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Cars to watch in the coming years

child of wonder

child of wonder

Diamond Member
My wife and I will have our last car loan paid off shortly and then plan to save for the next 18-24 months to begin replacing our vehicles.

What cars should I keep an eye on that are planned to be released in the next 24 months? Primarily I want something fun to drive, but fuel efficiency is important, too, since I drive quite a bit for work. We also have 2 kids so 4 doors is a must.

I like what I've read about the Hyundai Sonata 2.0T but am also disappointed that it gets handily beaten by the V6 Camry in performance tests.

Having only owned cars like old 4cy Grand Ams, Ford Escorts, SOHC older Ford Tauruses, a 4cy Camry, and a Honda Civic, I'm ready for something with much more power under the hood. 🙂
 
child of wonder said:
My wife and I will have our last car loan paid off shortly and then plan to save for the next 18-24 months to begin replacing our vehicles.

What cars should I keep an eye on that are planned to be released in the next 24 months? Primarily I want something fun to drive, but fuel efficiency is important, too, since I drive quite a bit for work. We also have 2 kids so 4 doors is a must.

I like what I've read about the Hyundai Sonata 2.0T but am also disappointed that it gets handily beaten by the V6 Camry in performance tests.

Having only owned cars like old 4cy Grand Ams, Ford Escorts, SOHC older Ford Tauruses, a 4cy Camry, and a Honda Civic, I'm ready for something with much more power under the hood. 🙂
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Almost any car in it's class with a V6 will handily beat it, at least naught to 60.
It's just a compromise you have to make if you want mileage too. And the difference isn't that much in the grand scheme of things. Unless you drive a Sonata and a V6 Camry back to back to back.
I look at passing power more than 0-60. Which also includes the difference a decisive transmission can make.
 
Ford Fusion
Mazda CX-5
BMW 3-series
Cadillac ATS
Toyota/Subaru FT-86
Golf R
ZL1 Camaro

But those listed above do not have the power that you might be looking for. You could also look into Hyundai Genesis as it is pretty powerful, comfortable and pretty affordable compared to competition. Also, it looks genuinely beautiful. But it is a boat to some people.

How much is your budge flexible?
 
If it's not priced out of orbit a Mazda CX-5 with that deliciously torquey diesel engine should be a big time winner.
 
alkalinetaupehat said:
What? o.0
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also listed a couple 2dr vehicles when the OP specifically asked for 4dr.

I like the new vehicles Ford is offering, the Fusion, and Taurus with the V6 are comparable with a Camry, I think Ford's interiors are better than the Camry, in 2012 reliability is a wash, the domestics have gotten better and the imports have stayed the same or gotten worse compared to the '90s. In the midsize class the competition is pretty strong, it's hard to choose something that wouldn't meet expectations. MPG on anything with a V6 is going to be a little disappointing if you're used to driving a 4cyl, but you're looking at 250+ hp, that was V8 territory with low teens for MPG just a few years ago.
 
Fuel economy isn't a massive issue since I plan to keep my 2007 Honda Civic as our main work horse for commutes. We've been putting about 24,000 miles a year on it and I don't see that rate slowing since I drive all over the place for work.

The new car should get ~30mpg on the highway, however, since I will want to drive it to work once in a while, especially in the summer.
 
I had a 2011 Taurus with the base V6 for a day as a rental and drove it for the better part of those 24 hours. I was actually getting 30-ish mpgs at 65mph per the fuel computer and the acceleration/merging ability was very nice.

What turned me off though is the steering and handling. I drive a Supra, so for me the steering and handling were less precise - the car definitely handled like the heavyweight it is. Obnoxiously comfortable though. I jumped in and immediately began an eight hour trip after flying halfway across the country, and only felt mildly tired afterwards. The seats just stay comfy, and the cabin is very well isolated.

Trunk is also a storage facility unto itself - fit my 32" TV, Antec 300, and oversize backpack in without trying.
 
child of wonder said:
Fuel economy isn't a massive issue since I plan to keep my 2007 Honda Civic as our main work horse for commutes. We've been putting about 24,000 miles a year on it and I don't see that rate slowing since I drive all over the place for work.

The new car should get ~30mpg on the highway, however, since I will want to drive it to work once in a while, especially in the summer.
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I don't think you would have an issue from any FWD mid sized sedan geting 30+ miles to the gallon on the highway. Regardless of powerplant. EPA ratings on my V6 Malibu says only 26 mpg. But I get 32-33 mpg cruising at 80. Or 33-34 at 70-75.
 
Ferzerp said:
Same guy also said ZL1 didn't have power, so........

don't feed the troll.
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Where was I trolling? I am entitntled to my own opinion, and was trying to be helpful. And, I never said anything bad for ZL1. You must have mistaken for some one else. 😉

Sorry for the derail. 🙁
 
Perhaps I misunderstood. If so, I'm sorry. However, you list a bunch of randomly chosen cars with low-mid-range power, then list a supercharged 6.2L V8 powered ZL1 and say "These cars may not have enough power"

Just a little confusing and we get a lot of trolls who try to sneak things like that in to start arguments around here.
 
OP, do you have any other specific requirements? 4 doors, 4 seats, manual/automatic, etc? Also, do you plan on driving the car in the winter, or just a summer toy?
 
If you're looking at going up a level into the entry level lux then I agree on the A4, but you might want to consider a used Acura TSX/TL or Lexus IS250/ES350 depending on budget and size requirements.
 
Midsize sedans?

Fusion
Malibu
Avenger

Avenger has the best V6 of the three at the moment. They all have fantastic handling, build quality and interiors (including the Avenger for 2011+).
 
foghorn67 said:
I don't think you would have an issue from any FWD mid sized sedan geting 30+ miles to the gallon on the highway. Regardless of powerplant. EPA ratings on my V6 Malibu says only 26 mpg. But I get 32-33 mpg cruising at 80. Or 33-34 at 70-75.
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I've had four Malibu rentals in the last quarter... two were V6s and both did 30+ on the highway. I was extremely impressed with all the models I drove, from the no frills base model to the high end LTZ. It's an excellent car.
 
Vic Vega said:
I've had four Malibu rentals in the last quarter... two were V6s and both did 30+ on the highway. I was extremely impressed with all the models I drove, from the no frills base model to the high end LTZ. It's an excellent car.
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i rented a malibu last november and was plesantly surprised about the car too. it had some ooomph and got decent gas mileage too.
 
child of wonder said:
I like what I've read about the Hyundai Sonata 2.0T but am also disappointed that it gets handily beaten by the V6 Camry in performance tests.
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Are you buying a spec sheet or a car? Unless you plan on drag racing, why do you care how well a Sonata 2.0T stacks up against a V6 Camry in performance tests?

A 4-door sedan is an appliance.

Go out and start test driving cars. Find one YOU like that pushes all YOUR buttons. Then research that make/model to see how it does for reliability, MPG, and any other criteria that is important to you.
 
The $20-25 midsize sedan market is ridiculously competitive. This year alone there will be a new Fusion, Malibu, Accord, and Altima. And in the next couple years, a new Mazda6 and Chrysler 200. Hell, The Camry is less than a year old too. Drive them all and pick the one you like the best in terms of design and comfort.

edit: A lot of them are ditching the V6 for I4's. Turbo or not, the power war in this segment is dead. If you insist on tons of power, it seems like the Japanese are keeping 6-cylinders in this generation. Probably because they don't have a lot of trucks dragging down their CAFE.
 
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Ferzerp said:
Perhaps I misunderstood. If so, I'm sorry. However, you list a bunch of randomly chosen cars with low-mid-range power, then list a supercharged 6.2L V8 powered ZL1 and say "These cars may not have enough power"

Just a little confusing and we get a lot of trolls who try to sneak things like that in to start arguments around here.
Click to expand...

No problems. Sometimes I skim the thread a little too fast, eh? 😛
 
MiataNC said:
Are you buying a spec sheet or a car? Unless you plan on drag racing, why do you care how well a Sonata 2.0T stacks up against a V6 Camry in performance tests?

A 4-door sedan is an appliance.

Go out and start test driving cars. Find one YOU like that pushes all YOUR buttons. Then research that make/model to see how it does for reliability, MPG, and any other criteria that is important to you.
Click to expand...

Here's the thing -- I've driven nothing but boring family sedans and fuel efficient 4 bangers my entire life. I'm ready for a more exciting vehicle. In an ideal world, I'd just buy a 4 door sedan that has a 300hp engine that produces 22/32 for mileage but nothing like that exists. This means I'll have to compromise.

What I don't want is to get a car, then wish I had gotten a different one. I want to fall in love with the car and drive it for 100,000 miles.

The only ones out there that even come close to the numbers I mentioned above are the 2013 Ford Taurus (290hp, estimated 19/29 mpg), the 2012 VW Passat (280hp, 20/28), 2012 Toyota Camry (268hp, 20/31), etc.

Anyway, that's the whole point of this thread -- what cars are out there now and in the near future that I'm not aware of or haven't considered that come close to what I want?
 
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