Seven for All Mankind: We Round Up the Hitherto-Top-Selling Camry's Six Closest Rivals to Assess Which One Deserves to be America's Next Best-Seller.
From the March, 2010 issue of Motor Trend / By Frank Markus / Photography by Julia LaPalme
Since 1989, America's best-selling car has been a midsize sedan. In fact, only three cars have held that title in the last two decades: the Ford Taurus, the Honda Accord, and the 12-time top-selling Toyota Camry. But the tsunami of bad news washing over Toyota this year has prompted recalls, production stoppages, and a crisis in consumer confidence, the combined effect of which will make it difficult for Toyota to earn its 13th best-seller title in 2010. That leaves the top-sales spot wide open to one of the Camry's competitors in this white-hot segment.
One of the most incendiary newcomers is surely the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, resplendent in swoopy four-door-coupe styling and powered by a state-of-the-art direct-injected 2.4-liter engine and six-speed automatic transmission, boasting best-in-class weight-to-power. Another strong contender is the substantially upgraded 2010 Ford Fusion, which won Motor Trend's prestigious Car of the Year calipers. This honor -- along with sweetheart trade-in deals for Camry owners -- could very well propel Ford back into the sales lead. Of course, the odds-on favorite would have to be the perennial second-best-selling Honda Accord, but it's anybody's guess whether Honda can fend off these hot new competitors with an aging (and still controversial) design and a dated five-speed automatic transmission in the face of a few safety recalls of its own (for older 2001/2002 Accords).
We've gathered the seven top-selling sedans, including the new-for-2010 Subaru Legacy and the Chevy Malibu and Nissan Altima carryover models that have been enhanced to improve their fuel efficiency. We aim to determine which of these solid-citizen sedans deserves to be a best-seller by best delivering the space, utility, comfort, and quiet that today's families expect.
7th place: Nissan Altima 2.5 SL
Treads lightly, quietly, consumptively
The Altima is a rather quiet entry here. Literally: It registered the least noise during full-throttle acceleration and was second quietest while cruising at 70 mph; and figuratively: The car draws as little attention to itself as possible with its familiar styling, bland interior design, and mid- to back-of-the-pack rankings for interior space, trunk room, and performance. Its continuously variable transmission is geared tall for gas mileage, and indeed its EPA ratings of 23/32 mpg city/highway are second only to the new Hyundai's. Actual families trundling though suburbia might achieve that kind of mileage, but when magazine editors go whizzing through Wine Country, the tranny obliges them by keeping the engine boiling away between the power torque peaks (unless the editor at the helm opts for manual ratio selection from the shift lever-there are no paddles). Such driving results in 19.7 mpg average fuel economy-lowest in this group. In fact, the Altima was the only car that failed to achieve its city economy rating on our mixed driving loop-a disappointing result from the lightest car in the test (3225 pounds).
Wearing the smallest tires in the group (tied with the Camry's steel-rimmed tires), the Altima grips the road modestly, but our panel praised the car's supple ride and dynamic poise. "You can feel that this suspension was developed by engineers who know how to tease out chassis finesse," opined St. Antoine.
Its dynamics certainly didn't land the Altima in seventh place; its shortcomings as a sedan did. The rear seat measures smallest dimensionally and feels the most cramped. Its trunk is reasonably roomy, but the gooseneck hinges threaten tall cargo and its cloth seatback releases are placed deep within the trunk, well out of reach. Priced almost $800 more than the Sonata, the Altima lacks that car's navigation, Bluetooth, and other posh features, which cost it on the value front. This Nissan remains a solid citizen in the class with a sterling reputation, but fails to stand out in any way.
6th place: Chevrolet Malibu LT
Surprisingly fun to rent
Relative to our last 2.4-liter Malibu test car, a top-shelf LTZ model, this LT wears less aggressive Firestone tires (that may be geared more toward fuel economy), and the final-drive ratio of its six-speed transmission was made taller to coax out three more precious highway mpg (now 33, though our test mileage matched the LTZ's respectable 22.5 mpg). These changes blunted the Malibu's straight-line performance a bit and its handling a lot. Acceleration times barely eked ahead of the porky AWD Subaru's, but braking (130 feet from 60 mph), lateral acceleration (0.75 g) and figure-eight results (28.7 seconds at 0.58 g average) all ranked a solid seventh.
Nevertheless the Malibu managed to glide around the test loop with a degree of body-motion control that astonished several editors, earning comments like "Most surprising drive today -- I had more fun than I thought I would" and "Wow...where did that chassis come from? Didn't expect such superb steering and refined handling dynamics." It's one of the few cars that could be coaxed into rotating slightly before provoking StabiliTrak's gentle intervention. While ambidextrous push/pull steering-wheel shift paddles are not our preferred setup, the control they offer and the transmission's willingness to hold gears drew praise. Kudos also went to the grippy suede seat inserts and shoulder-level lateral support.
We still love the big, bold, clean appearance of this car, which expertly conceals the fact that it's one of the smallest in the segment. Width is especially tight, which makes the back seat tightest of the group for three sets of shoulders. It also sits low, lacks a center armrest, and presents the hapless hump-rider with a particularly uncomfortable perch. The hard-grained plastic below the attractive swathe of blonde "would-grain" and the unrefined engine note (too much accessory drive noise) cast a rental-grade pall over the driving experience that was hard to get past in the voting, even when crediting such family-friendly features as standard OnStar and the group's best overall crash-survivability rating of 47 (tied with Subaru), from Informedforlife.org. And so the gracefully aging Chevy ranks sixth.
5th place: Subaru Legacy 2.5i LTD
Marching to a different (louder) drummer
Nobody ever accused Subaru of me-too car design, and indeed the Legacy's tall greenhouse, exaggerated wheel flares, standard all-wheel drive, and longitudinal boxer-four engine are unique in this group. The Fuji Heavy folks do their own thing, and they apparently work a little magic in the process. Despite the Legacy's driveline friction and weight penalty of up to 227 pounds relative to the rest of the field, it achieves better EPA fuel economy ratings than three competitors and its as-tested mileage topped all but the Honda.
Much of the credit goes to the CVT, which enjoys the widest ratio spread in this test and savvy ratio-shifting logic that provides instant kick-down torque in response to a throttle jab or a flick of the left steering-wheel paddle. Those paddles improve the sporting feel of what is in fact the slowest sedan here, requiring 9.3 seconds to reach 60 mph -- a half-second off the class average. Kiino deemed it "more responsive than Nissan's CVT. Roll onto the throttle and the torque is always right there."
While its four Bridgestone Turanzas clawed at the skidpad with an 0.82g grip and hauled the car down from 60 mph in 121 feet (both bests in this test), the ride-oriented chassis gets flustered in bumpy or undulating corners, sometimes bounding around enough to provoke stability-control intervention even in a long steady-state sweeper. Loh noted, "It's neutral and forgiving, I just wish it were more precise to aim." The structure also seems less solid than some, allowing bumps to reverberate up the steering column.
Too much of the boxer's gravelly, growling engine note enters the cabin (making it second noisiest after the Honda), which further detracts from what was largely deemed to be an uninspiring interior design with so-so ergonomics and a confounding navigation system (delete that option to save $2000 and a bunch of aggravation). The high roof accommodates bouffant hairdos and rear footroom is abundant, but three-across seating is tight.
After three grueling days we concluded that, unless your family faces a steep snowy driveway at the end of many trips, there are four better choices.
4th place: Honda Accord EX
An aging star that's let itself go a bit
Not much has changed with the historically second-best-selling Honda, and some change is way overdue. The Accord's exterior dimensions are largest, but its interior space ranks fourth and its oddly shaped trunk is the smallest and least useful -- adding up to a worst-in-test space-efficiency ranking. Honda's peculiar non-planetary five-speed automatic has the smallest ratio spread in the test, contributing to its back-of-the-pack performance ratings and worst-in-class EPA economy rankings of 21/31 mpg city/highway (despite which it topped its rivals, returning 23.4 mpg in our driving loops). And not only is the tranny shy a gear, "the 1-2-D3-D straight gear lever is useless for manual changes at a playful gait," noted St. Antoine.
Despite our transmission carping, most editors agreed the Accord (and Fusion) felt most comfortable attacking the twisty roads, thanks to nicely linear and light steering, a generally flat cornering attitude, and an eagerness to change directions that belies its exterior size. But lighter damping (or shorter wheel travel or both) caused the Honda to bounce off its bump stops more often than the Ford did. It also comes off feeling bigger and clumsier than the Accords we loved a couple generations ago.
Light weight undoubtedly contributes mightily to the Accord's dynamic aptitude, but achieving that respectable 3361-pound curb weight apparently required jettisoning the sound insulation. Whether accelerating or just cruising along this Honda spares its occupants little of the engine noise (which is admittedly higher in quality than most), wind rush, or road roar it creates. Ed Loh found the interior too loud for comfortable conversation, adding, "I'd be exhausted after driving for a while with that noise." Not great for a family vacationmobile.
The interior materials are first-rate, the seats are exceptionally supportive and comfortable, and the back seat is widest and perhaps the most comfortable of the group, but the dash is a jumble of like-size buttons that require study to master and scrutiny to use, drawing too much attention away from the road. Ergonomic shortcomings, interior racket, a crummy trunk, and homely styling conspired to rank the Accord fourth.
3rd place: Hyundai Sonata SE
Slightly less than the sum of its impressive parts
Dear Motor Trend: Cancel my subscription immediately, 'cuz you guys are obviously ignorant, biased idiots. Otherwise how'dya explain that that smokin' hot Sonata scorched the competition in acceleration and handling performance and still finished third!? -- Angry in Ulsan." Dear Angry: You forgot to mention Hyundai's best-in-class EPA fuel economy and longest warranty. We admit this looks difficult to explain, but permit us to give it a shot.
First off, we were huge fans of the previous model (which finished second by a whisker to the considerably more fun-to-drive VW Passat the last time out), and we agree with you on the new styling. But perhaps in its zeal to close the driving-fun gap with this potent new powertrain and chassis, Hyundai has caused the Sonata to take a baby step or two backward-at least in the sportiest SE configuration we tested.
The biggest problem is the chassis tuning, which sacrifices way too much ride quality on the altar of lateral grip and handling sharpness. Hyundai's 225/45R18 tires are the biggest, lowest-profile meats here and they ride on the widest track, laying a terrific foundation for strong handling dynamics. But the company's lack of practice building Grand Touring suspensions shows in its choice of dampers, springs, and bushings, which hunker down for great cornering on a perfectly smooth surface but send the car bounding around on imperfections and undulations, compromising grip and upsetting the ride. Similarly, the second quickest steering here makes turn-in feel aggressive, but transmits little or no road feel.
Yes, we realize GLS and Limited models will ride better, but other shortcomings as a sedan conspired to lower the Sonata's rank. Most editors' noggins contacted the rear ceiling (despite those best-in-class rear headroom figures), the cabin din at 70 mph was second loudest, and access to the roomy trunk is through a smallish opening, thanks to the rear-window placement. The previous model's interior design and ergonomics were also deemed richer looking and more user friendly. It's a terrific car at a great price, but the bar has been raised.
2nd place: Ford Fusion SEL
The BMW of big-selling sedans
In our last sedan-a-palooza, the first-gen Fusion finished fifth, drawing praise for its chassis dynamics and fire for its anemic 2.3-liter engine and loathsome five-speed automatic. 2010's reboot of the Fusion lineup addressed these concerns and more-mostly. A bump in displacement to 2.5 liters helps elevate output to 175 horses and 172 pound-feet. Combined with the upgrade to six transmission ratios, this new powertrain boosts EPA mileage from 20/28 mpg to 22/31 and hastens acceleration by a half-second to 60 and through the quarter mile, moving the Fusion from the back of the pack to the middle. The revamp also increased rear legroom by almost a half-inch and boosted trunk volume to a test-leading 16.5 cubic feet (this is the trunk-utility champ, with its remote-controlled self-folding seatbacks and wide cubic space).
Other family-friendly features include an easy-to-use nav system with Sirius Travel Link traffic and weather info and a huge screen that includes a backup camera, plus the Sync phone/iPod connection-all Ford exclusives (Hyundai's nav offers XM Traffic, but no camera). And it's worth acknowledging that Ford's steadily improving ratings with the various customer satisfaction and consumer rating organizations should be whittling away at any residual pro-Asia/anti-American quality perceptions.
Having successfully checked all the family-sedan wish-list boxes, what really propelled the Fusion to this lofty spot in the finishing order was its impressive driving dynamics. St. Antoine gushed: "Chassis is the best here, with outstanding steering feel and breathtaking front-end bite. Is this really an econo-family sedan? After a few turns you'd believe it's really a BMW." Loh also used the "B" word: "Suspension works out the canyon-road kinks much better than that BMW I drove over in [a 335i cabrio camera car]."
Is it the perfect sedan? No. The new transmission still offers no manual control via paddles or the selector lever (though a slick three-pedal stick is offered), dash graining and plastics look cheap, and the center-stack buttons require too much scrutiny. But Ford's earned sales leadership with this one.
1st place: Toyota Camry LE
Once and future sedan king?
Nobody wants to like this car. Everybody knows it's an automotive appliance and appliances are not fun. They perform specific tasks without making the blood boil or the endorphins rush. Besides, we come to bury Camry not to praise him -- er, it -- which should be easy, considering it finished third the last time out, right? Well, not exactly. Like the Fusion, the 2010 Camry gets a powertrain upgrade to 2.5 liters and six transmission ratios, elevating output to 169 horsepower and 167 pound-feet (179 and 171 for SE models) and EPA fuel economy to 22/33 from 21/31 mpg. Other spiffs include a freshened grille and bumpers plus standard Bluetooth connectivity and stability control.
As we don our Ma 'n' Pa Middle America hats and take a walk around this Toyota, we can't help being impressed by the gigantic back seat, huge trunk opening, and breathtakingly simple cockpit ergonomics. The base radio employs two big knobs and six station preset buttons, as they all did for most of a century. Three more knobs control the heat and air. We've sampled more heavily optioned Camrys with navigation, and while they're more involved than this, they're also elegantly simple to master. The materials and build quality suggest this could be the priciest car in the group, when in fact it's the cheapest (though equipping an SE to match our Sonata would cost almost $32,000).
Twist the key, drive off, and the Camry continues to impress with its supple ride quality and hushed cabin environment, especially at highway speeds. St. Antoine takes up the narrative: "Okay, steering feel and handling prowess are not outstanding, but when you hustle this slice of milquetoast, it shrugs off road imperfections and carves through turns just fine. There's lots of chassis roll but no loss of control. Seemingly excels at nothing, yet it really excels at everything. A driving enthusiast might want a more involving and athletic machine, but for 99 percent of buyers shopping in this category, the Camry simply nails the mission profile."
As the votes were tallied, four editors sheepishly and very grudgingly admitted that the best midsize sedan here was the Camry. Two more ranked it second, and one placed it third, earning Camry the consensus win.
Ah, but what about the elephant in the room? Currently the Camry is involved in two whopper sudden-acceleration recalls that together involve almost 6.5 million vehicles (and a third small one for a power-steering hose that could chafe a brake line). One trims and reinforces the accelerator pedal itself, modifies the floor area, and replaces floormats if necessary; the other modifies the pedal assembly to prevent binding. Each has some likelihood of reducing the chances that the car will take off on its own. But we suspect that, as ultimately proved the case with Audi, some substantial number of the 34 reported deaths and several thousand reported incidents were actually caused by pedal misapplication. Having studied Toyota's electronic throttle system, we find it difficult to imagine that electromagnetic interference or natural electrical shorts could outflank the system's double-redundant circuits and parallel control systems, even though wily college professors with patch boards certainly can when TV cameras are rolling.
The bigger issue is Toyota's image problem. The PR spin and response have been unimpressive, and the revelation that Toyota hired ex-NHTSA guys to help close five of eight NHTSA sudden-accel investigations since 2003 hasn't helped. Then there are the subpoenaed documents that have yet to be digested, which Toyota whistle-blower Dimitrios Biller says will prove the company systematically hid and destroyed evidence of safety problems. Things will probably get worse before they get better. Meanwhile resale values have taken a hit of between four and six percent, according to Kelly Blue Book, and some experts think that could go to 10 percent before this is over. Present ALG data indicates our Camry LE's residual values ranked fifth in this test, just above the domestics.
But don't bet against mighty (and wealthy) Toyota doing and spending whatever's necessary to dig out of this mess way quicker than Audi did. For now, this Camry remains one helluva sedan that may never sell for less than it is right now.
Epilogue
Spot check
This segment is so important and the major players are so attuned to it that all seven of these cars can be configured to nearly the same price point, performance level, or options load. All are likely capable of delighting their owners, but each is special (or dreadful) in its own little way. Here are a few highlights:
Chevrolet
•Lowest people/cargo-mpg (2914 cu ft miles/gal)
•Only car with acoustic front side glass
•Lowest ALG residual value (2-yr: 53%; 4-yr: 36%)
Ford
•Biggest, most useful trunk (16.5 cu ft)
•Most features/amenities/tech goodies
Honda
•Least space-efficient (4.1:1 ext:int vol.)
•Noisiest cabin (19% louder than average @ WOT)
•Narrowest gear-ratio spread (4.68)
•Highest ALG residual value (2-yr: 68%; 4-yr: 47%)
Hyundai
•Most space-efficient (3.8:1 ext:int vol.)
•Roomiest front seat (61.0 cu ft)
•Highest people/cargo-mpg
(3176 cu-ft-miles/gal)
Nissan
•Quietest cabin (11% quieter than average @ WOT)
•Lightest weight (3225 lb); tallest transmission gearing
Subaru
•Widest gear-ratio spread (6.32) maximizes performance and economy
•Easiest to parallel park (shortest length, camera)
Toyota
•Roomiest back seat (47.7 cu ft)
•Only car w/std knee airbags & all automatic windows
