According to the editors of Consumer Reports, buying a family sedan doesn't necessarily mean giving up creature comforts to save on fuel. Higher trim levels in this category offer many opulent features, and fit and finish levels of family sedans can reach near luxury models.
CR recently tested four family sedans: the four-cylinder Chevrolet Malibu with a new six-speed automatic transmission, the Hyundai Sonata, the redesigned Mazda6 and Saturn Aura with an updated powertrain.
In addition, CR also looked at two other family sedans, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI and the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid. Despite being smaller and less roomy than the family sedans in the test group, the diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta TDI outranked them all.
Prices for the conventional cars in this group range from $20,735 for the four-cylinder Sonata to $30,790 for the V6 Mazda6 Grand Touring.
The test group findings:
• Hyundai Sonata (26 mpg overall, four cylinder, 22 mpg overall, V6). This freshened sedan packs a lot of gear for the price and delivers a pleasant ride, a quiet and spacious cabin and very good fit and finish. Its four-cylinder engine provides reasonable power and attains impressive fuel economy, while the V6 powertrain boasts top-grade refinement. Driving enthusiasts need not apply, though: Its handling, though secure, does not make it fun to drive. Reliability has been very good, and the Sonata is a CR recommended model.
• Chevrolet Malibu (25 mpg overall). The four-cylinder Malibu has been updated with a six-speed automatic transmission that improves the fuel economy and throttle response. It remains well-rounded overall, though no qualities are outstanding. It handles well and has a competent powertrain and a very quiet, spacious, well-trimmed cabin. First-year reliability has been very good, and the Malibu is a CR recommended model.
• Mazda6 (24 mpg, four cylinder, 20 mpg overall, V6). The Mazda6 retains its sportiness with the 2009 redesign. In addition to being fun to drive, the new car is roomier, quieter and quicker, and it has a higher-quality interior. Road noise is still a bit pronounced. Fuel economy is not a strong suit with the powerful V6. Reliability is yet unknown.
• Saturn Aura (24 mpg overall). Although Saturn's family sedan is a sibling of the Chevrolet Malibu, it is not quite as good. Still, it's fairly roomy inside and rides well, the controls are intuitive, and electronic stability control is now standard. For 2009, the base XE trim adopted a four cylinder as its standard engine rather than a V6. Handling is sound but unexceptional. Reliability of the four-cylinder Aura is unknown, and Aura V6s have been average.
The other sedans:
The Jetta TDI now ranks among CR's top sedans that cost less than $25,000. Both cars have impressive fuel economy for a family sedan, with 27 mpg overall from the Malibu Hybrid and 33 mpg overall for the Jetta.
The Jetta TDI is the first clean-diesel vehicle from Volkswagen that CR has tested. It has a new engine with more power and cleaner emissions than the previous TDI. Although it's half a size smaller than the midsized sedans in the test group, the Jetta is an impressive package overall. Because its emissions are now clean enough, the Jetta TDI can be sold in all 50 states.
Among family sedans that cost $20,000 to $25,000, the Jetta TDI scores second only to the four-cylinder Nissan Altima, outscoring the highly ranked Toyota Prius Touring and Honda Accord four cylinder.
The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, another supposedly greener car, is the very definition of a mild hybrid. Its hybrid system shuts down the gasoline engine at stops and supplies a mild electric boost from a standstill, but it doesn't do much more.
Yet the Malibu Hybrid left CR disappointed. It got only 2 mpg better in fuel economy than the four-cylinder Malibu. And it cost about $3,000 more than the regular Malibu version.
Source : http://www.consumeraffairs.com (2/2/2009)
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