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Midsize Sedans 2.0

18220 messages,  Last post on May 24, 2013 at 7:58 AM

You are in the Toyota Camry Forum.

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

Messages Page 2 of 1823

#5 of 18220 Re: Midsize Sedans 2.0 [targettuning] by pat

Apr 12, 2007 (9:43 am)

Replying to: targettuning (Apr 12, 2007 7:51 am)
Model vs. model is exactly what we're here for! Manufacturer vs. manufacturer belongs elsewhere as I've noted a number of times. There were many times we were turning the previous discussion into conversations that were/are already occurring in Auto News and they were happening to the exclusion of the vehicles themselves. That's what we need to avoid this time around.

#6 of 18220 I guess I'll start? by perna

Apr 13, 2007 (12:49 pm)

The Altima is my favorite of the bunch. It is amongst the fastest and best handling of the group, is priced well, and has all the gadgets. The 2007 model is the best looker of the bunch, IMO.
 
My second choice is the Ford Fusion. The things I don't like about it is the lack of punch, and it is gadget-free compared to the Altima. It is still fun to drive and is very nice looking inside and out, though.
 
I hate the Camry's interior, and the Accord's seats. The Camry also feels a lot slower than its HP rating suggests, and the Nissan's motor wails on the Accord's whiny V6. Both Camry and Accord are kind of expensive for what you get.
 
The Aura looks neat, but I've never driven one so I can't comment.
 
The Mazda needs to be replaced. Not a bad car, but generationally it feels like a 2002 car and not 2007.
 
I'll take the host's advice and spare any comments on the Hyundai and Kia.

#7 of 18220 Re: I guess I'll start? [perna] by mike91326

Apr 13, 2007 (1:05 pm)

Replying to: perna (Apr 13, 2007 12:49 pm)
What do you think of the CVT in the Altima? I've heard some people say that it feels slow off the line even though it's not.

#8 of 18220 A few others to add by plekto

Apr 13, 2007 (1:18 pm)

Buick LaCrosse
Passat(Audi A6 in non-lux trim)
Volvo S40(not really a luxury car, either, and not sporty like the S60)
Jeep Compass(hard to tell if it's a car or a SUV wanna-be)
 
Plus a few others, like the RX-8 and such that are technically sedans(a few two door sedans and hatchbacks would also qualify, IMO, if it's the only way they come)
 
P.S. the CVT in the Altima has to be driven like a motorcycle. You need to floor the pedal until you reach the speed you want and ease off. Very binary behavior - and the opposite of a normal transmission. If you ease into it progressively harder, like you are used to, it accelerates like your grandmother.

#9 of 18220 Re: I guess I'll start? [mike91326] by perna

Apr 13, 2007 (1:24 pm)

Replying to: mike91326 (Apr 13, 2007 1:05 pm)
I have actually driven the CVT, and honestly it felt faster "seat of my pants" than any other car in this list did (of the ones I've driven). I didn't even notice the lack of shifting, I was having so much fun driving it.
 
My daily driver is an '03 Maxima, and the '07 Altima does feel faster than the Max, though not by a ridiculous amount. It's pretty clear to me that the new Altima is the true successor to my car, and not the "redesigned" '04 and up Maximas.

#10 of 18220 Re: A few others to add [plekto] by lilengineerboy

Apr 13, 2007 (1:27 pm)

Replying to: plekto (Apr 13, 2007 1:18 pm)
I wouldn't consider the RX-8, G35 coupe, or Saturn ION coupe to be midsized, no matter how many doors they have. I don't think the S40 is midsized either, being the same size as a Mazda3 or Focus.
 
I think since "sedans" is in the title, the Compass (which is too small to be midsized anyway), wagons shouldn't count, gloried as a wanna-be SUV or not.

#11 of 18220 Re: I guess I'll start? [perna] by lilengineerboy

Apr 13, 2007 (1:32 pm)

Replying to: perna (Apr 13, 2007 1:24 pm)
My daily driver is an '03 Maxima, and the '07 Altima does feel faster than the Max, though not by a ridiculous amount. It's pretty clear to me that the new Altima is the true successor to my car, and not the "redesigned" '04 and up Maximas.
 
Its interesting how that happens. There is no real successor to the Contour, and I think the Mazda6 (V6/MTX) is the closest thing available from Ford.
 
I personally found the Altima to be great looking but a bit pricey.

#12 of 18220 Re: A few others to add [plekto] by perna

Apr 13, 2007 (1:33 pm)

Replying to: plekto (Apr 13, 2007 1:18 pm)
P.S. the CVT in the Altima has to be driven like a motorcycle. You need to floor the pedal until you reach the speed you want and ease off. Very binary behavior - and the opposite of a normal transmission. If you ease into it progressively harder, like you are used to, it accelerates like your grandmother.
 
Heh, maybe that's why I didn't notice a problem with the CVT. Typically, in rush hour traffic you don't really notice it, but when I'm going up an entrance ramp, for example, I will point the Maxima in the direction it needs to go, give it just a bit of gas so I don't spin the tires, and ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM. It's a lot like an airplane turning onto a runway for takeoff. That's how I drove the Altima, and the CVT must be a pretty good match for my driving style.
 
I see people driving Maximas and Altimas like Buicks, and just shake my head. It's like, why didn't you just save $10k and buy an Impala?? They're four door sports cars, and I have the insurance tab to prove it (despite having zero accidents or tickets in my 15 years of driving).

#13 of 18220 Re: I guess I'll start? [lilengineerboy] by perna

Apr 13, 2007 (1:39 pm)

Replying to: lilengineerboy (Apr 13, 2007 1:32 pm)
Its interesting how that happens. There is no real successor to the Contour, and I think the Mazda6 (V6/MTX) is the closest thing available from Ford.
  
I personally found the Altima to be great looking but a bit pricey.
 
I really, really like the Fusion. More than the Contour, that's for sure! I just couldn't get over the Fusion's lack of power compared to what I was used to, and could Ford put any more basic of a stereo into that car?? The car drove VERY well, and I really liked the interior/exterior of the thing.
 
I suspect that when I go to replace my Maxima in a few years, I will get sticker shock. I got a tremendous deal on it since the redesigned '04s were like 2 weeks out, and the dealer wanted to get rid of the '03s BADLY. The Altimas are much more popular cars, and I'm sure my discount won't be nearly as nice. Then again, maybe I will be able to swing a G35 by the time my Maxima needs replacing.

#14 of 18220 Re: I guess I'll start? [mike91326] by jd10013

Apr 13, 2007 (4:29 pm)

Replying to: mike91326 (Apr 13, 2007 1:05 pm)
What do you think of the CVT in the Altima? I've heard some people say that it feels slow off the line even though it's not.
 
depends how you drive it. Its computer controlled with 300 or so algorithms progamed into it. It kind of adapts to you. Personaly, I think it's incredible. But, you don't need to "stomp" on the gas to get it to go. durring the break-in period, I found myself having to watch the RPM's so as not to go over the 4000 the owners manual says to stay under. If you were to give it full acceleration, you'd go over 5000 rpm's and hit 60 mph in about 6 or 7 seconds. But, because it's so damn smooth and quiet, it doesn't feel like its moving that fast. But a quick look in the rear view, will show you how fast it's actually going.
 
But in addition to that, you get much better acceleration at higher speeds, and it will employ engine braking on it's own when going down a steep incline. It deffinitly takes a couple hundred miles to get used too, but the CVT is undoubtly the future of transmissions. look for everybody to swithch to them in the next 5 years or so. The cvt will do to automatic transmissions what fuel injection did to carburators.

Messages Page 2 of 1823

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