Midsize Passenger Cars

Many offer fuel-thrifty 4-cylinder engines and are affordable, in part because of intense competition amid the more than 40 nameplates in this class.

They're midsize cars—a large, popular segment for U.S. consumers looking for decent-size vehicles that can be used for wide-ranging tasks such as daily commuting, family errands, vacations and carrying some cargo in the trunk.

Manufacturer suggested retail prices start under $16,500 for a 2006 Kia Optima and 2006 Chevrolet Malibu and go all the way beyond $80,000 for a luxury-appointed, high-performance, midsize 2006 BMW M5 with V10.

Photo Gallery: Midsize Passenger Cars

"Bread-and-Butter" Segment

For decades, the midsize car segment in the U.S. has been known as the "bread-and-butter" segment for carmakers because of its large size and plentiful buyers. In calendar 2005, the last full year for which statistics are available, midsize cars accounted for one out of every five vehicles sold in the U.S., according to automotive researcher J.D. Power and Associates.

This kind of sales volume has encouraged virtually every automaker to offer a midsize car of some kind—from the Suzuki Verona and Hyundai Sonata to the new-for-2006 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan.

But in recent years, sales in the category have been shrinking as consumers try other types of vehicles, especially sport-utility vehicles, for their everyday needs.

Thus, during calendar 2005, sales of midsize cars totaled some 3 million, down from 4 million a few years earlier.

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Still, some midsize autos are so popular they rank among the top ten best-selling vehicles in the country.

For example, in calendar 2005 the midsize Toyota Camry marked its fourth straight year as America's best-selling car with sales of more than 430,000. Industry observers expect another banner year as a new-generation Camry, due out in spring 2006, makes an early 2007 model appearance. Its starting MSRP is around $18,000.

The midsize Honda Accord, which ranks as the second-most-favorite car in the U.S., had 2005 sales of more than 369,000.

The Nissan Altima, another midsize auto, also was among the 2005 America's top ten bestsellers with sales of more than 255,000.

(See what other vehicles were the bestsellers of 2005.)

More Hybrids

Gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles are included in the midsize offerings, and during calendar 2006, their number rises to five.

Toyota's new-generation Camry adds a new version for 2007—a gasoline-electric 2007 Camry Hybrid due out by summer 2006.

While official fuel economy figures have yet to be released, Toyota officials estimate the five-passenger sedan with Camry styling and 4-cylinder engine mated to an electric power system could be rated at 43 miles a gallon in city driving and 37 mpg on the highway. (Yes, the highway mileage is lower because highway driving requires more use of the gas engine and less of the fuel-saving electric power in Toyota's patented Hybrid Synergy Drive system.)

Even though the Japan-based automaker is adding the Camry Hybrid, Toyota continues to sell the midsize Prius, which is the best-selling hybrid car in the world. In the U.S. in calendar 2005, the Prius became the first hybrid to pass 100,000 in annual sales. The Prius also ranks as the midsize car with the best fuel economy rating according to the U.S. government—60 mpg city/51 mpg highway.

Like other hybrids mentioned above, the Prius seats five. But rather than looking like a regular sedan with conventional styling, the Prius has more futuristic styling and is a hatchback.

Meantime, Honda updated its Accord Hybrid for 2006 with new styling and an improved hybrid system. The midsize car uses a gas V6 with electric power for an official fuel economy rating of 25/34 mpg. Among the new features is a standard power moonroof on the Accord Hybrid.

Luxury brand Lexus adds its first hybrid car. The 2007 GS 450h is the first luxury sport sedan with hybrid power and the most expensive hybrid car in America, with a starting MSRP of more than $54,000.

Lexus officials describe the luxury-appointed GS 450h as a performance car with a 3.5-liter V6. With supplemental help from the electric system in the car, the GS 450h can accelerate from a standstill to 60 miles an hour in the same time it would take a comparable car with V8: about 5.2 seconds. Horsepower in the hybrid GS is 339, and combined fuel economy (city/highway) is expected to be around 28 mpg.

Also due in calendar 2006 is Nissan's first hybrid: The 2007 Altima Hybrid sedan. Nissan is using Toyota's hybrid system to install in its Smyrna, Tenn.-built Altima.

One Diesel Model

Mercedes-Benz continues offering a diesel-powered version of its midsize E-Class sedan.

The E320 CDI is powered by a 6-cylinder turbodiesel engine and is rated at 27/37 mpg. Buyers enjoy strong low-end torque in this luxury model, which has an MSRP just over $51,000.

Note that because of emissions standards in California, New York, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont, the E320 CDI isn't sold in these states.

Different Body Styles

Most cars in the midsize segment are sedans, but there are a few hatchback models, such as the Prius and Chevrolet Malibu Maxx.

The Maxx includes a versatile back seat that can slide fore and aft 7 inches to accommodate long-legged passengers or, alternatively, allow more cargo space behind the seat. Another thoughtful feature on the Maxx: a fixed "skylight" over the rear seats that helps give riders a spacious, airy feeling.

A few midsize cars, such as the Volkswagen Passat, BMW 5-Series, Audi A6, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Subaru Legacy, are available as both sedan and station wagon. As a wagon, the Passat Wagon offers 35.8 cubic feet of cargo space in back. This is as much as the cargo room behind the second-row seats in a Toyota RAV4 SUV.

Some cars in the midsize category are coupes. Examples include the Pontiac GTO, Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Toyota Camry Solara. Note that the 6.0-liter V8 400-horsepower GTO is in its last model year and will not return for 2007.

Some midsize models, such as the Saab 9-3, Camry Solara and Chrysler Sebring, are also sold as convertibles. The Sebring has been a top-selling convertible for years, thanks to the car's usable back seat and affordable starting MSRP in the mid-$20,000s. Pontiac adds a hardtop convertible to its midsize G6 during calendar 2006.

Sizes on the Increase

Over the years, midsize cars have been getting larger.

The Mercury Montego replaced the Mercury Sable, for example, and is longer, taller and wider than the Sable. Front and rear legroom and shoulder room are all improved. So is trunk space, which, at 21 cubic feet, is nearly 50 percent more than what's found in major competitors. Rear seats of the Montego also fold down, expanding the load floor for cargo to 49.9 inches.

At Buick, the Regal is gone. In its place, the Buick LaCrosse is longer, taller and wider, though trunk space is reduced by 0.7 cubic foot to 16 cubic feet. Note that the LaCrosse replaced the midsize Buick Century, too.

Pontiac's G6 sedan is longer, taller and wider than the Grand Am sedan it replaced. As a result, the G6 as more rear-seat legroom and headroom.

More Power

As in many other segments, increasing engine power is a trend for midsize cars. The 2007 Camry, for example, has an uplevel V6 that's larger in displacement—3.5 liters vs. 3.3 liters in the year-earlier model—and has significantly more power—268 horsepower vs. 210 in previous Camry cars.

Some brands are adding performance versions of their midsize cars. In the 2006 model year, Cadillac adds the performance V version of its STS sedan. The STS-V has a 469-horsepower 4.4-liter supercharged Northstar V8. This compares with the 320-horsepower 4.6-liter Northstar V8 and the 255 horsepower 3.6-liter V6 in a regular STS.

The STS-V is the second Cadillac sedan with V performance. The other is the lower-priced CTS-V, which also is a midsize car.

Not to be missed is BMW's high performance, midsize M5 that's new for the 2006 model year. This new-generation M5 is the first with ten cylinders in the engine. Horsepower peaks at 500, and 0-to-60-mph acceleration is rated at 4.5 seconds.

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