When it comes to lusting after a particular vehicle, midsize cars tend to get overlooked. While they may not have the flash of sports cars or the imposing aesthetic of SUVs, they’re like a dependable workhorse. Their spacious, comfortable interiors make them a practical choice for families.
If you’re in the market for a new car, then you need to look at these midsize sedans and the features that make them the best in their class.
Honda Accord
The Accord ranks at the top for midsize cars because, overall, it’s an excellent vehicle. You get great value with the two different engine options. Your first option is the 1.5-liter turbocharged four cylinder. Or you can opt for the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The engines produce 192 and 252 horsepower, respectively.
You get slightly better fuel economy with the 1.5-liter at 30/38 mpg. The turbocharged engine gets slightly less at 22/32 mpg.
There are five different trim packages to choose from: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring. All models come standard with a six-speed variable automatic transmission. The Sport trim is the best value with the most technology features. You can also upgrade the Sport model to the larger engine.
Several safety features come standard on the Accord, including the Honda Sensing suite, automatic high-beam headlights, and rearview camera. There are several features included in the Sensing Suite:
- Forward collision warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane keep assist
- Lane departure warning
- Traffic sign recognition
- Road departure mitigation system
Pros
A significant advantage of the Accord is the responsive and powerful engine, as well as its fuel efficiency. The interior feels spacious, and you’ll like the upscale feel of the materials. While the car feels sporty and fun, it’s also safety-focused with plenty of standard features that protect your whole family.
Cons
Part of the reason the interior feels so spacious is the low seating position; the low seats can make it challenging to get in and out of the car. Also, once inside you’ll notice that it isn’t as quiet of a ride as other midsize sedans.
Mazda 6
The Mazda 6 is one of the most enjoyable cars to drive on this list. Its comfortable cabin and chiseled features make it a desirable car. This gives you an elevated feel without the luxury price tag.
There’s a base engine that comes standard on all trims and a turbocharged engine upgrade that’s available on some trims. The standard engine pumps out 187 horsepower, while the turbocharged option bumps you up to 250 horsepower. You can expect to get 26/35 mpg out of the standard engine and 23/31 mpg out of the turbocharged version.
There are four trim levels available: Touring, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, and Signature. These four variations are important because you need to choose a higher trim level to have more features.
There are some safety features that aren’t standard but are available for all trim packages. Standard on all Mazda 6 vehicles are:
- Automatic high-beam headlights
- Rain-sensing windshield wipers
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
- Forward collision warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Pedestrian detection
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Rearview camera
Other available safety features are adaptive headlights, traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, and surround-view parking camera system.
Pros
This car is stylish inside and out. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the quality feel of the materials. This extends through to the front seats, which are both supportive and comfortable. The car’s driving dynamics make it particularly enjoyable to drive.
Cons
The ride quality of the Mazda isn’t as nice as other midsize cars in its class. You might be able to improve this by adjusting the suspension.
Buick Regal Sportback
The Regal Sportback from Buick proves that a midsize car doesn’t have to be boring or plain. Throw all of your preconceived ideas about Buick out of the window, and you can appreciate the sleek bodywork. You’ll also find refined road manners and comfortable accommodations.
Most of the Regal trims have the 250-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. There’s a larger engine option too: a 310-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 engine.
The fuel economy varies significantly between the different trim packages. The base model gets 22/32 mpg, while the TourX gets 21/29 mpg, and the Regal GS gets 19/27 mpg.
When it comes to trim levels, you need to start with the body type. The Sportback is the hatchback version, but you’ll also see the TourX version of the Regal, which is the wagon. Once you decide on the body type, you can choose your trim package: Regal, Regal Preferred, Regal Essence, Regal Avenir, or Regal GS.
There are a few standard safety features included on the Regal but not as many as competitor midsize cars. A Teen Driver System and a rearview camera are standard. There are also several safety features available as upgrades.
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Rear and front parking sensors
- Forward collision warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Pedestrian detection
- Lane change alert
- Lane keep assist
- Lane departure warning
- Following distance indicator
- Adaptive cruise control
- Head-up display
- Adaptive headlights
- Automatic high beams
Pros
The cabin of the Sportback is well insulated to give you a quiet ride. The hatchback roofline styling makes it easy to access cargo. Under the hood, there’s a powerful engine that’s paired with all-wheel drive.
Cons
If you’re used to driving luxury cars, then you may find the interior of the Buick lower quality in its feel. While the engine is powerful, the handling isn’t well matched, which leaves this car not as enjoyable to drive as some others. There’s also an automatic start/stop feature that can get quite annoying.
Ford Fusion
When it comes to options, the Fusion has them in abundance. You’ll be able to customize your car to fit your exact needs and driving style. There are four engine options and six trim levels that range from bargain basement to almost luxury.
There are both standard and EcoBoost engine options available. While turbocharged options are available, they won’t have the get up and go that you’re used to experiencing when driving other turbocharged vehicles. It also doesn’t achieve the best fuel economy at 23/34 mpg and 21/31 mpg.
When it comes to trim levels, you can start with the base level S and then work your way up through SE, SEL, and Titanium. There are also two eco-friendly trims, the Fusion Hybrid and the Fusion Energi.
Ford includes its Co-Pilot360 suite on the Fusion. This includes several safety features and driver-assist features, including the following:
- Lane keep assist
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Forward collision warning
- Pedestrian detection
- Forward automatic emergency braking
Pros
Ford put some thought into the layout of the interior, which makes everything on the dash intuitive and easy to reach. There’s an optional all-wheel-drive system to make driving in winter conditions safer. It also gives the car a composed and sharp feel to the handling. The eco-friendly, plug-in hybrid version is also a nice option.
Cons
While the layout of the interior is nice, the actual infotainment interface can be more challenging to use than other models. The handling of the Fusion is decent, but the acceleration isn’t impressive. You’ll also find that the fuel economy in real-world conditions doesn’t quite live up to EPA estimates.
Nissan Altima
The Altima is the perfect stylish family car. It comes with a little something for everyone. The rear seats are roomy, there’s innovative technology, and it has a powertrain that maximizes fuel efficiency.
When it comes to what’s under the hood, you have your choice of a 180-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, or the 248-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The small engine achieves an impressive 28/39 mpg, and the larger engine turns out 25/34 mpg.
The automaker includes both safety features and driver-assist features with its new model. Standard on all Altimas is a rearview camera, collision warning, and forward emergency braking. Here’s a list of available driver-assist features:
- Pedestrian detection
- Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability
- Lane departure warning
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Surround-view parking camera system
- Traffic sign recognition
- Reverse automatic emergency braking
Pros
The Altima is the perfect go-to car with its laidback and easy-drive style. There is a full suite of semi-automated driving features to assist you. It also has an above-average fuel economy that performs to EPA estimates.
Cons
That easy-drive style may feel slow to respond and lacking in road feel for some drivers. The interior also lacks the style and flash that competitors have. You’ll also find that the pillars are quite thick, which leads to poor visibility while driving.
Hyundai Sonata
A completely redesigned Hyundai Sonata is new for 2020. The spacious interior is one of the best in its class with a roomy back seat, plenty of technology, and a lengthy list of standard features.
For performance, there’s a front-wheel drive drivetrain and a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. It manages to muster up 191 horsepower. There’s also a turbocharged option with a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine.
Coming standard on the vehicle is an eight-inch touchscreen with a comprehensive infotainment system. You can also upgrade this on the higher trim levels to a 10.25-inch touchscreen.
The driver assistance system received a redesign to make it more intuitive and comprehensive. It now includes several standard features that you would find on higher-end vehicles.
- Adaptive cruise control
- Forward collision warning
- Pedestrian detection
- Automatic emergency braking
- Automatic high-beam headlights
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
- Lane tracing assist
- Driver attention monitoring
- Rearview camera
Pros
There is a ton of technology packed into this car, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has a classy feel in the cabin, thanks to the quality materials and attention to detail in the construction. You’ll also love the long list of features that come standard.
Cons
Despite all of the creature comforts on the interior, it lacks engine performance. Its meager power doesn’t compete with other midsize cars on this list. This makes it feel less nimble or athletic than its rivals. Even the turbo engine doesn’t hold up to the stats of the other cars.
What Is a Midsize Car?
Traditionally, a midsize car was one that measured about 210 inches long. These days, midsize cars vary greatly in size. Suzuki calls its 183-inch long Kizashi a midsize car, but that’s the size of a Chevy Cruze. Yet, Chevy calls the Cruze a large compact vehicle. Cars that commonly get labeled as midsize include the Toyota Camry, Mazda3, and Genesis g70.
You’ll find that modern midsize cars have four doors. What separates good midsize cars from the great ones is the backseat space and the height. You want to have plenty of headroom so that you feel comfortable in the front seat. There also needs to be enough leg room in the back seat so the entire family is comfortable.
Drive a 2020 Midsize Car Today
If you’re in the market for a new car in 2020, you can’t go wrong with the aforementioned midsize sedans. You’ll find great value for the price with high-quality interior materials, the latest safety features, and innovative technology. With generous back seat space, your whole family will feel comfortable riding around town.
