The Top Midsize Sedans of 2018
For those who do not want an SUV to haul their family around, a midsize sedan is one of the best alternatives.
They are generally more pleasant to drive than their SUV counterparts, but they also tend to consume less gas, which is a good thing considering where things are going with the current fuel prices.
There are many good choices in the pre-owned midsize category. Although the best choice mostly depends on your specific needs, it's always good to look at existing comparisons.
Let's take 2018 as the base year. The Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry were the best sellers in the category and had each received a makeover and a host of improvements. The Car Guide had named the Honda Accord "Best Buy" but also "Best New Car of the Year", praising its driving pleasure, its high build quality, its comfortable and spacious interior, its efficiency and low maintenance costs as well as its high resale value.
The Camry came in second. But it is still reliable and comfortable, and was built on a new platform with numerous safety technologies. Its powerful optional V6 is certainly an asset, but so is its hybrid version. Finally, the Kia Optima closed the podium in the category, offering very good value for the money with generous equipment. Many will agree that the Mazda6 had no equal in terms of exterior design and handling. However, its interior volume and multimedia system were probably its biggest flaws.
The Subaru Legacy was, at that time, the only entry-level midsize sedan on the market with all-wheel drive, but it remains uninspiring both in terms of style and driving pleasure. In a comparison match that included a series of road tests, The Car Guide crowned the Honda Accord, awarding it 401.5 points on 500. The Toyota Camry (376.1 points), the Hyundai Sonata (370.9 points) and the Mazda6 (365.5 points) came next, in that order.
Looking for something different? J.D. Power identified the Nissan Altima as having the best initial quality in the category in 2018, followed by the Optima and the Ford Fusion. Three years later, the firm published that the Chevrolet Malibu was the most reliable 2018 model based on problems reported by owners, ahead of the Camry and the Buick Regal. Meanwhile, Consumer Reports had ranked the Camry among the 10 best vehicles of the year, all categories combined.
In short, despite their higher price, the Accord and the Camry prove to be the safest values and the best choices for buyers looking for a pre-owned midsize sedan.
