Midsize QOTD

"Nibbles" (nibbles) 01/07/2014 at 14:42 • Filed to: OPPO QOTD, Bad Ideas

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Sometimes, we have to do it. Sometimes there really isn't much of an option; and Miata is not the answer. This is one of those times.

If you were to purchase a new midsize sedan, had less than $30k to spend, and had to go with an automatic transmission, what would you go for? Is the high torque number good enough to deal with the vomit-enducing visuals of a Malibu Turbo? Would you take the exciting Mazda6 despite its little four-pot? Tell us why in the comments!

Myself, I would be leaning toward a V6 Charger if this wasn't a midsize competition. So I'm really not sure what to go with, hence the QOTD

duurtlang > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:44

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In the US? I'd probably pick the 6 or the Fusion.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:47

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The Cruze, despite it's bland looks, wouldn't be such a bad idea. I'd probably have to stick with the Fusion though.

Kruezerman > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:47

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Fusion. But for the same price for a fully loaded Fusion, I can get a fully loaded 320i.

Decisions, decisions...

BadMotorScooter > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:48

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Passat TDI. And you have a choice of a manual or automatic for under $30k.

And the automatic is a dual-clutch automated manual, a manumatic.

For Sweden > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:48

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If I had less than $30,000 to spend, I'd get a Charger R/T, which starts at $29,995.

Storz > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:48

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How much is a 6cyl Genesis Sedan now? That would be pretty high on my list, or perhaps the new Mercedes CLA

Nibbles > For Sweden 01/07/2014 at 14:50

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But the Charger is a full-size

Yes, semantics I know, but still

Nibbles > duurtlang 01/07/2014 at 14:50

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Why would you pick the Fusion or the 6, and would one win you over the other?

911e46z06 > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:51

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I'd find 10 grand and buy an SS

For Sweden > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:52

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If I have to live buy your rules, I'm getting an Accord V6 for $30,345, then stealing $346 dollars from you.

Nibbles > Storz 01/07/2014 at 14:53

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The Genesis starts at $35k, unfortunately.

McLarry > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:53

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My gut reaction is Mazda6....Followed closely by the Fusion. Prolly test drive both and pick the winner.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:53

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Subaru legacy, Fusion ecoboost, Mazda 6, even the accord isn't too bad. I'd avoid Nissan products due to some of the worst CVT programming and design in the history of ever. The malibu still isn't quite up to task. The 200/Avenger are punchlines to bad jokes.

If it was my money though - I'd go VW diesel. The passat TDI is not a terrible car to drive and has a lot of features along with the reliable engine in the lineup. <30k for a sunroof, dual clutch gearbox, the 2.0L TDI motor, a fair amount of interior volume and trunk space, and a responsive yet gentle ride. A proper goldilocks car if it only came in a few more colors and was just a touch more interesting to look at.

duurtlang > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:53

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Good question. Gut feeling I guess. I like how they look compared to others and reviews tell me they're (among) the best to drive as well.

If it were my decision I'd make a short list and test drive all the cars on that list first. That alone could make me pick one over the other.

willkinton247 > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:53

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Passat V6 SE

280 HP and the automatic transmission is VW's excellent DSG dual clutch, for just under 30K.

Brian, The Life of > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:54

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EcoBoosted Fusion. Done and done!

moralderpitude > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:54

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I've been cross-shopping for a while and it was a three-way tie between the Fusion, Passat TDI and the Mazda6. Personally though I'd wait until either Mazda brings over their new diesel or VW moves to the new +10hp engine next year.

Storz > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 14:55

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Kia Optima SX Turbo

Nibbles > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 01/07/2014 at 14:56

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Good points about the TDI! And yeah Nissan is out of the question with me as well; I cannot stand CVT gearboxes.

Nibbles > For Sweden 01/07/2014 at 14:59

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So what would draw you to the Accord?

For Sweden > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:00

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POWAAHHHHH

CalzoneGolem > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:00

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I'd pick a Fusion so when I drove it over to my inlaws we'd all still have Fords.

Where have all the lightweights gone? > 911e46z06 01/07/2014 at 15:10

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Try $15-20k. I have yet to see one go for less than $47k

Jayhawk Jake > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:12

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Kia Optima, with the turbo.

Jayhawk Jake > McLarry 01/07/2014 at 15:12

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Why not Kia? Optima is nicer than either of those, and you can get it with a 274 horsepower turbo 4.

Jayhawk Jake > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? 01/07/2014 at 15:12

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Cruze is a compact.

Rico > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:13

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I don't get all the hate for midsize cars =/ they aren't just for Mom's and Dad's with kids. Look I'm in my early 20's and will probably end up with a midsize sedan because it's more practical and I have friends, friends who don't have cars and I know how absolutely annoying and uncomfortable it is to have to sit in the back seat of a coupe.

Onto your question, I say go for a Honda Accord V6 or a Mazda 6. The V6 will have more power than the Mazda but both are equally nice. The Accord has a nice interior, good power, a lot of features. Mazda 6 is probably fun to drive, I haven't driven one, but the ride is a bit stiff and jerky for passengers (at least that's how it felt) I'm not a fan of the Fusion because almost every cop in NYC is given one. Dodge Charger is okay but not my style really.

HammerheadFistpunch > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:15

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though technically correct, the Accord is less than 1 cubic foot away from being a large car, and the charger is only 1 cubic foot over the line.

Rico > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:15

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I'm starting to get the impression that Hyundai is on drugs.

oldirtybootz > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:16

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I'd have to drive both but I'd be between the Fusion and 6. Honda isn't getting my money, I don't want a Camry, I'd never buy a Hyundai/Kia or VW, the Avenger is a joke, I'm not a fan of the Malibu, and the Legacy is hideous.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Jayhawk Jake 01/07/2014 at 15:17

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Not nearly as compact as my Aveo. Compared to my Aveo, the Cruze is a boat!

Idomathforaliving > Jayhawk Jake 01/07/2014 at 15:20

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I haven't looked into Kia for at least three years, probably four, but they seemed to have a heck of a poor reputation for reliability. Have they improved?

duurtlang > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? 01/07/2014 at 15:20

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Isn't the Aveo a subcompact? Anyway, compact cars have grown quite a bit.

Idomathforaliving > Brian, The Life of 01/07/2014 at 15:22

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Those things are pretty super and Ford is a pretty solid brand...

McLarry > Jayhawk Jake 01/07/2014 at 15:22

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Because Kia... At this juncture I have no respect for the brand, which may be unfair given they've been on the rise for some time now. I can't seem to break the "Kia=crap" statement that seems to be hardcoded in my mind.

911e46z06 > Where have all the lightweights gone? 01/07/2014 at 15:23

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I may be picking one up soon. I was quoted 41 out the door.

Tom McParland > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:25

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Wait I have to get an auto? Because I would totally get an Accord Sport 4cyl 6MT. OK if I can't get 3-pedals Optima SX Turbo.

Nibbles > HammerheadFistpunch 01/07/2014 at 15:27

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If I can use this technicality to my advantage, then my answer is 100% Charger R/T :)

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > duurtlang 01/07/2014 at 15:28

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Honestly, I have no idea what they classify it as. All I know is that the Aveo worked great for having a kid, but definitely won't work for kid number two coming in May. Definitely need to upgrade!

Jayhawk Jake > McLarry 01/07/2014 at 15:28

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You're a backwards idiot if you still think that way.

Sorry, I don't mean to be so harsh but get your head on straight. They make damn good cars now. I owned one for 2 years, and it was the previous generation which wasn't nearly as good as the current stuff.

Nothing about Kia is the same as it was 4 years ago. I'd even argue that the Optima is a much better package than the Fusion for the money. It certainly looks nicer inside and out

Nibbles > McLarry 01/07/2014 at 15:28

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Go drive one

Hell, just sit in the back seat of a new Optima

Holy crap, they've come a long way

Jayhawk Jake > Idomathforaliving 01/07/2014 at 15:29

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I had one for 2 years and never had a single issue. I don't think reliability is a problem for them anymore, at least not any more than Volkswagen or Mazda.

SpeedSix > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:29

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Mazda6 with the 6-speed manual and 2.2L diesel.

Jayhawk Jake > duurtlang 01/07/2014 at 15:29

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It is

HammerheadFistpunch > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:30

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There is a 2.2 cubic foot interior volume difference between an accord and a charger. The US does their size classifications by interior volume. 120 and up is large car and the charger is 121.2, the accord in 119

Nibbles > SpeedSix 01/07/2014 at 15:31

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DQ'd because manual :(

Nibbles > HammerheadFistpunch 01/07/2014 at 15:33

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Good to know

Also the 2014 Charger has gone up in price; the R/T starting at $30,495.

Where have all the lightweights gone? > 911e46z06 01/07/2014 at 15:38

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Seriously!? Jump on it!

What color?

Idomathforaliving > Jayhawk Jake 01/07/2014 at 15:41

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I worked at a dealership as a porter and low level greasemonkey through my undergrad and just remember these things being spectacular nightmares. Think 1980s Jaguars. It was a very different experience from what I saw at a Ford/Lincoln/Mazda dealership, Jaguar dealership and a Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge dealership and the last year I worked there was 2009. You might be right and they may have improved, but I would do some very sturdy research first. Research that I could have easily done and probably turned into a nice infographic instead of typing this, but meh.

Jayhawk Jake > Idomathforaliving 01/07/2014 at 15:46

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Yeah, you had a bad experience 4-5 years ago. They've changed their cars significantly since then. They may still be a nightmare, but I haven't heard of serious issues tin the recent stuff. I've heard more complaints about VW than I have about Kia.

Xentron Holy Reaper of Worlds > Nibbles 01/07/2014 at 15:48

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Why? Because Rustled Jimmies.

McLarry > Jayhawk Jake 01/07/2014 at 16:06

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No offense taken, but honestly I think you'd be hard pressed to justify that kind of insult simply on the grounds that 'I'm not a Kia fan'... I understand you have one and feel the need to defend it, but we try to keep Oppo a little more civil than the rest of the internet...

Anyhow, I'll take the hit on being a bit 'backwards' in my opinion because I know they're considered 'good' these days, but I had a Hyundai back in the mid '00's (long enough ago to be distant, but still feels recent enough), as did a couple other folks in my family and all of our experiences together very clearly set the "NEVER AGAIN" flag on Hyundai (and Kia by extension)...that's not exactly something that just resets itself nicely after a few positive motortrend articles, if you catch my drift, so it's safe to say I'm STILL not in the market for a Hyundai or a Kia. I'm sure if I was in the market for a family sedan they'd have come back on my radar by now, but I haven't really been following that market at all, save for all the good things I keep hearing about the Fusion and Mazda6, thus my response to this poll. Kia and Hyundai may have come a very long way, but they built themselves a very strong and very poor reputation, and that's not the kind of thing that goes away quickly.

tl;dr, I 'hear' they're good, but I haven't had the occasion to try any new ones and certainly haven't sought any given my previous experience with Korean cars. I don't particularly care that you have one, I'm still allowed to dislike them.

911e46z06 > Where have all the lightweights gone? 01/07/2014 at 16:08

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Black. That's the only thing I'm hesitant about. I hate all the colors. I'm kind of flirting with spraying it Holden purple or a nice dark blue.

Jayhawk Jake > McLarry 01/07/2014 at 16:16

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I don't own one now, I had one.

My point is, in the pure hypothetical throwing out a Kia because you once had a bad experience just seems stupid to me. That would be like not considering a Ferrari because some people have taken pictures of Ferrari's on fire.

It's just a constant issue with Kia, and it's a tired trope. "Oh, Korean cars were shit in 2000, there's no way they've improved since then so I'm just going to say they are shit".

If you had told me you had a 2009 and had problems, I might agree with you. In that case you would have had a recent experience that would still be at least somewhat valid. But the mid 2000's were a decade ago. In car terms that's forever ago. That's 10 model years ago. That's 3 different CEOs ago. The entire factory has probably had machines come and go in that time.

You might as well say you had a bad experience with Limewire while downloading a Backstreet Boys album so you don't trust iTunes.

I'm not justifying an insult, I'm sarcastically pointing out the ridiculousness (in my view) of your statement. Okay, it was a little over the edge, I apologize. Justifying my stance based on my experience with Kia isn't the best justification, but it isn't any worse than justifying brand hatred because of a bad experience.

All I ask is you take a second to step back, realize that the mid 2000's were a decade ago, and give some nice cars a chance. I'm not telling you to buy one, I'm just saying not to count them out.

Where have all the lightweights gone? > 911e46z06 01/07/2014 at 16:21

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I will get one once I have some more cash flow coming in, and I thought about respraying in one of these colors:

Perfect Blue

Royal Peacock Green

911e46z06 > Where have all the lightweights gone? 01/07/2014 at 16:23

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I'm digging that green

Where have all the lightweights gone? > 911e46z06 01/07/2014 at 16:28

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I see it as the Aussie answer to British Racing Green. I'm still wondering why we didn't get this color instead of the green we got.

McLarry > Jayhawk Jake 01/07/2014 at 20:02

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Eh...I wouldn't not buy a Ferrari simply for having seen pictures of some on fire, but if MY Ferrari were to self-immolate that might turn me off to Ferrari - see my point? I don't hate Hyundais because I have some ethereal impression formed arbitrarily by public opinion on the matter, I've personally seen 100% of the Hyundais owned by my family suck mightily - to the extent that still today my siblings and I quip that the logo 'H' is for "Hasbro" as a testament to their build quality. Had you owned one in those days as well I have no doubt you would not have returned to have the good experience with your car that you did. Yeah, it was a while ago... so what? I still keep hearing "Don't VW's have tons of electrical problems?" because of all the issues they had back around 2000...and this is a marque with an excellent reputation. How much longer then for a marque that's never meant anything but crap to finally shake off its poor history? Hyundai simply cannot make good cars for 5 years and expect it to erase the terrible cars they made for the 10 years before that. As they say, it takes years to build a good reputation and minutes to destroy one or some such thing.

Anyhow... I'm droning on, and I'm sure you understand where I'm coming from so I don't need to belabor this point any further. Now that you've given me such a positive review (and reading other folks' opinions on here too) I would indeed test out the Optima should I find myself in the market for a decent midsize car or asked for advice on the subject (Oppo is a GREAT place to get advice and find that cars you thought were crap are good and vise-versa). Doesn't make me want one, but I won't rule it out anymore.

Long Live the Longdoor > Tom McParland 01/07/2014 at 21:59

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Why the Accord Sport 6MT instead of the Mazda 6 6MT? I like both (if I needed a mid-size sedan), I'm just curious.

Tom McParland > Long Live the Longdoor 01/07/2014 at 22:14

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I was disappointed in the passing power of the 6. Hopefully the diesel will change that.