Automotive trends come and go--SUVs were the hot sellers over the last decade, and compact cars are making a comeback. But one vehicle category is unchallenged as the perennially most-popular: the midsize car.

Of the 17 million new vehicles sold annually in the U.S., about half are cars, and of those 8.5 million cars, a full 30 percent fall into the midsize class. These truly are the middle of the market, representing the best blend of assets to meet the broadest range of needs. For a combination of passenger and cargo space, affordability, fuel economy, and variety, no other single vehicle comes close to matching the midsize car.

But that doesn't mean you can't find some excitement here, too. Adventurous styling, cutting-edge features, sporty performance, and real luxury are by no means foreign concepts in today's midsize-car market. Adding spice to your sensible buy is easy--if you know where to look.

Price Check
With base prices under $17,300 for their least-expensive models, the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, and Pontiac G6 are the most affordable midsize cars. At more than $33,000 to start, top-of-the-line Honda Accords, Subaru Outbacks and Legacys, and Volkswagen Passats are the most expensive.

Of course, with increases in price comes increases in features and amenities. These include sunroofs, leather upholstery, powerful engines, and navigation systems. But spending your money efficiently is the key in any vehicle purchase, especially in the midsize class, where the emphasis is less on prestige and more on practicality.

Don't pay for features you won't use, and favor models that include important safety items like antilock brakes and side curtain airbags in their base prices or for a reasonable premium.

Finally, consider resale value. Accord and Camry, for example, are seldom discounted, but have the highest resale value in the class. A strong resale value potentially offsets some of their initial cost. Still, many midsize buyers must determine where to save money--up front or at trade-in time. If you're on a tight budget, saving money up front may be the better choice.

Nifty Midsize Car Features

Chevrolet Mailbu Maxx has a rear seat that slides fore and aft to customize passenger space or cargo room. Honda Accord and Toyota Camry offer a gas-electric hybrid version. Nissan Maxima comes standard with glass roof panels over both the front and rear seats. Pontiac G6 is available in a retractable hardtop convertible model, or a sedan with a three-panel sunroof. Volkswagen Passat has an umbrella pouch inside the driver's door and a cooled glove box.

Come In, Sit Down
Practicality is the midsize-car's forte, and some models fulfill that core purpose better than others. Before you even take a test drive check the room and comfort of the front and rear seats. How's the headroom? Is there enough legroom? Are the cushions firm and supportive? Is the car easy to get into and out of?

A few midsize cars come as two-door coupes and convertibles, which present ergonomic challenges of their own. Long heavy doors are a hassle in tight parking spots. And a two-door car's backseat is usually cramped and particularly difficult to get into and out of.

Examine the car's trunk. Can it hold your family's vacation luggage? Is the opening large enough to load that microwave oven box? Will the trunklid hinges crush your cargo? A few manufacturers offer midsize station wagons. Is that a wiser alternative for you?

Saturn's Aura won the 2007 North American Car of the Year Award.

Power Versus Economy
Underhood, the midsize buyer's selection typically comes down to a 4-cylinder or a 6-cylinder engine. However, you can get a V8 in the Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo and in the Pontiac Grand Prix. More cylinders usually mean a higher price at purchase time and at the gas pump.

The 4-cylinder choice is a vote for fuel economy. Midsize cars with 4-cylinder engines average about 25 mpg in Consumer Guide road tests. But some feel underpowered, especially in highway passing or merging situations or with a complement of passengers and cargo. Many brands offer a manual transmission with their 4-cylinder engines, and opting to shift for yourself can benefit both acceleration and fuel economy versus the less-efficient automatic transmission.

Midsize cars with 6-cylinder engines all have enough power for most everyday needs, and some, such as the 268-horsepower Nissan Altima and 252-horsepower Saturn Aura, are downright lively. But 6-cylinder fuel economy dips into the low-20-mpg range overall, and can settle in the high-teens if you have a heavy throttle foot.

The V8 models deliver robust acceleration, but also fuel economy in the 15 to 17 mpg range in our tests.

Take your driving needs into account, and learn if the engine you want requires expensive premium-octane gas. Compare annual fuel costs--they're found right on the window sticker--and consider how your choice of engine will affect your budget.

Hybrid and Flex-Fuel Alternatives
Two midsize cars are available with gas-electric hybrid powertrains, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Both use a battery-powered electric motor in combination with a gas engine; their hybrid systems are self-charging and require no plug-in. These hybrids have worked well in our tests, delivering good fuel economy with relatively few powertrain quirks, but they cost about $1600 more than the comparable non-hybrid models in their lineups.

The Accord Hybrid, which starts at just over $31,000, is in fact the most expensive Accord model. It's also the most powerful. Its V6-hybrid powertrain is rated at 253 horsepower, compared to 244 for the non-hybrid V6. Even with its additional power, our extended-use-test Accord Hybrid averaged 27.5 mpg over 17,559 miles; comparable V6 Accords averaged 22 to 26 mpg.

Starting at just under $26,000, the Camry Hybrid is the second-most expensive model in its lineup. It teams its electric motor with a 4-cylinder engine for 187 horsepower. It averaged 31.2 mpg in our tests. Camry's non hybrid 4-cylinder has 158 horsepower and averaged 19 mpg, though that figure includes gas-eating acceleration tests. Expect a 4-cylinder Camry to average about 24 mpg overall.

The bottom line? Hybrids are a fuel-efficient way to enjoy the benefits of a midsize car. They perform as well or better than their non-hybrid counterparts, and emit fewer exhaust emissions while doing it. But it will take many miles to recoup a hybrid model's higher purchase price in fuel savings.

Sharing some headlines with gas-electric hybrids are so-called flex-fuel vehicles. These have engines that can run on conventional gasoline or the E85 blend of ethanol and gasoline, or any mix of the two. Ethanol is made from renewable plant products grown on U.S. soil, and E85 is promoted as one avenue to America's independence from imported oil.

In the midsize-car class, the Impala, Monte Carlo, and Chrysler Sebring offer V6 engines with flex-fuel capability. The E85 capability adds no cost to the purchase price of these cars, and in our tests, the use of E85 fuel has had no effect on vehicle performance.

But E85 fuel is not widely available. It's offered at only a fraction of the nation's gas stations, and most of those are in Midwest corn-producing states. And E85 has less energy content than a comparable volume of conventional gasoline, so fuel economy can suffer by as much as 20 percent per gallon.

Safety First
Any midsize car you're considering should have antilock brakes and curtain side airbags. These are very important safety features.

On some models, these features are included in the base price. On others, they're optional at between $1000 and $2000. In some cases, these safety items are available only on the more-expensive uplevel models in the lineup. In any case, it's well worth the extra expense, and money more wisely spent than for a sunroof or leather upholstery.

Antiskid control is another safety enhancement available on many midsize cars. It helps the driver maintain the intended path in fast curves and on slippery roads.

Finally, all-wheel drive can be an important traction aid in inclement weather. Among midsize cars, it's available on Mazda 6 and Volkswagen Passat models, and is standard on the Subaru Legacy and Outback.

Spice It Up
There's no reason your family car has to look or feel like a mere transportation appliance. There's no reason it has to act like one either.

Fancy alloy wheels, high-watt audio systems, body spoilers, fog lamps, heated leather seats, even swoopy coupe and convertible body styles are there for the asking in the midsize category.

Many midsize cars come in sport versions, with taut suspension settings, wide low-profile tires, even special engines. The MazdaSpeed version of the Mazda 6, for example, has all of the above, and with its 274-horsepower turbocharged engine, did 0-60 mph in a sports-carlike 6.4 seconds in our test.

None of this spice comes cheaply; you'll pay to play. And you may sacrifice some fuel economy and even comfort. Many of the performance models ride more stiffly than their plainer counterparts, for example. The upside is that even if you opt for the sporty version, you'll retain the basic utility that makes a midsize car attractive in the first place.

Reliability and Warranties
Any midsize car's value equation must take into account how much it will cost to maintain. That comes down to how often it will need service, and how much of that service is covered under warranty.

In general, Japanese brands tend to score highest on customer surveys of reliability and overall vehicle satisfaction. However, Buick and Mercury, among domestic brands offering midsize cars, scored well in some recent surveys. So did the South Korean manufacturer, Hyundai. The good news is that the gap in long-term quality between high-priced cars and non-luxury brands is closing rapidly.

Factor into your purchase decision the duration of the factory warranty. It's an important way to save money in the first years of ownership by relieving yourself of out-of-pocket service expenses.

Every manufacturer's basic warranty covers the entire vehicle for repair or replacement of everything but wear items, such as brake pads and windshield wiper blades. These "bumper-to-bumper" warranties typically last 3-years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Among midsize brands, Buick's is 4/50,000, while Hyundai's and Kia's basic coverage is 5/60,000.

All midsize cars also come with a powertrain warranty. This covers repairs on the costliest components of a car--the engine, transmission, and the rest of the drivetrain. The most generous is the 10-year/100,000-mile coverage at Hyundai and Kia. General Motors, Chrysler and Dodge have 5/100,000 powertrain coverage. The other midsize brands offer 5/60,000.

Shop Smart
With so many manufacturers represented, and with a few hundred dollars on the window sticker able to make or break a deal, the midsize market is subject to intense competition. Use this competition and price sensitivity to your advantage when negotiating the purchase price.

Shop as many dealers as practical. Make it clear to your salesperson that there are plenty of other brands and dealerships vying for your business. Keep your eye on the bottom-line price for the vehicle and all its options, including delivery fees and taxes. Use that figure for comparison.

As with any automotive purchase, get only the equipment and options you need and use. If you have to decide between, say, a CD changer or antilock brakes, do the right thing for you and your family and get ABS.

Finally, never purchase without a long test drive in the exact car you are considering. Different trim levels in the same lineup may come with specific tires and suspension tuning that make them ride and handle very differently. The same goes for differences in seats, engines, and transmissions. Here's an overview of the 2007 midsize car lineup.

Buick LaCrosse Base Price Range $22,230 - $26,860 EPA MPG Range 19 city - 30 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan L­aCrosse generates more division among our testers than most cars. All agree that no model matches Honda Accord or Toyota Camry for overall value. Some testers say the CX and CXL models suffer outdated engineering, poor road manners, and steep prices, and that the CXS falls short of its sporty promise. Conversely, other testers like the CX and CXL for their traditional Buick room and comfort, and the CXS for its engine and handling. Chevrolet Impala Base Price Range $20,830 - $27,855 EPA MPG Range 19 city - 31 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan Impala, Chevrolet's top-selling car is affordable, relatively roomy, and has competent road manners. It gains curtain side airbags and improved powertrains for 2006, but continues to trail top import rivals in overall refinement. Monte Carlo is a throwback to the era of the midsize domestic coupe. Chevrolet Monte Carlo Base Price Range $20,830 - $27,555 EPA MPG Range 18 city - 31 highway Body Styles 2-door coupe Essentially a 2-door version of the Chevrolet Impala, Monte Carlo is a throwback to the era of the midsize domestic coupe, trading passenger space and cargo room for a sporty profile. It's affordable, has competent road manners, and the SS accelerates and sounds like a muscle car. Chevrolet Malibu Base Price Range $17,060 - $23,820 EPA MPG Range 18 city - 34 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan 4-door hatch. Malibu targets Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The Malibu sedan is a bit smaller than those rivals, but the versatile Maxx hatchback has more rear seat and cargo room than either. Malibu's 4-cylinder engine disappoints, but V6 models have good pep, competent road manners, and an impressive list of standard features. Chrysler Sebring Base Price Range $18,320 - $23,320 EPA MPG Range 19 city - 31 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan Sebring is redesigned for 2007 and it's a vast improvement over the 2001 to 2006 generation. Prices are attractive, with well-equipped V6 models starting below $23,000. Unfortunately the '07 Sebring also lacks the powertrain refinement and interior roominess to match the best in this segment. Ford Fusion Base Price Range $17,295 - $21,795 EPA MPG Range 21 city - 32 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan Fusion and its near twin at Mercury, the Milan, are among our Recommended picks in the midsize-car category. They match the class-leading Honda Accord and Toyota Camry for room and road manners, if not engine refinement and cabin design. Pricing is a Ford/Mercury strong suit, however. Note that there's no substantive difference between the Fusion and Milan, but that the Mercury can cost less when comparably equipped. It has richer looking interior appointments, to boot. Honda Accord Base Price Range $18,625 - $33,090 EPA MPG Range 21 city - 35 highway Body Styles 2-door coupe 4-door sedan Accord is a Best Buy blend of confident road manners, precision engineering, and enviable refinement. To those virtues, add Honda's sterling record for reliability and resale value. Starting around $32,000, the Hybrid is pricey versus its potential fuel savings, but those fuel savings are noteworthy, considering that it's the most-powerful Accord model. Hyundai Azera Base Price Range $24,535- $27,135 EPA MPG Range 19 city - 28 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan Azera delivers an eye-opening array of standard safety features while furnishing impressive room, refinement, amenities, and build quality. Indifferent handling and ride control let it down, but overall, this conservative Hyundai stacks up well against such rivals as the Buick LaCrosse. Hyundai Sonata Base Price Range $17,195 - $22,995 EPA MPG Range 20 city - 34 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan Sonata's engineering falls short of the Honda Accord's. It's not as refined as the Toyota Camry, and it's not as sporty as the Nissan Altima. Sonata's strength is a crafty combination of comfort, roominess, mainstream design, and everyday performance at a price that compels shoppers to consider it. Sealing Sonata as a Recommended pick in the midsize class is the presence of curtain side airbags, antilock brakes, and antiskid control as standard on every model, not just the most expensive versions. Kia Optima Base Price Range $16,355 - $20,400 EPA MPG Range 22 city - 34 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan Optima is built from the same basic design as the Sonata from Kia's corporate parent, Hyundai. Like the Sonata, Optima delivers a high level of features per dollar, but comes up short in overall refinement and materials quality versus such class benchmarks as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Optima has a more sporting character and lower starting prices than Sonata, but charges extra for ABS and traction/antiskid control, important safety features we strongly recommend. Mazda 6 Base Price Range $18,930 - $29,925 EPA MPG Range 19 city - 31 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan 4-door hatchback 4-door wagon Mazda 6 is a bit less refined than the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, or Volkswagen Passat. It also trails those rivals for interior materials and 4 cylinder acceleration with automatic transmission. It is one of the sportiest midsize cars and competitively priced, with the practical wagon and hatchback models an added attraction for some buyers. Mercury Milan Base Price Range $18,745 - $23,295 EPA MPG Range 21 city - 32 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan Milan is basically as slightly dressed-up Ford Fusion. It has no substantive advantage over a comparably equipped Fusion. Both are quite capable midsize sedans that merit our Recommended label. Note that the Mercury has a longer list of standard equipment and richer-looking interior appointments and, depending on equipment choices, may actually be priced less than a comparably outfitted Fusion. Mitsubishi Galant Base Price Range $19,899 - $26,999 EPA MPG Range 18 city - 30 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan Galant matches the class-topping Honda Accord and Toyota Camry for roominess, and holds its own in acceleration and handling. But it lags in mechanical refinement, solidity, and interior-materials quality. Yes, Galant typically sells for less than a comparably equipped Accord or Camry, but that's offset by Mitsubishi's lower resale values. Nissan Altima Base Price Range $17,950 - $28,400 EPA MPG Range 20 city - 29 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan Its engines are lively but disappointingly coarse, though Altima more than compensates with a fun-to-drive character and smartly designed interior. It's a sportier alternative to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, and it gives up little in everyday usability. Put it on your shopping list. Nissan Maxima Base Price Range $28,050 - $30,300 EPA MPG Range 21 city - 28 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan This Nissan is a roomy and capable midsize option. But its price and equipment positions it between family-oriented midsize sedans and premium sport sedans. Thus, Maxima gets beaten for value by such stalwarts as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry and for performance and refinement by the Acura TL, Cadillac CTS, and Infiniti G35. Pontiac G6 Base Price Range $16,995 - $28,500 EPA MPG Range 17 city - 33 highway Body Styles 2-door coupe 2-door convertible 4-door sedan G6 lacks the well-toned feel of a Honda Accord or the isolating comfort of a Toyota Camry. But it undercuts them on price, especially with a V6 engine. Frequent discounts and a wide selection of safety and convenience features add to G6's appeal. The G6 coupe is too large for the interior space it provides, making a sedan the wiser choice of the two. The convertible benefits from the all-weather security of its retractable hardtop. Pontiac Grand Prix Base Price Range $21,560 - $28,560 EPA MPG Range 18 city - 30 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan It trails our top-rated Honda Accord and Toyota Camry for interior quality, and rear-seat comfort is subpar. Still, Grand Prix appeals for its good performance, comfortable ride, cargo versatility, and plenty of features at competitive prices. The potent GXP comes with a V8 and is worth a look if you put a premium on power and expressive styling. Saturn Aura Base Price Range $19,945 - $23,945 EPA MPG Range 20 city - 29 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan This impressive new sedan is a midsize-car Recommended pick. Some may feel the ride is too firm, but Aura shines for its sporty road manners and mechanical polish--assets too rare these days in a mainstream GM car. It's also roomy and feels solid, and offers a lot for the money, including essential standard safety features. A final plus: Saturn's strong reputation for customer satisfaction. Subaru Legacy Base Price Range $20,495 - $33,995 EPA MPG Range 19 city - 30 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan 4-door wagon Legacys are basically Subaru Outbacks shorn of their SUV styling cues. Against mainstream midsize sedans and wagons, they don't provide generous rear-seat room, and these 4-cylinder cars are pricey against front-wheel drive competitors, most of which offer V6 engines. But Legacys do appeal for their all-wheel-drive capability, available sedan and wagon body styles, and numerous standard safety features. Subaru Outback Base Price Range $21,995 - $33,495 EPA MPG Range 19 city - 28 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan 4-door wagon With their slightly raised suspensions and lower-body cladding, Outbacks offer the flavor of SUVs but with carlike size, ride, and handling. These sedans and wagons are pricey against front-wheel-drive competitors, but appeal for their all-wheel-drive capability and numerous standard safety features. Toyota Camry Base Price Range $18,270 - $27,520 EPA MPG Range 22 city - 38 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan Camry is a perennial Best Buy among midsize cars, and the redesigned 2007s improve on a winning formula. They add standard safety features and gas/electric-hybrid fuel thrift to a long list of continuing virtues. This is still no excitement machine--not even the sporty SE version. But every Camry is a class benchmark for powertrain and chassis refinement, and is backed by Toyota's strong record for reliability and resale value. Toyota Solara Base Price Range $19,930 - $30,460 EPA MPG Range 21 city - 34 highway Body Styles 2-door coupe 2-door convertible Solara is based on the design of Toyota's 2002-2006 Camry sedan, and these coupes and convertibles inherit many of that car's virtues. But they trade 4-door practicality for 2-door style, and still somehow avoid delivering an entertaining driving experience. Honda Accord coupes certainly have more spirit, but Solara matches the Honda's reputation for reliability and good resale value, and offers a convertible body style that Accord does not. Volkswagen Passat Base Price Range $22,960 - $33,110 EPA MPG Range 19 city - 32 highway Body Styles 4-door sedan A carefully optioned Base or 2.0 T model is the smart Passat choice, given steep prices for lavishly equipped versions. For example, a generously optioned 4-cylinder 2.0 T sedan lists for about $31,000, the V6 3.6 sedans and wagons for $35,000-$37,000. Both prices are in premium-midsize-car territory, where, unlike Passat, the best entries have unassailable interior materials and something more than a 4-cylinder as the base engine. Prices accurate as of 01.17.2007.

2007 Midsize Car Specification Comparison

Vehicle	Wheel-base, in.	Length, in.	Curb Weight, lb.	Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	Fuel Capacity, gal.	Front Head Room, in.	Front Leg Room, in.	Rear Head Room, in.	Rear Leg Room, in.
Buick LaCrosse	110.5	198.1	3495	16.0	17.5	39.4	42.3	37.2	37.6
Chevrolet Impala	110.5	200.4	3553	18.5	17.5	39.4	42.3	37.8	37.6
Chevrolet Monte Carlo	110.5	196.7	NA	15.8	17.5	38.1	42.4	36.5	35.8
Chevrolet Malibu	101.4	169.3	3508	77.1	15.9	43.3	41.0	39.4	39.1
Chrysler Sebring sdn	108.0	190.7	3135	16.0	16.0	37.6	42.3	35.8	38.1
Ford Fusion	107.4	190.2	3101	15.8	18.0	38.7	42.3	37.8	37.0
Honda Accord sdn	107.9	191.1	3128	14.0	17.1	40.4	42.6	38.5	36.8
Honda Accord cpe	105.1	187.8	3056	12.8	17.1	39.8	43.1	36.1	31.9
Hyundai Azera	109.4	192.7	3629	16.6	19.8	40.2	43.7	38.2	38.2
Hyundai Sonata	107.4	188.9	3253	16.3	17.7	40.1	43.7	38.2	37.4
Kia Optima	106.3	185.8	3281	13.6	17.2	39.0	43.3	37.6	36.2
Mazda 6 sdn	105.3	186.8	3091	15.2	18.0	38.7	42.3	37.1	36.5
Mazda 6 hatch	103.5	186.8	3172	58.7	18.0	38.7	42.3	36.7	36.5
Mazda 6 wgn	105.3	187.8	3404	60.4	18.0	38.7	42.3	38.6	36.5
Mercury Milan	107.4	191.4	3117	15.80	18.9	38.7	42.3	37.8	37.0
Mitsubishi Galant	108.3	190.4	3351	13.3	17.7	39.6	42.6	37.0	37.0
Nissan Altima	110.2	192.3	3001	15.6	20.0	40.8	42.9	37.6	36.4
Nissan Maxima	111.2	193.5	3447	15.5	20.0	40.1	43.9	37.3	36.5
Pontiac G6 sdn	112.3	189.0	NA	14.0	16.4	39.5	42.2	36.3	37.6
Pontiac G6 cpe	112.3	189.0	NA	11.0	16.4	38.9	42.2	36.3	35.8
Pontiac G6 conv	112.3	189.0	NA	5.8	16.4	38.4	42.2	36.1	34.2
Pontiac Grand Prix	110.5	198.3	3477	16.0	17.0	38.5	42.4	36.5	36.5
Saturn Aura sdn	112.3	190.0	3529	15.7	16.3	39.4	42.2	37.4	37.6
Subaru Legacy sdn	105.1	186.2	3250	11.4	16.9	39.5	41.1	36.5	33.9
Subaru Outback wgn	105.1	188.7	3320	66.2	16.9	40.5	44.1	39.1	33.9
Toyota Camry	107.1	189.2	3108	16.7	18.5	39.2	41.5	38.3	37.8
Toyota Solara cpe	107.1	192.5	3175	13.8	18.5	38.0	42.0	36.4	35.4
Toyota Solara conv	107.1	192.5	3417	12.0	18.5	38.5	42.0	38.4	35.0
Volkswagen Passat	106.7	188.2	3305	14.2	18.5	38.4	41.4	37.8	37.7