Hot Takes: A Best/Worst List From A Teenaged Enthusiast – Your Milage May Vary


Hot Takes: A Best/Worst List From A Teenaged Enthusiast – Your Milage May Vary

(By Tom Lohnes) – With sedans going below crossovers in combined sales numbers, people often fail to recognize how great these cars are. This said, I’ve compiled a list of the best and worst sedans in each class based on consumer reporting.

Subcompact cars: Usually teenager’s first cars, these small yet practical daily drivers need to provide decent power, practicality, and looks for a younger audience

Best: The Kia Rio: With impressive standard features, a punchy 4-cylinder engine, and decent infotainment system, the Kia Rio brings more than it needs to. With its sub-$20,000 price tag, you don’t want to miss this one.

Worst: Mitsubishi Mirage: With a pathetic 78 horsepower spinning the crankshaft of the Mirage’s 1.2-liter naturally aspirated three banger, there is one word that comes to mind when I think of this car: Miserable. With choppy ride quality, looks, low feel interior quality, there is no real happiness in this car.

Compact cars: Often being basic grocery-getters, these vehicles usually trade bland performance and styling for immense practicality and ride quality. Packed with the burden of a Target run, here are the best and worst

Best: Mazda3- With gorgeous styling, a high-quality interior, and available AWD, the Mazda3 knocks everything out of the park besides infotainment and visibility. The thick C-pillars make your blind spot massive, but I personally think it’s worth the looks.

Worst: Chevy Cruze- With not-great styling, subpar powertrains, and some of the worst reliability in the segment, this is an obvious pick for the low point. Interior quality is typical GM, and the best interior feature is its responsive infotainment system

Midsize cars: The typical family sedan: FWD based, 4-cylinder engine, and an automatic transmission. There isn’t much to say about this segment, because they are very basic cars. That being said, they’re also very good cars.

Best: Subaru Legacy- With standard 50/50 split AWD, a N/A or turbocharged Flat-4 engine, and one of the best infotainment systems in the game, the Legacy stacks up on its opponents. Interior quality is great, and personally I think the evolutionary styling looks good.

Worst: Nissan Altima- With a slippy CVT, low power engines, and AWD only available on the base engine, the Altima is all bark, no bite. Being very easily forgettable is the Altima’s biggest flaw, and it is one that will plague it forever

Large Sedans: Being large and in charge is their biggest personality trait, these big bruisers often pack 400+ horsepower, AWD, and maybe even a DCT.

Best: Dodge Charger- With up to 797 horsepower, RWD on the good trims, and a decent 8-speed automatic, the Charger is as muscle as it gets in the segment. Be careful, though, prices escalate quickly.

Worst: Also the Dodge Charger: The Charger’s biggest flaw is being in its own segment. It is the only full-size non-luxury sedan, and that is a weird thing. Even with immense power, the Charger is starting to show it’s age.

So, that’s our list. Do you have any objections to this? I sure don’t.


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2 thoughts on “Hot Takes: A Best/Worst List From A Teenaged Enthusiast – Your Milage May Vary

  1. Maxwell Smart

    Nicely written article Tom. To the point, doesn’t drag out and easy to read. And… I agree with your picks whole heartily. Watch your back Brian!

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