FKL

The Passat would have been a good competitor here. Why it is continually barred from these comparisons is beyond me. MT had the ***** to include it, and it rated #1 out of eight of these mid-sized cars. It is really a great car, and it's a big sad it's never included.

Threxx

I read this article as though my Aura were in place of the Malibu since they're practically the same car. I'd say that their description was correct, though for my personal priorities it ranked higher than 5th place for sure.

They did mention poor rear head room but it looks like their test car had no sun roof so it surprises me they said that because I'm a tad over 6 feet tall and if I sit completely upright my hair will barely brush against the headliner... not great but not unreasonable. Maybe they were referring to cars WITH the sun roof and in that case I agree because I can't comfortably sit in the back seat. One of a couple reasons I didn't ever consider an Aura/Malibu with a sun roof. It'd be bad for very tall women or average height men.

I'm glad to hear that ride quality and noise control were best in the test since those were two big priorities for me. Another big priority was fuel economy, but since they tested the 6-cyl and mine's the 4-cyl 6-speed auto, that's hard to really compare. According to the EPA, though, the Aura/Mal 4-cyl leads there, too.

Steering in a non performance oriented vehicle isn't a big concern of mine but the article did mention they preferred the electric power steering of the 4-cyl, so I guess according to them I'm doing OK there, but the article is based on the hydraulic steering in the 6 that they didn't care for.

Interior materials I honestly feel with the exception of the disgustingly cheap center console are honestly, I feel, on par with the Fusion, Accord, and Camry (can't comment on the 6... haven't seen it). Assembly quality is tight, but I agree not as consistent as most of the other cars. It's more common to find stuff that they didn't line up right from the factory. It's generally only cosmetic though and you'd have to be looking for it.
I personally paid only $16,000 for my Aura brand new with leather, bluetooth, heated seats, 6-speed auto, XM, onstar, 17" alloys, etc so I can flat out say with confidence it has by far the nicest, most comfortable, highest quality and roomiest interior overall of anything else out there you can buy new for 16 grand. Because in reality you'd be comparing it with what... a Honda Civic LX?

I test drove the Accord a couple times before making my decision. It was a nice car and all in all I'd have gone with it if I could have paid what I paid for my Aura for a similarly equipped model, but in reality it was going to cost me 10 grand more. I really didn't care for the interior though. It just looked bloated, cheap, and way too busy. It was also quite a bit noisier and rode rougher than the Aura which I didn't care for. It drove like it was trying to be a little bit sporty, but really didn't succeed. It felt out of its element.

I agree completely with their saying that it's terrible that Aura/Malibu don't have nav as an option. I've read that it would cost too much money to retrofit the epsilon I platform to be nav-capable... it would require significant changes to the basic design of the wiring system. Epsilon II (found in the LaCrosse and all new 2011 or 2012 Malibu, etc) will offer nav in all vehicles.

I'm really glad to see the new 2010 Fusion took home the honors. I never was blown away by the previous generation with the exception of its excellent balance between ride quality and handling/dynamics. I have high hopes for this new one though. I never bothered to test drive one before getting my Aura just because I knew I couldn't get many incentives on it since it was so new.

bad co

The passat is by far the true class leader sure it has a premium but its a step away from competing with cars like the c a4 and the 3

FKL

^In size yes, but remember the top trim VR6 model (now discontinued) was stuffed with luxury and tech features and really felt like a $40K car. So sure a step up from the Accord/Camry, perhaps why it isn't included due to all 09 models starting at $28K. Maybe they should have mentioned this part...

IS350jet

Love this comment about the Camry.

"Great sales don't necessarily equal a great car."

LexFather

You would think the Camry is some car that falls apart, crashes, handles like a Pinto, has the interior of an Excel and the engines of a Daewoo the way they act.
I'm not saying its best in class but its FAAAAR from as bad as these simpletons make it.

mmarshall

The current-generation Camry DOES have the interior quality of an Excel...if not worse. On the other points, you are correct..........it is a good car. Its paint job, powertrain smoothness, ride quality (in the non-SE version), noise isolation, and control layout are all above average. But some of the interior materials, particularly the large, flimsy, wobbly dash *****, border on junk.

RX300-BV

I'm a big fan of the new Fusion, in Sport and Hybrid. I thought the past Fusion was good but really thought Ford needed to upgrade their engines. They certainly did with the 2010 models. (New I4, improved 3.0 V6, 3.5 V6 option, hybrid I4)

I owned the past gen Accord ('07 EX V6). Looking at the current gen, I don't like the interior at all. I agree with the cluttered layout of the center console. I also don't like the increase in size, not every one wants bigger.

I actual agree with Edmunds on the Camry. I hate the ride, handling, and interior of the Camry. I've never been a fan of the Camry styling either, although the current gen is much more pleasing than the past gen Camry. The Camry is a good fit for the average car buyer that looks at a car as an appliance, just something to get you from point A to B. Toyota has the right formula though since it is the top seller in this class by a wide margin.

LexFather

I must have Toyota shades on b/c I've driven an 08 SE many times and I think its more than perfectly acceptable and a very solid family car.

mmarshall

Oh sure, it's a good family sedan overall, although the SE chassis and tires are slightly more aggressive than the other Camry versions. But do you agree with me that the interior silver plastic and wobbly-dobbly ***** are sub-par? (That's one thing I tend to notice because I tend to adjust the stereo/climate controls a lot)

FKL

Toyota isn't alone as you'll see when you srart fiddling around in the new Accord.

mmarshall

Not even close. The present-generation Accord interior, despite more hard-plastic trim than before, is noticeably more carefully-built, with higher-quality materials, and slicker-operating *****/switches, than the Camry. The Camry, however, beats the Accord in exterior paint gloss, powertrain smoothness/quietness, and road noise isolation.

speedflex

Camry has its pluses and minuses but I personally can't stand the car. Its insistence on being good, rational transport without an ounce of attitude or quirk bores me silly. It would be near the bottom of my list for a car in the class. I've driven one for a week as a rental and I was constantly regretting them not having something else available for me. And yes, the dash and ***** are cheapy.

YEH

Aside from a few nitpicks here and there, I'd say it's a pretty fair assessment, esp. as a more enthusiast viewpoint rather than a more utilitarian one (i.e. - Consumer Reports).

RX300-BV

The bread and butter of the mid-sized family sedans are the I4 variants. When the Altima starts at around $20.6k, the Fusion at $20k, the Camry at $20k, the Sonata at $19.4k, Accord at $21.6k, Malibu at $22.3k, while the Passat starts at 29k, you aren't seen many cross shoppers at this level.

If you start comparing loaded V6 versions, the Passat with similar packages would start pricing into the mid, upper $30k's. By price point, they don't really compare. Personally I think that hurts VW sales. The Passat is a premium family sedan but in it's price range you are now going up against the entry luxury class which include the TL, ES, IS, A4, CTS, MKZ, 3 series, C Class, G37, even the Genesis. Other premium competitors would be the Avalon, Maxima, and the new 2010 Taurus.

The Passat is caught in a tough position. VW lacks the prestige of the luxury brands and is priced significantly above the mass (I4) mid-size family sedan market.