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    Sedan Buying Guide

    Sedan Buying Guide

    With dwindling demand for sedans, buyers are left with fewer choices than ever. Small SUVs, which are generally easier to get into and out of and have more cargo space, and full-sized pickup trucks are primarily what’s driving the market these days. It is a shame because there are still a few sedans for sale that are comfortable, fuel-efficient, full of standard safety gear, and—gasp—also fun to drive. In fact, many are standouts in CR’s ratings.

    The classic sedan body style offers a diversity of size and price. Determining the sedan type that you need will help narrow the field. Each type (midsized, large, and luxury) has a spectrum of models to choose from, so this is a useful step toward creating your shopping list. (Learn more about small sedans.)

    Here are some of the benefits of sedans.

    • They tend to be more fuel-efficient than SUVs.
    • They’re available in a wide range of prices and sizes.
    • Handling and ride comfort are more of a focus than utility.
    • Many are offered with all-wheel drive.

    Sedan Types

    Midsized
    Midsized sedans still command a certain popularity, led by market stalwarts such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, and Subaru Legacy. Domestic manufacturers have largely abandoned this segment, turning their attention and development dollars to crossover SUVs.

    The makes and models still competing for business offer a wide variety of options to appeal to buyers. Generally, a front-wheel-drive configuration is the most common. Snow-belt dwellers now have more choices with all-wheel drive because Nissan and Toyota have options to compete with Subaru.

    Most manufacturers in this segment even offer hybrid powertrains to improve fuel economy. Four-cylinder engines are most common as the days of smooth, powerful V6s wind down. Hybrid options from Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota boost fuel efficiency dramatically. These green machines can return from 44 to 47 mpg overall.

    What you’ll spend: Common midsized sedans are priced from about $25,000 to $38,000 and offer a good balance of cost, function, and safety, addressing the needs of many drivers.

    Large
    This is the most sparse of the sedan segments. Particularly for Detroit, with only Chrysler sticking it out through 2023 with its large 300 sedan and Dodge with the Charger—both still offering rear-wheel drive and V8 powertrains (V6 versions are available with all-wheel drive). Nissan is also sticking with the stalwart Maxima. Buyers who don’t want to pay luxury car prices and want lots of interior room and a smooth, quiet ride will find good value here. Toyota recently discontinued the well-performing Avalon, replacing it with the Crown. This new model sits higher than a sedan but lower than an SUV, features a swoopy roofline at the back, and comes exclusively as a hybrid. All-wheel drive is standard.

    What you’ll spend: Look to spend between $36,000 and $53,000 for a car in this category.

    Luxury
    Companies such as Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and others sell smaller luxury sedans for those looking to own a prestige-branded car. Prices range from the mid-$30,000s to well over $50,000. While these models may offer more refinement and performance, as well as more space, comparable luxury can often be found in a top-trimmed midsized sedan for the same money. The all-electric Tesla Model 3 falls into this category and promises between 310 and 350 miles of cruising range. Keep in mind that it can cost close to $60,000 for a fully equipped model.

    Moving up a size or two, there are a number of choices for luxury car buyers. Long-standing nameplates such as the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Lexus ES, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class continue to be steady performers. Relative newcomers like Genesis (Hyundai’s upscale brand) and Tesla have made great strides in this segment. Tesla has blazed the trail for high-end electric vehicles, quickly pushing the brand from an environmentally friendly choice to a bona fide status symbol. Some of the newer luxury EVs that CR has tested are the Mercedes-Benz EQS, Polestar 2, and Porsche Taycan, among others.

    Most of these luxury coaches can be extravagantly outfitted with plush interiors, powerful engines, all-wheel drive, and almost every creature comfort the automotive world can imagine. Turbocharged four-cylinder engines have become common on base trims, and some hybrid options are available. 

    The ultimate in luxury continues to be dominated by the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. But the Genesis G90 gives them all a run for their money. The premium flagship sedans pamper drivers and passengers alike, and they can be the launch point for many high-tech innovations. And as with most vehicle categories, some type of electric propulsion is usually offered on top trims.

    What you’ll spend: Prices for these well-to-do models vary widely, from the upper-$40,000s to well into six figures. Truly, the sky’s the limit here.

    2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C300 driving at test track
    Mercedes-Benz C-Class

    Photo: Consumer Reports Photo: Consumer Reports

    What Sedan Buyers Should Consider

    Seating
    Marketing materials claim most sedans can hold five passengers, but keep in mind that the person stuck in the center-rear position usually gets the least comfortable perch. Practically speaking, most sedans are comfortable for just four people. 

    Naturally, larger models include lots more head- and legroom, especially for rear-seat passengers.

    Engines and Fuel Economy
    Four-cylinder engines are generally more fuel-efficient than V6s, and some of the latest four-cylinder sedans balance fuel efficiency and power quite well. In the past few years, many manufacturers have turned to combining turbocharging with four-cylinder engines to aid performance. Keep in mind that some of these turbocharged cars and many upscale sedans require premium fuel. Regular hybrids and plug-in hybrids are also available in this segment.

    Moreover, with fuel economy on most buyers’ minds, understand that the larger the car, usually the lower the fuel efficiency. For example, in the luxury segment, the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series both returned a decent 26 mpg overall—which is commendable for an all-wheel-drive sedan. By contrast, the much smaller Audi A3 got 31 mpg overall in our tests.

    No surprise, most of the buzz these days surrounds the growing choices of all-electric models. Tesla is still the dominant manufacturer here, but many more EVs are on the way from Audi, BMW, Lucid, Mercedes-Benz, VinFast, and Volvo, among others.

    Cargo
    Trunk sizes vary widely by model. Some can accommodate a week’s worth of groceries with room left over. Others have awkward shapes, high lift-overs, and intrusive gooseneck hinges that limit their usefulness. Over the past several years, some manufacturers have come out with four-door hatchback designs, such as the Audi A7, Kia Stinger, Polestar 2, Porsche Taycan, and Volkswagen Arteon. The upcoming Cadillac Lyriq—the company’s first electric-only model—will be offered as a four-door hatchback design. This body style comes with a split rear seat design, so one part can be folded for cargo while still allowing someone to sit in the other part. Hatchbacks like these, though, can have a more restricted rear view, made worse by the heavily sloped slit of a rear window, thick back pillars and tapering rear side windows.

    Safety and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Technologies
    Consumer Reports’ safety ratings include assessments of crash-avoidance capabilities and crash-test results, based on tests performed by the federal government and insurance industry. Further, our road tests detail issues regarding child-seat installation and headlight performance.

    Forward collision warning (FCW), automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, and blind spot warning (BSW) are crash-avoidance technologies that CR believes should be standard on all vehicles. These should be on the next new or used model you buy.

    FCW technology provides a visual, audible, and/or tactile alert to warn the driver of an impending collision with a car or an object directly in its path. AEB responds to an imminent collision, braking if the driver doesn’t react in time. BSW monitors a vehicle’s flanks, warning the driver that another vehicle is alongside, where it may be difficult to see.

    Other modern safety advances include telematics systems that can alert emergency personnel if an airbag deploys, such as GM’s OnStar service; lane departure warning systems that sound an alert if the driver changes lanes without signaling; lane keeping assist to maintain the vehicle’s position in the lane if the driver starts to drift; and rear cross traffic alert, which monitors the sides of the vehicle when the driver is backing out of a parking spot, and can even apply the brakes if needed. (Learn more about car safety.)

    Drive Wheels
    The vast majority of sedans today use front-wheel drive. The space efficiency of a front-drive design allows a car to have a smaller engine compartment and a flatter floor, leaving more room inside for passengers and cargo. It’s also effective at getting going in slippery conditions because there’s more weight on the front wheels for extra traction. Rear-wheel drive is becoming rarer these days and is traditionally reserved for high-performance and luxury sedans for its handling benefits. AWD is almost universally offered in every sedan segment, but not necessarily every model. Designed for improved foul-weather traction and extreme, track-ready grip on enthusiast-targeted models, some buyers who live where it snows won’t settle for less.

    Towing
    Most sedans offer very modest towing capacities—if any at all. Most max out at around 1,000 pounds. Clearly, if towing is in your future, an SUV or a pickup truck is the way to go.

    2021 Genesis G80
    Genesis G80

    Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports

    New vs. Used

    Like with any type of car, the first decision to make in choosing the right car: Will you buy new or used?

    Buying a brand-new car certainly has its benefits. New cars have the very latest safety gear and engineering improvements, not to mention a bumper-to-bumper factory warranty. With a new vehicle, you know what you’re getting; you don’t have to worry about potential service problems or concealed collision damage. Further, you can have your choice of color, trim line, and option level. And financing rates are typically lower than for a used vehicle.

    The key drawback to buying a new car is how quickly it depreciates. New cars have been known to shed around a third of their value in the first two to three years. Financing a new vehicle with a small down payment can easily make buyers "upside down" on the loan, where they owe more than their car is worth.

    Buying a used car can save money up front and over the long haul. Plus, the U.S. used-car market is about three times the size of the new-car market, so there are plenty of choices. A 2- to 3-year-old vehicle, possibly one that has been returned from a lease, has already taken its biggest depreciation hit and should have the majority of its useful life ahead of it. Modern sedans, if soundly maintained, can run for 200,000 miles or longer. Checking with CR’s reliability data can help you zero in on a model that might give you fewer headaches down the road.

    Again, focus on reliability when selecting a good new or used car, even if the vehicle is still covered by its original factory warranty. Check with Consumer Reports to find those that have top-notch reliability scores. (See our guide to car reliability.)

    Whether buying new or used, it is important to do a little homework to choose a good model and to follow that up with effective negotiation.

    Browse the Consumer Reports Used Car Marketplace.