Popular Midsized Sedans to Avoid and What to Buy Instead
No need to settle for what's trendy. Consider these reliable midsized cars that perform well in CR's tests.
Every year SUVs attract more buyers, with those new sales coming at the expense of sedans. As a result, automakers continue to cut sedans from their lineups in order to have more SUVs on the showroom floor.
Domestic automakers such as Ford and Chrysler/Dodge have exited the sedan market entirely. Chevrolet has also announced that it will end production of its midsized Malibu sedan later this year, with 2025 being the final model year. That leaves the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 as the only sedans in General Motors’ U.S. lineup.
But there are still many consumers who prefer sedans because they effectively blend fuel economy, passenger room, cargo space, and flexibility into a package that’s often more enjoyable to drive than the average SUV. Sedan enthusiasts don’t have to worry, as there are still many models available from a variety of automakers.
Yet the car market works in mysterious ways. Good cars that perform well in Consumer Reports’ tests often don’t sell as well as models with lower Overall Scores. Here, we focus on models that are popular in their category, then present two alternatives.
- A better choice: Another vehicle that sells well but has a higher Overall Score.
- An “under-the-radar” alternative: A better-scoring model that doesn’t sell as well, in case you aren’t concerned with following the crowd.
