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| Family Sedans - Cars : Reviews, Ratings & Buyers Guide |
| The Best Family Sedans Reviews and Family Sedans Ratings |
| Best Consumer Products.com have reviewed and rated the best family sedans for our auto guide. Please let our family car reviews and family car ratings help you to purchase the best family car. |
| Important Features to consider when Buying : |
| Fuel economy should be at least in the mid-20 mpg range in
mixed city and highway driving, both for economy and to maximize
time between fill-ups. Some types of vehicles, notably luxury
sedans and sport utility vehicles, average only 15 to 18 mpg.
For ease of use and to boost resale value, a family sedan should have an automatic transmission available, at least as an option, and that transmission should be equipped with at least four speeds to ensure smooth operation. Some cheaper cars still come with three-speed automatics, which feel clunky when shifting. Look for quiet, rattle-free operation, even over uneven road surfaces. Traction control and anti-lock brakes are valuable as they improve the ability to move and stop on wet or otherwise slippery surfaces. All new cars are obligated by federal law to have front driver and passenger airbags and side-impact beams, but front-side impact beams (which protect the head and upper torso of front seat passengers in side impacts) are not yet federally mandated The sedan should comfortably seat four and have adequate space for a fifth person, at least for short trips. The center seat in the back should have a full shoulder belt, not just a less-safe lap belt. The trunk should be large enough to carry several days' worth of luggage for four people. To better carry bulky items, the rear seat should fold down, the flatter the better. Split-folding rear seats, which allow one section to fold while the other remains upright to accommodate passengers, are best. The faster a car can accelerate smoothly, the better. The best sedans can generally accelerate to 60 mph in about 8.5 seconds or less. Handling should strike a balance between comfort and performance.
The best sedans ride smoothly, even over uneven road surfaces,
but are not so softly sprung that they wallow when turning,
braking or accelerating. |
| The Reviews |
| TOYOTA Avensis Review |
| All new Avensis and doesn't it look well? Toyota designers
have given the Avensis a deliberately European look because
this is the market where they want success with this car. Don't
expect anything less than total competence from the new model.
With a fine range of engines, superb build quality, a more pleasant
interior environment and rock-solid reliabilty, you can expect
the new model to take over where the old one left off, as the
best seller in its class. Good Point Probably the best car in its class now. Bad Point Just lacks the driver appeal of the Mondeo. But not by much. |
| Mitsubishi Galant ES Review |
| It is a big solid car with excellent reflexes and handling
characteristics, with smooth, powerful engines capable of lugging
that load. All of the standard extras are on board, while the
warranties (not that you need them, judging from Mitsubishi's
superb reliability record) ensure that this is one of the best
secondhand buys in town. Or the country. An excellent automatic
transmission can smooth this transition, while the comfort levels
and golden silence - especially at speed - ensure you have a
particularly German autotrait: refinement. Good Point Japanese car of the Year 1998. Need we say more? Viable BMW alternative at low price Bad Point Thee residuals aren't overly healthy |
| Honda Accord EX V-6 Review |
| Honda has moved their Accord up the social ladder with their
new Accord and are now aiming their model up against the likes
of the Audi A4 and BMW 3-series. With a choice of two engines
and some very impressive standard equipment, the Accord can
put forward a good argument for its inclusion at the upper end
of the scale, the only possible difficulty could be in the eyes
of the buyer, who may consider the car as more of an upper-class
company car rather than a real high-class executive car. Good Point Those delicious engines and accurate handling. Good build quality. Bad Point A little too ambitious to consider it a BMW rival. |
| Nissan Primera Review |
| The new Primera has hit showrooms and is the latest contender
to the d-segment dogfight. The new model competes with the already
established Ford Mondeo and Renault Laguna and hopes to gain
new customers as well as existing ones thanks to its impressive
new shape and standard equipment. The new Primera is completely
different to the old car from the ground up. There is currently
a choice of two body styles, a 4-door saloon and a 5-door estate.
There are three engine variants for now, a 1.6 and 1.8 petrol
and a 2.2 litre diesel. There are three specification levels,
Visia, Tekna and Acenta. The Tekna specification is available
in only the 1.8 petrol and the 2.2 diesel. All models get full
climate control, a 6 speaker CD player, ABS and ISOFIX child
seats points. The real clever bit is the reversing camera standard
on the Acenta and Tekna. By way of a dashboard mounted monitor,
it is possible to view exactly what is behind you. This is a
great feature. Good Point Great new design. Finally the Primera is a car to be proud to own. Bad Point Do we really need a reversing camera? |
| Volkswagen Passat Review |
| This is the VW tilt at the upper-middle exec sector, so expect
a lot. A good, solid design updated from the disappointing original
variations makes this one of the front-running family saloons
on any roads today. Those superb VW engines range from 1.6-itre
up to 2.0-litre. The diesels are some of the best in the business.
The Passat is a roomy car - especially for the long-legged,
although rear passengers might have to watch their heads, but
there is an excellent finish to the cabin in both the saloon
and estate. Good Point VW build quality and rock solid resale value. Bad Point Not nearly enough standard equipment on offer from VW |
