Autoblog

Cars.com hosts eight-car family sedan shootout with surprising results

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Suzuki, Toyota

Midsize sedans don't have it easy anymore. In addition to packing tons of features (technology, safety, comfort) into a relatively affordable package, these vehicles have to be relatively good to drive, functional and not too bad on the eyes. We've seen all sorts of family sedan comparisons, and now Cars.com dishes up its own eight-car test, featuring the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Suzuki Kizashi, Mazda6 and new Hyundai Sonata.

The eight sedans were not only tested by members of the Cars.com team, but by an actual family of four in an attempt to see what real-world drivers look for the most. The "real family" is comprised of Ben and Jill Tiernan of Los Angeles, as well as their two children, an infant and a toddler. The family drove the cars on highways and city roads, and took their time poking and prodding through the cabins of each tester. Ben and Jill's notes were also compiled and included in the end result data, with father Ben liking the Kizashi the best, while wife Jill raised her hand for the Camry.

What's more, the overall question of fuel economy was put into greater focus. Efficiency is one of the strongest selling points in this segment, and it's no secret that automakers tout the highway mileage numbers of these cars in an effort to attract buyers. Cars.com went a step above - not only noting the EPA estimated fuel economy, but recording what the cars' trip computers displayed, as well as calculating the actual at-the-pump fuel economy. The Hyundai Sonata's 35 mpg might be the highest number on monroney labels, but in the actual calculations, the Ford Fusion's 32.1 observed mpg trumps the recorded 27.8 mpg in the Sonata.

What's most interesting, though, are the end results. We won't spoil the final findings, but it's important to note that the Ford Fusion - a car which has garnered a ton of praise (Motor Trend Car of the Year, etc.) - came in dead last amongst the group, with the Chevrolet Malibu not falling very far behind. On top of that, Toyota's Camry is usually the top pick in these tests (Motor Trend would agree), but it doesn't take first place honors here. How does the well-received Honda Accord fare in all of this? What about newcomers Sonata and Kizashi? Read the full results for yourself at Cars.com.

[Source: Cars.com]

Cars.com hosts eight-car family sedan shootout with surprising results originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 May 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inside Line pits Ford Fiesta against Honda Fit in small car scrap

Chris Shunk — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Ford, Honda

If you're looking for a practical, fuel efficient subcompact, you've got a few options, and the Honda Fit remains a top pick for many. The five-door hatchback packs plenty of volume, while also providing just enough punch to deliver smiles on the open road.

Doubtlessly jealously eying the Fit's success, Ford officials are counting down the months until they can finally provide some competition in the form of their 2011 Fiesta - but does it have the goods to knock the Fit from atop the subcompact mountain?

The crew at Inside Line wanted to answer that question and brought the Fit face-to-face against a European-spec Fiesta in a battle for B-Segment superiority. The Fit came in for praise for its masterfully engineered interior and massive cargo area, while the Fiesta was lauded for its superb driving dynamics and higher end materials. Which subcompact all-star came out on top in the battle of the (little) bulge? Head over to Inside Line to find out.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Ford Fiesta (Euro-Spec)

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

[Source: Inside Line | Image Source: Kevin Wing]

Inside Line pits Ford Fiesta against Honda Fit in small car scrap originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What? Car & Driver says M3 better than GT-R and 911 Turbo

Dan Roth — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., BMW, Nissan, Porsche, Opinion/Editorial

Car & Driver is a common choice as bathroom reader around Autoblog HQ, though thumbing through the latest issue had us contemplating using the glossy pages for TP. C&D got its hands on Nissan's new GT-R and its development benchmark, the Porsche 911 Turbo. That's great so far, as everyone wants to know how the Nissan stacks up against its bogey. The trouble comes when a BMW M3 gets tossed into the mix. What? The M3 is a hell of a car and it clearly earns its perennial 10-Best status, but it's outgunned and mismatched in this company. Somehow it managed to win a three-way comparo with two supercars anyway.

Continue reading What? Car & Driver says M3 better than GT-R and 911 Turbo

What? Car & Driver says M3 better than GT-R and 911 Turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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