My Top Ten Mid Size Sedans to get you the best bang for the buck

This segment rates all midsize sedans in total cost of ownership.

1.Honda Accord- There is not much to say other than, what a great car. Appearance, quality, fuel economy, etc. it is all here. I tip my hat to Honda, this vehicle is clearly the King of its’ class!

2.Toyota Camry- Always a great car, the most recent redesign was great. Overall an absolute top pick. The Accord just has too much this time around.

3.Chevy Malibu- This is the sleeper of the bunch. Fuel economy is not the best but it is near the top. Style is great. Comfort is above average and JD Power gave it the highest rating in initial Quality. The only big negative is resale value, traditionally poor but that could change with everything GM has done to improve this vehicle. If it does, look out Toyota and Honda, you might actually have a real competitor!

4.Nissan Altima- Price is the best selling point for this car. It is above average with everything. It will cost you a couple of grand less than a Camry or Accord. That really helps. Not a bad choice by any means, it does, however, feel like a couple grand less car when I drive it.
5.Buick Lacrosse- The highest marks in quality and comfort are the selling points for this vehicle. Poor marks in fuel economy and resale value hurt it. It is a vehicle that generally sells to the older crowd and GM is very aware of that. It is evident in the appearance and basic user friendly controls.

6.Volkswagen Passat- Excellent in resale and initial quality. Very trendy. One of the more expensive cars in initial price in this segment. Fuel economy is below average.

7.Subaru Legacy- If you do not get the all-wheel drive version it really isn’t worth it. They are known for their all-wheel drive and trendy personality which drives most of their customer base to come back time and time again. Financially speaking it would be hard to consider this car over a handful of others in its class.

8.Ford Fusion- Have you seen those commercials where someone test drives a Fusion and then tells you they like it better than the Accord and Camry. Well, I am not saying that they are lying but Ford must have found the handful of people that actually believe that. The initial cost is low but the resale will be poor. In the end it will cost you more to own one of these than it will to own a handful of other cars. There is nothing about this car that justifies doing that. If you buy one, lease it and wait for one of those notorious Ford give away leases.
9.Hyundai Sonata- This vehicle is improving every time they redesign it but it still has a bit to go.

10.Mitsubishi Galant- below the big guys across the board. The Galant does not excel in anything. It just seems blah when you drive it. Horrible resale value has been a problem. If you buy this car you need to be willing to push for the best deal possible. Even then, I am not sure if it is worth it.

~ by wilsonmy on July 16, 2008.