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Sedans Midsize Sedans 2.0
13269 messages, Last post on Nov 28, 2009 at 9:36 PM
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Replying to: lightfootfl (Feb 10, 2008 7:01 am) I generally buy Korean or GM cars despite the depreciation because the purchase price is so much better. Even though I like my Optima (and Maxx for that matter) a lot. Getting to completely different price points on Korean cars may be a real marketing problem for HyunKia. |
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Keep in mind, I have a Mazda6 v-6 w/ a manual transmission, so many of my comparisons refer to what I own. I received a promotion to drive a car with Sync and I'd get a gift card to Best Buy, so thought that this was a good excuse to see the differences. I had a chance to drive a Fusion or the Milan, but since I liked the grill a bit better on the Milan, I chose to take it for a drive. The leather in the Milan seemed to be much better quality than the Mazda6's that I've sat in (my 6 does not have leather), and the dark grey plood was a very nice accent despite my usual impression that plood looks cheesy. The trip computer font looked completely 1980's, but looked to be quite easy to use and see unlike the Impala I had to use a few months back. One of the knocks on the Mazda6 is that the back seat is too small (though I have driven 6 footers in the back who were comfortable) so it was nice to see that there were what seemed to be a couple more inches of legroom back there. As far as the fit and finish of the interior goes, most everything looked to be tight and well fitted with good quality materials. Among the highlights of the Milan, I thought the gauges looked good and were easy to read, the center armrest had a nice damped feel to it, and all the controls were easy to locate with a quick glance. Interior materials were solid and easily competitive. One lowlight though was the analogue clock which had a cheap chrome on plastic look to it... While the interior had a more refined upclass feel to it compared to my 6 which leans more on the sporty end of design, the ride quality of the Milan was very similar to my 6 except that it seemed to have dampened the suspension and quieted the interior. Going over bumps had a much softer feel to them, similar in feel to the Accord I drove a couple years ago. And it was quite a bit quieter, especially at highway speeds. To those who prefer a more passive ride, this car has the qualities that they'd be after. But the very nice thing was that the steering feel and chassis control was still top notch compared to my 6. Body lean was minimal compared to other cars in this class, steering feel was very direct with little slop, and the brakes seemed strong and easily modulated. Despite this car having the same engine that's in my Mazda6, I found the way it drove completely different, probably due to the fact that my car has a manual while the Milan had an automatic. Although the Milan was not slow and sluggish, it did not have the responsive acceleration that my Mazda6 has nor did it seem as quick as the Altima (last gen) or the Accord (also last gen). I had no problem passing people quickly and safely on highways and side roads, but found myself wishing I had either more control over the gearing or an extra 30 horses. But I figure if a buyer was looking for a mellow/ refined ride, having enough horsepower for drag strip would probably not be that important. All in all, while the Milan is largely based on the Mazda6 with a similar engine and chassis with solid handling characteristics, it added a nice dose of serenity and composure by making the ride quieter and smoother without going overboard and making the ride feel like a sponge. While not being my cup of tea, as I lean a bit more toward sporty handling cars, I was impressed at how a few changes in the interior and suspension bits could transform a Mazda6 to meet the needs of a more mature and refined buyer.
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Replying to: zzzoom6 (Feb 10, 2008 10:45 am) ... I was impressed at how a few changes in the interior and suspension bits could transform a Mazda6 to meet the needs of a more mature and refined buyer. Maybe my age, 64 at the time (a more mature and refined buyer) had something to do with our decision to go with a 2007 Ford Fusion SEL AWD in December 2006. My wife was 54. We traded a 2000 Mazda Miata MK5 with only 7,000 miles on it. We wanted a sporty mid-size sedan and the Fusion fit the bill. More than a year later, we are still happy with our purchase. The Fusion, like the Milan, is a really terrific car. The 3.0-liter, Duratec V6 with 221 horsepower is not drag strip ready but more than adequate for this 3,400-pound car. The ride and handling are outstanding and the car has a number of amenities usually found on cars costing much more than the $27,105 MSRP. We would recommend the Fusion/Milan to anyone in the market for a mid-size sedan. |
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This Camry belongs to my dad's first cousin. I thought I'd share a few thoughts after an hour's drive in it today. Interior - Not as bad as I had first felt. It was an LE with limited options, but the quality overall was above average, if not stellar. All the stalks and buttons moved fluidly. The grey on grey scheme inside was quite dreary though. Steering/Handling - The steering felt electric. The weighting was a bit light for my tastes but definitely liveable, but the overall crispness that I've gotten accustomed to in my Accords was just not there. On the highway I found myself making little corrections at 70 MPH because the path I thought I was on, I actually wasn't. The brake pedal made me panic at first because it took so much travel (easily twice as much as the Accord) The handling was marginally better than the previous gen, but I think I'd have to take an SE to be sold on the Camry's handling. Ride - This car is the opposite of the Honda. If you say the Honda is a tradeoff for 75% sport/25% ride, the Camry is the other way around, 25%/75%. It's spongy, but not completely floaty. Good for driving in the bumpy subdivision we left from, but not so great for the highway, since directional control suffered somewhat. Engine - Above 3000 RPM, this thing is a monster. TONS of usable power, and highway speed has no effect on it seemingly - it pulls as hard at 20 MPH as it does at 70 when you give enough throttle for a downshift or two. Interestingly though, around town the Camry felt slower than my 4-cylinder Accord, and I'm sure this is due to the lazy throttle response programming on the Toyota, and the sharper programming in the Honda. The quiet in this car is serene, but I'd rather hear a little more of the 2GR! Overall - I think the Camry is the Rodney Dangerfield of these boards; it gets no respect. Being the frontrunner in sales makes it seem like the Patriots, the bogey that other people love to hate. It's actually a great car for people looking for a luxury feel at a mainstream price. For the record, I have a 2006 Accord EX, 2.4L, Automatic. I hope readers find this review helpful and unbiased; I have nothing against Toyota, and I'm not a Honda loyalist - I've looked long and hard at the new Altima for my next car, and haven't ruled out an SE Camry. For now though, I have no reason to think about getting rid of my current car. Happy motoring!  TheGrad
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Replying to: robger99 (Feb 10, 2008 6:56 am) Figure it's a good skill to have.
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Replying to: thegraduate (Feb 10, 2008 3:11 pm) Engine - Above 3000 RPM, this thing is a monster. TONS of usable power, and highway speed has no effect on it seemingly - it pulls as hard at 20 MPH as it does at 70 when you give enough throttle for a downshift or two. Interestingly though, around town the Camry felt slower than my 4-cylinder Accord, and I'm sure this is due to the lazy throttle response programming on the Toyota, and the sharper programming in the Honda. The quiet in this car is serene, but I'd rather hear a little more of the 2GR! I think they have this figured out, I have never felt the 2.4 in the Accord down for power, especially with the manual transmission. I have also been happy with the fuel economy. Of course, I was fine with the 93 Accord and the 93 Civic as well, power and economy-wise.
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Replying to: exshoman (Feb 10, 2008 5:26 pm)
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Replying to: akirby (Feb 10, 2008 6:27 pm) I now have 40,000 trouble free miles on my car. Not even a single shake, vibration or squeal from the car yet. The interior is still the same as the day I bought it. Outside of a car that I t-boned (not my fault), the exterior is also still the same. Had to replace the front grill, bumper and hood from the wreck. Have had a lot of people ride in the car and said something like, "What did this thing cost about $25,000 or something." You should see the shock in their face when I tell them $17,000. They can't believe a car can be this quiet, ride this nice and be hassle free for the price I paid. The only downside is that Hyundai doesn't hold their value as well as others, but like all my cars, I will keep this car until it at least has close to 200,000 miles on it at which point all cars are worthless. Just thought I would post as a lot of people said see how that Hyundai holds up when you get some miles on it. |
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Replying to: 94hawkskin (Feb 11, 2008 2:19 pm) |
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Replying to: akirby (Feb 10, 2008 6:27 pm)
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