-->
Believe it or not, some midsize sedan buyers view these four- doors as exciting signs of hope, evidence that the fun isn’t over just because kids and jobs now consume 23 hours of the day. Despite their prevalence—at least that of the Accord and Camry, which sold more than 300,000 and 400,000 units in 2012, respectively—the three family sedans here are injected with a shot of sport aimed at enlivening the daily doldrums of commuting, errand running, and passenger hauling. If you can zip from light to light a little quicker or take the freeway on-ramp a bit more aggressively—anything to brighten your day—why not, right?
With that in mind, we gathered the all-new Mazda6 and Honda Accord
Sport, as well as the best-selling veteran, the Toyota Camry SE, to see
which one delivered the most effective spoonful of sport medicine. Each
boasts a stout four-cylinder, a seamless automatic, an athletic body
kit, and a sport-tuned chassis, designed to collectively stimulate the
senses and soothe the soul. We tried to get a Fusion SE, but Ford
claimed it couldn’t source one.
And the top-dog VW Passat? With the new EA888
turbo I-4 poised for 2014 duty and a dedicated sport trim still a
distinct possibility (see the Passat Performance Concept from this
year’s Detroit auto show), the Chattanooga champ was relegated to Round 2
and a face-off with this test’s winner. But let’s focus on Round 1…
The SE accounts for about 40 percent of Camry sales, which equates to
around 160,000 units annually. That’s nearly five times as many 6s as
Mazda sold last year. SE drivers are treated to the same 2.5-liter,
178-hp, 170-lb-ft I-4 that powers most Camrys not wearing V-6 or Hybrid
badging, but the six-speed automatic (the only tranny offered) comes
with paddle shifters and an S mode that delivers quicker shifts and
downshift throttle blips. Nice. The chassis receives firmer springs and
dampers, stiffer lower front-control arms, strut tower and trunk-mounted
braces, and 17-inch alloys wearing 215/55 rubber. Outside, there are
SE-specific side skirts, mesh upper grille, black headlamp bezels, and
rear spoiler. Inside, a three-spoke steering wheel and thicker bolstered
sport seats round out the package. Problem is, the aesthetic parts are
more appealing than the finished product. Styling, inside and out, was
deemed dated, with the slab-sided exterior and ’80s-esque interior
drawing criticism.
Believe it or not, some midsize sedan buyers view these four- doors as exciting signs of hope, evidence that the fun isn’t over just because kids and jobs now consume 23 hours of the day. Despite their prevalence—at least that of the Accord and Camry, which sold more than 300,000 and 400,000 units in 2012, respectively—the three family sedans here are injected with a shot of sport aimed at enlivening the daily doldrums of commuting, errand running, and passenger hauling. If you can zip from light to light a little quicker or take the freeway on-ramp a bit more aggressively—anything to brighten your day—why not, right?
With that in mind, we gathered the all-new Mazda6 and Honda Accord
Sport, as well as the best-selling veteran, the Toyota Camry SE, to see
which one delivered the most effective spoonful of sport medicine. Each
boasts a stout four-cylinder, a seamless automatic, an athletic body
kit, and a sport-tuned chassis, designed to collectively stimulate the
senses and soothe the soul. We tried to get a Fusion SE, but Ford
claimed it couldn’t source one.
And the top-dog VW Passat? With the new EA888
turbo I-4 poised for 2014 duty and a dedicated sport trim still a
distinct possibility (see the Passat Performance Concept from this
year’s Detroit auto show), the Chattanooga champ was relegated to Round 2
and a face-off with this test’s winner. But let’s focus on Round 1…
Toyota Camry SE
The SE accounts for about 40 percent of Camry sales, which equates to
around 160,000 units annually. That’s nearly five times as many 6s as
Mazda sold last year. SE drivers are treated to the same 2.5-liter,
178-hp, 170-lb-ft I-4 that powers most Camrys not wearing V-6 or Hybrid
badging, but the six-speed automatic (the only tranny offered) comes
with paddle shifters and an S mode that delivers quicker shifts and
downshift throttle blips. Nice. The chassis receives firmer springs and
dampers, stiffer lower front-control arms, strut tower and trunk-mounted
braces, and 17-inch alloys wearing 215/55 rubber. Outside, there are
SE-specific side skirts, mesh upper grille, black headlamp bezels, and
rear spoiler. Inside, a three-spoke steering wheel and thicker bolstered
sport seats round out the package. Problem is, the aesthetic parts are
more appealing than the finished product. Styling, inside and out, was
deemed dated, with the slab-sided exterior and ’80s-esque interior
drawing criticism.
