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Midsize Sedan Comparison | Honda Accord vs. Toyota Camry vs. Mazda6

The rumors of the midsize sedan's death have been greatly exaggerated. The 2018 Honda Accord and 2018 Toyota Camry together moved more than 262,000 units through May of this year, which is still a ton of cars. Then again, both are down year-over-year despite being completely, and quite impressively, redesigned for 2018. So yes, the midsize sedan's grip on family transportation is weakening. Ford certainly thinks so, yet this change in consumer preferences comes at a time when the current crop of sedans is sensational. They're bigger and more powerful, yet also more efficient. Safety scores are impeccable. They even look better than ever. So before running out to score one of the bajillion little SUVs flooding the market, why not ponder this trio of midsize sedan all-stars that might actually work better? Over the course of three consecutive weeks we tested the 2018 Camry XSE V6, 2018 Accord Touring 2.0T and the perennial critical-darling 2018 Mazda6 Signature. The latter was thoroughly overhauled and, perhaps as such, bucked the segment trend by actually selling more in June this year. Each was a range-topping trim level with all the bells and whistles, plus the most powerful engine available. Really, you couldn't find cars closer in power, price and feature content. View 57 Photos Performance and fuel economy Toyota bucked the turbocharged trend by sticking with naturally aspirated engines for the 2018 Camry, and when it comes to its 3.5-liter V6, it's sure hard to argue with that decision. For starters, it produces 301 horsepower. Let that sink in for a moment. A 301-hp Toyota Camry. That crushes the others, while its 267 pound-feet of torque is only 6 less than the Accord. This is a strong, smooth engine that only gets better when you realize it matches the 26-mpg combined fuel economy of the others. Honda, meanwhile, followed the masses by switching to a turbocharged four-cylinder for the Accord's engine upgrade (and its base engine, for that matter). Though its 252 hp is considerably down on the Camry and its 271 lb-ft is only a smidgen more, the Accord's torque arrives earlier in the rev range without feeling overtly turbocharged. It also has 143 fewer pounds to contend with. When wrung out, this new 2.0-liter belts out a beautiful, typically Honda song made possible by the smart 10-speed automatic (the base 1.5-liter is paired to a CVT that results in more drone than mechanical music) that thankfully doesn't draw much attention to itself.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club and Launch Edition unveiled

If you haven't been tempted enough already to place your order for a new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata, the Japanese automaker is sweetening the deal even further at the New York Auto Show this week with the debut of two new editions. Most enticing is the arrival of the new Club edition (pictured above), which brings with it a number of upgrades to Mazda's latest roadster. The MX-5 Miata Club comes with 17-inch gunmetal alloys, a limited-slip differential, Bilstein shocks, tower brace and a new spoilers front and rear. That is, when equipped with the six-speed manual. (The automatic is still available as well, but does without the diff, shocks and brace.) Buyers will even be able to upgrade to BBS alloys of the same size, Brembo front brakes and the aero kit previewed by the MX-5 Global Cup racer in Chicago. The Mazda Connect infotainment system comes standard, with seven-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, nine-speaker Bose audio... the works. The Club edition isn't the only new Miata being launched in Manhattan this week, though: so is the Launch Edition. Offered to the first 1,000 customers who place their orders for a new Miata in the US, the MX-5 Launch Edition is based on the Grand Touring trim level and comes in an exclusive combination of Soul Red paint with a tan leather interior. It even comes with a few do-dads to go along with it. Mazda is taking deposits of $500 for those first 1,000 units at www.longlivetheroadster.com, and details of both these upgraded Miatas can be found in the press releases below. Related Video: 2016 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA CLUB MAKES WORLD DEBUT AT NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW - Performance-focused MX-5 Club has trim level-exclusive Bilstein suspension, limited-slip differential - NEW YORK (April 1, 2015) – Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today introduced the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club at the New York International Auto Show, marking the world debut of the North American-focused Club model. Lighter, smaller, quicker and more nimble than its predecessor, MX-5 has adopted Mazda's full suite of SKYACTIV Technology and KODO-Soul of Motion design. In the process, MX-5 has shed approximately 150 pounds from its predecessor, with a curb weight of 2,332 lbs. when equipped with SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission (2,381 lbs. with the six-speed automatic transmission).

Lexus, Mazda and Subaru top Consumer Reports Brand Report Cards

A revised methodology in devising its annual Car Brand Report Cards has seen Consumer Reports award Lexus its top overall ranking for 2013. For the first time ever, the institute broke out individual brands from their larger corporate umbrellas, meaning car makers like Lexus and Scion were judged independently from parent company Toyota. That strategy worked out well for Lexus, as the luxury brand earned a top report card score of 79 for the 2013 model year.
The institute has recommended every one of the Lexus models it has tested to date, and said that the company's products won out thanks to "a foundation of plush and very reliable vehicles."
Meanwhile, Mazda and Subaru tied for the second-highest scoring report cars, with scores of 76. Subaru earned praised for sporting models like the BRZ, which CR testers apparently had a lot of fun driving (naturally), while the Mazda products were lauded for their blend of practicality, sportiness and efficiency. Both of the Japanese brands offered good handling, fuel economy and versatility, said Consumer Reports.