPACT
Honda Civic
2009 4-door models with optional electronic stability control
 
Mitsubishi Lancer
2009 models with optional electronic stability control
 
Scion xB
2008-09 models
 
Subaru Impreza
with optional electronic stability control
 
Volkswagen Rabbit
2009 4-door models
****************************
You asked specifically about the Civic, Accord, and 6.
 
The Civic and the Accord received "Good" scores (the highest rating possible) for the frontal-offset test on each of the measures below. The Mazda 6 received a marginal rating (2nd lowest possible) for the Leg/foot-right portion, but received "Good" overall.
 
Injury measures: Restraints/dummy kinematics, Head/neck, Chest, Leg/foot-left Leg/foot-right
 
The IIHS had this to say about the Mazda 6's "Marginal" rating in that particular area:
 
**Forces on the right tibia indicate that injuries to the lower leg would be possible.**
 
For the side-impact test, the new Mazda 6 has not yet been tested. The Accord received "Good" scores across the board for risk of injury for the measures below. The Civic received "Good" scores on all measures except Driver Torso, in which it received "Acceptable" ratings, the second highest. As far as that goes, the IIHS had this to say about that particular Acceptable rating:
 
**Driver — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures would be possible in a crash of this severity. The risk of significant injuries to other body regions is low.**
 
Injury Measures: Head/neck, Torso, Pelvis/leg, Head Protection
    
I hope this helps!
#11170 of 13285
Re: 2009 Optima gets with the (ES)program [kdshapiro] by akirby
Nov 07, 2008 (8:49 am)
Reply

Replying to: kdshapiro (Nov 07, 2008 7:26 am)

They work differently. TC uses the brakes individually to limit wheelspin and loss of traction. ESC uses the brakes individually to correct understeer/oversteer. If you go around a corner too fast and start to understeer, ESC will brake the rear inside wheel to pull the front end around back in line with the steering, but there is no loss of traction.
#11171 of 13285
Re: 2009 Optima gets with the (ES)program [backy] by newowner10
Nov 07, 2008 (9:04 am)
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Replying to: backy (Nov 06, 2008 8:03 pm)

I believe the missing information on the safety equipment's worth debate is how much does it add the the price of the car. Is it worth $100 most would say yes. Is it $2000 some would say yes some would say no. A helmet may be good for maximum safety. Bigger cars with poor gas mileage would be safer than a small car if the run into each other.
#11172 of 13285
Re: 2009 Optima gets with the (ES)program [newowner10] by stephen987
Nov 07, 2008 (10:45 am)
Reply

Replying to: newowner10 (Nov 07, 2008 9:04 am)

Bigger cars with poor gas mileage would be safer than a small car if the run into each other.
 
But of course a smaller, lighter, more maneuverable car in the hands of an alert driver may be able to avoid that collision completely. . .
 
One reason for the popularity of the midsize cars to which this particular forum is devoted: they are an excellent compromise between these two extremes.
#11173 of 13285
Re: 2009 Optima gets with the (ES)program [m6user] by explorerx4
Nov 07, 2008 (4:11 pm)
Reply

Replying to: m6user (Nov 06, 2008 4:01 pm)

that's basically, what i was trying to convey, although i guess not too clearly.
for some anyway.
#11174 of 13285
Re: Lively safety info...offer more comparisons? [thegraduate] by canddmeyer
Nov 08, 2008 (7:49 pm)
Reply

Replying to: thegraduate (Nov 07, 2008 8:17 am)

The NHTSA has given the 2009 Mazda6 5-stars on all ratings, including the side-impact test. I do agree that IIHS testing results are different. The Accord proved safer in frontal impact load tests, although both the Mazda & Honda are 5-star rated. The 5-star Mazda6 proved safer in all side-impact tests, although interestingly, the numbers are very close to the 3-star rated Accord. Not sure why a 2-star deviance for such similar numbers.

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