The last time we visited this space, we pitted the Toyota Avalon (the very same one we have here, in fact) against the new Hyundai Azera and the aging Nissan Maxima. The result of that comparison was a photo finish between the Hyundai and the Toyota, with the Avalon winning by just a grille. Now, we've invited the Avalon back to take on two brand-new-to-market challengers, the Chevrolet Impala and Kia Cadenza, along with two recent large refreshes, the Chrysler 300S and the Ford Taurus. The winner will need to display superiority through multiple criteria, including ride comfort, interior refinement, performance, fuel economy, safety, and value. Full-size sedan shoppers are about as concerned with the fun-to-drive aspect as they are Justin Bieber, so we'll put our normal enthusiast perspectives aside for this one and concentrate on what makes a full-size sedan so desirable to so many people.
Ride and Handling
Let's face it: If you're shopping for a full-size sedan, ride comfort is paramount. Leave the kidney-busting, sport-tuned damping for the sport sedans of the world -- this segment is all about a ride that won't leave sloshed latte all over your business colleague's white-collared shirt.
Sad to say, a
comfortable, composed ride is something the Avalon just doesn't have, as
we noted in our last full-size comparison. Associate editor Mike Febbo
found "it crashes and bangs over the smaller bumps, then just floats
away over the bigger ones." Those crashes and bangs also transmitted a
lot of noise through the cabin, leading to a "cheap and unrefined" feel,
according to executive editor Ron Kiino. The Avalon's steering seemed
artificial, though the Toyota did feel fairly nimble on the twistier
sections of our drive route, in part because of its low 3557-pound curb
weight.
The Chrysler 300
had a firmer than average ride as well, but managed to maintain a strong
level of comfort and composure. It rolled little in corners and had
plenty of grip, but as the only one in the pack to tip the scales at
more than 2 tons, there was no hiding the 300's bulk. Perhaps most
disappointing was that the Chrysler's rear-drive platform didn't make it
feel much different from the rest of the front-drivers. Around the
curves, the car felt much more nose-heavy than its best-in-test
51/49-percent front/rear weight split would suggest.
By comparison, the 3968-pound Ford Taurus (the
second-heaviest car here) was decidedly middle of the pack. "On the
road, the Taurus is acceptable," said associate online editor Benson
Kong. "The car bounces around a bit, but it isn't uncomfortable." That
soft, floaty ride contributed to massive body roll in corners that, when
combined with quick turn-in, tossed occupants around more than we'd
like.
The Impala, while lighter on its feet than the 300, drew fans for its "American car" ride -- supple and never crashy, though well-composed and stable at the same time. Said Kong, "The Impala is my pick for most appropriate ride of the segment. There's a bit of a controlled heave to let you know, 'Hey, the car is going to provide as plush a ride as it can.'" Kiino agreed, "The ride is well composed. Much better than Toyota's and marginally better than Kia's." But what of the Kia? Associate online editor Nate Martinez noted of the Cadenza, "It's extremely smooth, well-sorted, and amazingly comfortable." While the Kia's steering lacked much feel, it wasn't significantly worse off than most others in the group, and body roll was minimal. Also worth noting: The Kia drove like the smallest car in the group, even though it's larger in every exterior dimension than the Avalon.
The Avalon impressed everyone with its smooth, punchy power delivery and a transmission that was quick to respond, especially in Sport. With the lightest weight and such an eager V-6, it wasn't a surprise when the Toyota posted the top quarter-mile time of the group. "The 3.5-liter V-6 is the best part of this car," said Kong. Kia's Cadenza also impressed with its eager 3.3-liter mill and paddle-shiftable six-speed auto. Though only midpack on output with 293 hp on tap, the Kia tied for second-quickest quarter-mile time with the most powerful car in the group: the 305-hp Chevy Impala. On the road, both cars felt plenty quick merging into busy freeway traffic, but on winding, hilly roads, the Chevy's transmission hunted endlessly for the proper gear, resulting in frustration and a lot of engine noise. Manual mode is an option, but per Kiino, "The toggle buttons aren't the quickest or easiest to use. Give me paddles!"
The Impala, while lighter on its feet than the 300, drew fans for its "American car" ride -- supple and never crashy, though well-composed and stable at the same time. Said Kong, "The Impala is my pick for most appropriate ride of the segment. There's a bit of a controlled heave to let you know, 'Hey, the car is going to provide as plush a ride as it can.'" Kiino agreed, "The ride is well composed. Much better than Toyota's and marginally better than Kia's." But what of the Kia? Associate online editor Nate Martinez noted of the Cadenza, "It's extremely smooth, well-sorted, and amazingly comfortable." While the Kia's steering lacked much feel, it wasn't significantly worse off than most others in the group, and body roll was minimal. Also worth noting: The Kia drove like the smallest car in the group, even though it's larger in every exterior dimension than the Avalon.
Performance
Fun fact: Every vehicle in this test has a dual-overhead cam, 24-valve, 60-degree V-6 under the hood. In fact, the greatest variance between the smallest engine in our group (Kia) and the largest (Chrysler) is a measly 16 cubic inches. It's what they did with those cubic inches that mattered.The Avalon impressed everyone with its smooth, punchy power delivery and a transmission that was quick to respond, especially in Sport. With the lightest weight and such an eager V-6, it wasn't a surprise when the Toyota posted the top quarter-mile time of the group. "The 3.5-liter V-6 is the best part of this car," said Kong. Kia's Cadenza also impressed with its eager 3.3-liter mill and paddle-shiftable six-speed auto. Though only midpack on output with 293 hp on tap, the Kia tied for second-quickest quarter-mile time with the most powerful car in the group: the 305-hp Chevy Impala. On the road, both cars felt plenty quick merging into busy freeway traffic, but on winding, hilly roads, the Chevy's transmission hunted endlessly for the proper gear, resulting in frustration and a lot of engine noise. Manual mode is an option, but per Kiino, "The toggle buttons aren't the quickest or easiest to use. Give me paddles!"
Most editors found
the Kia's shift paddles well-placed, but thought downshifts were a
little slow to arrive, while upshifts were usually quick.
Another car in this pack to offer paddle
shifters was the Chrysler 300S. Feedback was generally positive for the
300's 3.6-liter Pentastar engine and adjoining eight-speed automatic.
Though the Chrysler was the heaviest car of the group, it trailed the
Avalon by just 0.2 second in the quarter mile and did it with a burly
rumble from its exhaust. The 300 also earned praise from Kiino for its
quick-acting gearbox. "The eight-speed is sweet -- smooth, quick, and
intuitive."
The Taurus brought
up the rear of the pack in most performance measures. Slowest in the
quarter mile and the longest-stopping car from 60 mph at 125 feet (the
300 and Impala were shortest at 115), the Ford had just 20 more
horsepower than the Avalon to bring its additional 400 pounds up to
speed.
That said, its quick turn-in and huge 255-width
tires were enough to bring it the second-quickest time in our
figure-eight testing, behind the 300. Unfortunately, the Ford suffered
from lots of engine noise and a balky transmission, with similar gear
hunting and awkward button-style manual modes to those of the Chevy.
Efficiency
With curb weights in this group ranging from just shy of 3600 pounds to more than 4100, your average 3-and-then-some-liter V-6 has to work reasonably hard to gather and maintain momentum. While we do tend to push our test cars a bit harder than the average user, our figures take into account freeway driving, city driving, and the type of winding, hilly back roads you might find on your next weekend getaway. With all the cars driven the same way on the same roads, we're able to draw some conclusions about which are more efficient in the real world -- EPA numbers aside.
Just looking at EPA
numbers shows that four of our cars are rated at 19 mpg city (the
Avalon is 21 mpg city) and a spread of 28 to 31 mpg highway (Kia at the
bottom end, Toyota and Chrysler at the top). Our observed, real-world
numbers were nothing close to those.
Even an eight-speed transmission couldn't help
the Chrysler. The 300's Pentastar V-6 downed fuel like a hipster
chugging PBR to keep its 2 tons moving, returning a lackluster 16.1 mpg
in our testing. That's 3 mpg less than even its EPA city estimate. The
Ford fared a bit better at 18.1 mpg, but with its constant gear-hunting
and second heaviest curb weight it couldn't contend for the top spot.
Not surprisingly, the Ford and Chrysler had the worst weight-to-power
ratios of the group, with 13.8 and 13.7 lb/hp, respectively.
The Chevy and Kia finished just 0.1 mpg apart at 19.0 and 18.9 mpg, respectively, an especially impressive performance for the Chevy given its extra 100 pounds over the Kia and its penchant for gear-hunting. Both cars effectively matched their estimated city EPA rating, which, considering our road driving loop, is fair.
The not-so-surprising winner of the fuel-economy shootout was the Toyota Avalon. With observed fuel economy of 22.1 mpg, not only did the Toyota beat its city EPA rating by 1 mpg, it also beat the Chrysler's observed rating by a huge 6 mpg, despite an equal EPA highway rating of 31 mpg. In our last full-size test, the Avalon outsipped the Hyundai Azera and Nissan Maxima by nearly 3 mpg.
The Chevy and Kia finished just 0.1 mpg apart at 19.0 and 18.9 mpg, respectively, an especially impressive performance for the Chevy given its extra 100 pounds over the Kia and its penchant for gear-hunting. Both cars effectively matched their estimated city EPA rating, which, considering our road driving loop, is fair.
The not-so-surprising winner of the fuel-economy shootout was the Toyota Avalon. With observed fuel economy of 22.1 mpg, not only did the Toyota beat its city EPA rating by 1 mpg, it also beat the Chrysler's observed rating by a huge 6 mpg, despite an equal EPA highway rating of 31 mpg. In our last full-size test, the Avalon outsipped the Hyundai Azera and Nissan Maxima by nearly 3 mpg.
Cockpit/Cabin
A full-size sedan's interior is a complex thing. Not only does it have to provide the driver with comfort, practicality, and pleasing aesthetics, it also has to provide the same for up to four passengers. As a near-luxury segment, there's also a higher expectation of quality for full-size sedans. Just as no one would pay for business class and be happy flying coach instead, full-size sedan shoppers shouldn't settle for midsize amenities.The Avalon made up some ground in this category, too, with an interior that drew style praise from nearly everyone. Though the material quality didn't wow every editor, the rear seat did with an abundance of legroom and separate climate controls instead of just vents as in the competition. The Avalon was also exclusive in offering three (instead of just two) 12-volt outlets and featuring auto up/down rear windows. As with the Kia, the rear seats are also heated.
Kia scored high
here as well. Though on paper, rear seat legroom comes up a few inches
short to the Toyota, sitting in the rear cabin reveals little difference
in actual space. We also praised the Kia for its rear-window sunshade
(as in the 300 and Avalon), soft leather upholstery and heated and
cooled front seats (also seen in the Toyota and Chevy). One strike
against: Front and rear headroom were found to be slightly lacking for
6-plus-footers, possibly to do with the panoramic sunroof. Some also
disliked the virtual gauge display.
The best of the rest was the Chevy Impala, with a fairly spacious but somewhat hard and uncomfortable rear seat. We also griped about the laggy center display and questionable gray leather with teal stitching, a color combination we might have seen at a Sizzler restaurant in the 1990s. That said, headroom was good front and rear, and there were two USB ports in the center console. Trailing just behind was the Chrysler 300 with less usable rear seat room than the others despite its huge dimensions. While the dashboard layout was pleasant enough and the display worked well, some felt the all-black interior needed to be livened up a little. Bringing up the rear was the Ford Taurus, with its "gun-slit" rear window visibility, marginal rear seat room (though some found slightly more foot and legroom than in the 300) and plenty of hard plastic interior materials. This being a low-optioned tester, the Taurus was also low on features and many found the front seating area cramped as well, with an oversized center console and protruding dash.
The Impala is also yet to be tested by either safety organization, meaning crash test results can only be hinted at by the Cadillac XTS, with which it shares a platform. The XTS also received a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, and our Impala came with blind-spot monitoring, frontal-collision warning, and a lane departure warning system all standard as part of the 2LZ package. The Avalon, Taurus, and 300 have all been tested by the NHTSA and the IIHS, each receiving 5-star overall and Top Safety Pick scores by the respective organizations, though the Toyota was the only one that didn't achieve five stars on the NHTSA's frontal crash test. As expected by its entry-level price, the Taurus is lightest on techy safety features, with no preemptive crash avoidance to speak of, though it does have eight airbags.
The best of the rest was the Chevy Impala, with a fairly spacious but somewhat hard and uncomfortable rear seat. We also griped about the laggy center display and questionable gray leather with teal stitching, a color combination we might have seen at a Sizzler restaurant in the 1990s. That said, headroom was good front and rear, and there were two USB ports in the center console. Trailing just behind was the Chrysler 300 with less usable rear seat room than the others despite its huge dimensions. While the dashboard layout was pleasant enough and the display worked well, some felt the all-black interior needed to be livened up a little. Bringing up the rear was the Ford Taurus, with its "gun-slit" rear window visibility, marginal rear seat room (though some found slightly more foot and legroom than in the 300) and plenty of hard plastic interior materials. This being a low-optioned tester, the Taurus was also low on features and many found the front seating area cramped as well, with an oversized center console and protruding dash.
Safety
It's all about the trickle-down tech. Once only found in the rarified air of S-Classes and 7 Series sedans, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, precollision systems, adaptive lighting, and blind-spot monitoring have made their way to the masses. The Kia, for example, includes all those things, plus eight airbags when the boxes for the Technology and Luxury packages are ticked, as on our tester. Unfortunately, the Cadenza is so new to market that it has yet to be crash-tested by either the IIHS or NHTSA. The similar Hyundai Azera was tested by the IIHS and named a Top Safety Pick, though it has yet to be tested by the NHTSA.The Impala is also yet to be tested by either safety organization, meaning crash test results can only be hinted at by the Cadillac XTS, with which it shares a platform. The XTS also received a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, and our Impala came with blind-spot monitoring, frontal-collision warning, and a lane departure warning system all standard as part of the 2LZ package. The Avalon, Taurus, and 300 have all been tested by the NHTSA and the IIHS, each receiving 5-star overall and Top Safety Pick scores by the respective organizations, though the Toyota was the only one that didn't achieve five stars on the NHTSA's frontal crash test. As expected by its entry-level price, the Taurus is lightest on techy safety features, with no preemptive crash avoidance to speak of, though it does have eight airbags.
Our 300 came
equipped with blind-spot monitoring and what Chrysler calls Cross Path
Detection, which monitors intersections and driveways for vehicles
approaching from the side. Forward collision warning and adaptive cruise
control are also part of our car's SafetyTec package, among other
features. Seven airbags can be found in the 300's cabin.
Like the 300, the Avalon includes adaptive
cruise control in its Technology package, as in our car, and adds a
precollision system to boot. Blind-spot monitoring is standard and the
Toyota boasts 10 airbags.
Though the Taurus is light on the wallet with the lowest as-tested price by roughly $6000, it was also light on content and space, and the only car here without nav. For the $33,490-as-tested price, you'd get better bang for the buck in the midsize segment. We hoped for a little more from the Chrysler 300 as well. Though it offers enough options to rival luxury sedans at a whole other price level, value here also means a rear seat that doesn't penalize those who have to sit in it. Value also means offering reasonable fuel mileage, and with the lowest efficiency of the group, the Chrysler falls well short of the mark laid down by its competitors in this test.
Value
In these times, value is more important than ever. The midsize sedan segment is one of the industry's largest markets, offering lower prices than most anything in the full-size range. The question that follows is: What's the rationale for going full-size over midsize? Interior space and luxury-type features are the most popular answers, so which of our pack gives the most for the least amount of money?Though the Taurus is light on the wallet with the lowest as-tested price by roughly $6000, it was also light on content and space, and the only car here without nav. For the $33,490-as-tested price, you'd get better bang for the buck in the midsize segment. We hoped for a little more from the Chrysler 300 as well. Though it offers enough options to rival luxury sedans at a whole other price level, value here also means a rear seat that doesn't penalize those who have to sit in it. Value also means offering reasonable fuel mileage, and with the lowest efficiency of the group, the Chrysler falls well short of the mark laid down by its competitors in this test.
Chevy's Impala
fared better, offering features of the most expensive car here at a
price tag that was $3000 less. A large rear seat and the second-best
fuel efficiency also spell value with capital letters, and acceleration
is just 0.1 second slower than the quickest car in this competition.
That leaves the Avalon and the Cadenza at
$42,500 and $41,900, respectively. The Toyota's huge fuel economy
advantage, roomy rear seat, and exclusive features all bode well for its
performance here. But the Kia takes the value cake with similar
interior space to the Toyota, better interior materials, 19-inch wheels,
and lane-departure warning, all for hundreds less than the Avalon.
Sure, $600 isn't much of a difference at this price point, but here's
the kicker: If you remove the safety-laden technology package from the
Kia's option list, its price drops to under $39,000, making it the
second-cheapest car of the group behind the Ford. Now that's a strong
value proposition, if you ask us.
Cost of Ownership
To give you a better picture of what your new car purchase might cost in the long run, we've asked IntelliChoice, our partner in the Motor Trend Automotive Group, to provide five-year cost of ownership data for our consumer-focused Big Tests. IntelliChoice is a recognized leader in providing data on average depreciation, fuel cost, fees, insurance, financing, maintenance and repairs, and more for every car on the market. And if you're not ready to buy one of the cars in this comparison today, IntelliChoice also provides data on used and Certified Pre-Owned cars, so you can buy a used model in a few years' time with confidence. Our low-cost leader in this comparison is clearly the Ford Taurus, but that doesn't tell the whole story, because of the Taurus' low purchase price. The Toyota Avalon featured the lowest depreciation by percentage of purchase price (52 percent) while also boasting the lowest fuel cost along with the second-lowest maintenance and insurance totals.Conclusion
With gas tanks hovering near empty and engines ticking softly as they cooled, we wrapped up our drive loops and sat down to a seafood-fueled debate over which pretender to the luxury car throne made the most convincing argument. We talked about how the Chrysler had the most street presence of the pack and how frugal the Taurus' price point was, even if it struggled to keep up. We agreed that the Impala represented a huge comeback for an even bigger nameplate and probably has one of the best-looking front ends this side of a Camaro. We discussed the Avalon's stylized interior and its huge efficiency advantage over the rest of the pack, and expressed disappointment that its ride and interior isolation had diminished from the previous car. Then we talked about how Kia had managed to build a car utilizing roughly the same engine and platform as its upscale brother, Hyundai, and somehow managed to do a better job. While the Kia wasn't the best in every category, it was strong in those that make the most difference: ride comfort, interior space, and fuel economy. It has a features list that could rival an $80K BMW's and value that places it above its full-size brethren. For those reasons, the Kia Cadenza is our full-size champ.1st place: Kia Cadenza
A huge value proposition, solid fuel efficiency, near-luxury ride, and pretty sheetmetal make the Kia our near-unanimous choice for first place.
***Courtesy of MotorTrend.com
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