Sedan Guide
The traditional definition of a sedan is an enclosed passenger vehicle with two rows of seats. It’s an old idea, but it still works for most people and needs. If your car needs to hold five or fewer people, a good choice—compact to full-size—is probably here.
Browse all Sedans
Acura ILX
Year: 2013 Starting at $28,900 MPG 38-39 The 2013 ILX sedan aims to offer lots of luxury in a small package. Although not much bigger than the Honda Civic, the ILX holds up better on bumpy roads. The ILX’s smooth plastic interior isn’t as highbrow as some competitors', but it certainly doesn’t grate the eyes. Keyless entry and ignition, push-button start, and a power moonroof come standard, but the real draw is the standard Pandora Internet radio interface. Acura’s first offering to the entry-level luxury market comes with three powertrain options: a five-speed automatic, a more exciting six-speed manual transmission, and a 111-horsepower hybrid. The hybrid makes up for its lack of punch with an impressive 39 mpg in the city, which might be enough to make you embrace the gridlock on your morning commute. Even the base ILX is more fuel-efficient than the rest of Acura’s fleet. The ILX’s styling may not turn heads, and for the money (around $30,000), you may as well check out the peppier Acura TSX, but the ILX offers a touch of sophistication without the sticker shock usually associated with a luxury brand. …
Acura TL
Year: 2013 Starting at $43,185 MPG 17-25 The 2013 TL has no changes from the 2012 model, perhaps because 2012 was the TL’s best year in recent memory. The redesigned front end is much more appealing, with changes to the grille and the front and rear bumpers. Previous TLs sported a love-it-or-hate-it beak-like snout; the new incarnation is much more refined. The real changes are on the outside, but the TL does now offer optional creamy Milano leather seats. The TL allows drivers to choose between two engines: 280-horsepower V-6 with a six-speed automatic transmission or a 305-horsepower engine with a six-speed manual transmission. If you know your way around a clutch, the manual is refreshingly smooth. The smaller engine is an improvement over previous five-cylinder models, but the 300-horsepower manual has more pickup and handles tight turns better than the automatic. The TL’s fuel economy is respectable at 17 to 20 mpg city and 25 to 29 mpg highway. Like the RL, the TL has a dated navigation system and cluttered climate and audio controls. Despite minor deficiencies, the redesign gracefully handled most of the TL’s problems, leaving behind a car that both looks and feels more like luxury. …
Acura TSX
Year: 2013 Starting at $30,510 MPG 22-31 The 2013 Acura TSX makes no changes from the 2012 model year, but it comes with enough options to make up for it. The TSX comes as a sedan or wagon, with either a 2.4-liter 201-horsepower engine (lots of fun, even if it lacks some power) or a 3.5-liter V-6 with more brute force. Acura’s silky-smooth manual transmission is available in the sedan. The TSX compliments its punchy engine with a new, smoother suspension. The sedan has a paltry 12.6 cubic feet of trunk storage, but this car was clearly not built to move a family cross-country, and with its other features you might not miss the space. If you do need more room in the back, the wagon has twice the cargo space of the sedan. Believe it or not, a car this fun to drive doesn’t have to be a gas guzzler. At 19 to 22 mpg in the city and 28 to 31 mpg on the highway, the TSX is more efficient than Acura’s more sedate (read: boring) sedans. Its relatively low cost is reflected in the lack of a navigation system in the manual, and the more powerful V-6 comes at a premium. These small sacrifices just might be worth it for the chance to drive the TSX. …
Toyota Avalon
Year: 2013 Starting at $30,990 MPG 21-31 Since Toyota first launched the Avalon in the 1990s, the full-size four-door has been Toyota’s version of the Buick: comfy, quiet, and easy to digest. As the Toyota brand’s flagship, the Avalon has enjoyed popularity among the retiree set as well as among satisfied Camry customers who simply want a little bit more, in the form of an extra-wide cabin, a Costco-grade trunk, a high level of creature comforts, and a schmaltzy ride. But the all-new 2013 Avalon has evolved into something more than a Camry. It has become lighter in weight and shorter in both height and length, making it one of the more garage-friendly full-size sedans around. Just as significant, the Avalon has upgraded almost everything under the skin, and now it shares pretty much all of its innards with none other than the slick new 2013 Lexus ES. Like the Lexus, the Avalon is powered by a silken, powerful 3.5-liter V-6 with 268 horsepower in standard form, or a four-cylinder/electric powertrain combo in the new-for-2013 Avalon hybrid that scores an EPA rating of 40 mpg. The 2013 Avalon was designed in California and brandishes a glitzy new grille, LED running lamps, sweeping body sides, and an elegantly arching roof. But the Avalon’s new interior may be its best attribute, offering not just tons of space but far more luxury experience than ever, thanks to additional sound-deadening materials, hand-stitched dash covers, capacitive touch controls, and lots of fancy options including heated front and rear seats and soft ambient lighting. …
Toyota Camry
Year: 2013 Starting at $22,235 MPG 25-35 From the Don’t Mess with a Good Thing department comes the 2013 Toyota Camry. Still looking fresh after its complete redesign for the 2012 model year, Toyota’s perennial bestseller is unchanged for 2013, and that’s generally fine by us, as Toyota did a remarkable job adding emotion to the Camry this time around (not too much, of course…2012 is an election year, after all). Not only does its styling actually convey, well, actual style from its broad, beveled mug to its chunky, L-shaped taillamps, but it drives pretty well, too, with taut suspensions and communicative steering. Three engine choices await customers, including a frugal 178-horsepower four-cylinder, a velvety 268-horsepower V-6, and a four-cylinder/electric hybrid, the latter helping the Camry hybrid achieve an impressive 41-mpg rating from the EPA. The interior still suffers from some corporate boardroom austerity, but it is comfortably equipped even in base form and feels Lexus-like in uplevel XLE form. And of course, since it’s a Toyota, assembly quality is pretty spectacular. As good as it is, however, the Camry will have a tougher time than ever keeping its sales crown this year, with stiff new competition coming from the Ford Fusion, the Chevrolet Malibu, the Nissan Altima, and the Camry’s arch-nemesis, the Honda Accord, each of which should also be checked out by mid-size sedan shoppers before plunking down their money for a Camry. …
Toyota Corolla
Year: 2013 Starting at $17,060 MPG 26-34 Yes, it eventually happens to all cars, even the best-selling automobile the world has ever known, the Toyota Corolla. And now, it is undeniable: the Corolla is getting old. Of course, that hasn’t stopped people from buying Corollas in droves. And so with an audible sigh, we report that 2013 brings yet another mild update to a car that has been around in its current form seemingly for an eternity. So why do people still buy the Corolla en masse? Simple: it’s simple…as in uncomplicated, plain, or as some might say, dull. And to be fair, one person’s dull is another’s “reliable transportation,” and don’t expect us to argue with that. But don’t expect us to get too excited about it, either, as the only available engine remains a wimpy 132-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder mated to five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions. The Corolla LE and S models receive some reconstituted option packages, and a new 6.1-inch screen-based interface for the Display Audio system. Fuel economy is respectable but falls short of newer, fresher, and far more exciting competitors such as the Ford Focus, the Chevrolet Cruze, the Volkswagen Jetta, and the Hyundai Elantra, all of which should be considered by anyone looking at a new Corolla this year. …
Dodge Dart
Year: 2013 Starting at $15,995 MPG 25-36 In case you aren’t an ardent car aficionado, Chrysler (and hence, Dodge) is now part of the Fiat family. Why bring this up? Because the 2013 Dodge Dart is the first new vehicle developed under Fiat’s stewardship for any of its new family of American brands, and not only does it fill a gaping hole in the Dodge lineup, it does so with real swagger. Despite being half Italian, the Dart exudes plenty of American style. Its proportions are European, but its unbroken strip of LED taillights spanning the trunk, à la the Charger, as well as the aggressive headlamp and grille treatment, are purely American. A choice of three four-cylinder engines (ranging from 160 to 184 horsepower) and three transmissions (including a conventional manual) furnish the engine bay, any combination of which should help keep one’s fuel bill manageable, though no Dart iteration achieves the magic 40 mpg fuel economy figure that has become the gold standard among compact cars. Inside the Dart, its somewhat 1990s-esque architecture detracts little from its generally pleasant ambience, and its calling cards include its availability in many flavors, each with smart ergonomics, and a huge back seat. Prices for its five available trim levels, which start under $17K and run into above $23K for the performance-oriented R/T model, are competitive compared to other compact cars. Then again, that’s darn cheap compared to most Italian automobiles. …
Dodge Charger
Year: 2013 Starting at $25,995 MPG 18-27 With the Dukes of Hazzard’s General Lee in its bloodline, the 2013 Dodge Charger certainly has attitude. What other car, besides its corporate cousin the Chrysler 300, can be the perfect family car by day and star in rap videos by night? With rear-wheel drive or on-demand all-wheel drive, the Charger has also become the darling of law enforcement, if that means anything to you (just don’t expect it to get you out of any speeding tickets, trust us). Still, there are many reasons it can wear so many hats. First, it looks great, with a menacing stare and many Mopar accessories available to help you customize it to your liking (the Blacktop package is particularly hot, we think). It also has some chops, with a base V-6 making 292 horsepower, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that helps the big girl achieve 31 mpg on the highway. Spring for the 370-horsepower V-8 and it becomes downright fast, and for speed demons, a scary-looking 470-horsepower SRT-8 model is pure hooligan heaven. Finally, the Charger has a value story to tell, with base models starting under $26,000 (less than a V-6-equipped Toyota Camry), and dashboard trim rendered in real aluminum. Optional are sport seats, a simple Garmin-based navigation/infotainment system using a huge 8.4-inch screen, and even a Beats by Dr. Dre sound system. A full-size sedan with full-size character, the Dodge Charger is as American as a car gets. …