Toyota Camry v Mazda6 v Hyundai Sonata v Skoda Octavia comparison review
Four-door sedans are not cool.
Once the popular choice for families, the traditional ‘three box’ car has been overtaken by the high-riding, wagon-shaped SUV in modern times.
But like many things in our society that have gone out of fashion, the four-door sedan has evolved into something different. A glance at the best-selling medium sedans from 2017 paints a clear picture of what people want.
The most popular model? The Toyota Camry, obviously. Second best? That would be the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a car that starts at more than $60,000, coming in ahead of the Mazda6. The fourth most popular is the Mercedes CLA-Class, sixth is the BMW 3-Series and eighth the Audi A4. Which suggest the popularity of the modern four-door sedan is linked largely to how luxurious it is.
That explains why Toyota has moved its new generation Camry upmarket, with a bold new design and a fresh take on its dynamics. So how good is it? We’re putting the new range-topping Camry SL up against its mainstream premium rivals, the Mazda6 GT, Hyundai Sonata Premium and Skoda Octavia RS 169TSI. All four are well equipped and priced under $50,000 which undercuts the luxury branded competition.
Toyota Camry 2.5 SL
The new Toyota Camry is a big change for the Japanese giant in a lot of ways. Of course it’s the first Camry not built in Australia since 1987, but more than that Toyota has tried to add some excitement and style previously missing.
We’re testing the high-grade SL model powered by the familiar 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which is priced from $39,990 (plus on-road costs).
The engine produces 133kW of power and 235Nm of torque and gets paired with a six-speed automatic transmission as standard.
That may make it sound like the same old Camry but the engine is fitted to new generation underpinnings which have been engineered to make it more engaging to drive. And it doesn’t take long behind the wheel to feel the differences.
Camrys have (rightly) had a reputation for being sensible but uninspiring, but this new model is a lot nicer to drive. The steering is well weighted and offers great feel and feedback to the driver. It helps the Camry feel responsive for a mid-size sedan, with sure-footed handling.
The engine is modest but adequate, with plenty of revs needed to access the best of its performance. But around town it’s respectable at low speeds and is quiet and refined.
Get a great deal today
Interested in one of these cars? Complete your details and we'll connect you to our team.
Claimed fuel economy of 7.8-litres per 100km is well behind the 6.6L/100km of the similar credentialed Mazda6, but in our real world testing it was the Toyota that came out ahead.
All Camry models come with a solid safety package that includes forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beam, seven airbags and a reversing camera. Stepping up to the SL adds blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert to the mix.
Standard gear includes 18-inch alloy wheels, sports front grille, rear boot spoiler, panoramic glass roof. Moving inside there’s ambient lighting, a 10-inch colour head-up display, power operated leather-trimmed seats with heating and ventilation, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 8.0-inch infotainment display, navigation and a six-speaker stereo with Toyota’s smartphone link and USB inputs; but no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
The interior presents well, with an asymmetrical layout biased towards the driver, adding a new level of luxury not seen before with the Camry. There’s a good mixture of materials to add to the premium look and feel.
Space is good in the Camry too, with plenty of room up front and respectable knee and shoulder room in the back. The only criticism of the rear space is the headroom, which is compromised slightly by the sunroof. The boot is also a generous 524-litres meaning there’s plenty of luggage space on offer.
2018 Toyota Camry 2.5 SL price and specifications
Price: From $39,990 plus on-road costs
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Power: 133kW at 6000rpm
Torque: 235Nm at 4100rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Fuel use: 7.8L/100km
Mazda6 GT
The Mazda6 was one of the first mainstream mid-size sedans to move upmarket. It’s a strategy that has resonated with buyers, with the 6 now ahead of the likes of the Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat and Subaru Liberty.
A new model is coming later in 2018 and it will have the 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the CX-9 SUV which will give it a performance boost. But until then the current non-turbo 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine continues, boasting 138kW and 250Nm and paired to six-speed automatic.
Aside from its looks the other standout element of the 6 is its excellent ride and handling, making it one of the nicest mid-sizers to drive. The Camry has closed the gap a lot, and in some ways surpassed the Mazda. The 6 is still a nice car to drive but its engine performance is similar to the Toyota, modest but adequate, and is noticeably nosier on the road.
Its steering is slightly lighter and not quite as communicative as the Toyota and the ride is less compliant than the plush riding Camry. The Mazda is slightly sportier though, and that may appeal to some buyers.
We’re testing the GT specification Mazda6, which is priced from $42,690, which makes it $2700 more expensive than the Toyota.
All Mazda6 come with automated emergency braking, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, six airbags and a reversing camera.
The GT comes loaded with 19-inch alloy wheels, sunroof, keyless entry and ignition and adaptive LED headlights. Also included is leather trim, heated front and rear seats, a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, navigation and a Bose sound system with digital radio and smartphone apps.
The GT isn’t the top-grade in the 6 range, with the $45,390 Atenza adding higher grade Nappa leather trim and additonal safety features if you want even more.
While the exterior still looks fresh, the interior of the Mazda6 is starting to show its age. The fit and finish is excellent but the design and mixture of materials feels plain when compared to Toyota and Skoda.
Space is good though with the back seats on par with the Toyota for kneeroom but slightly tighter on shoulder room. Combined with the transmission tunnel (which isn’t used on this front-wheel drive model) the middle seat is highly compromised.
The boot is the smallest of this quartet at 474 litres, but it still takes plenty of luggage.
2018 Mazda6 GT price and specifications
Price: From $42,690 plus on-road costs
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Power: 138kW at 5700rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3250rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic, front-wheel-drive
Fuel use: 6.6L/100km
Hyundai Sonata Premium
Hyundai slimmed down its Sonata range when it updated the model in late 2017, ditching the mid-grade Elite and simply offering the base Active or the fully-loaded Premium.
It’s the latter that we’re testing here priced from $45,490, which makes it the most expensive of the group - a hefty $6500 more than the cheapest, the Skoda.
There are some big differences between the two Sonata models including what’s under the bonnet. While the Active runs a 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine the Premium is powered by a newer 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit. It’s good for 180kW of power and 353Nm of torque and drives the front wheels through an in-house developed eight-speed automatic transmission.
The combination of the Sonata’s conservative exterior styling and punchy engine makes for a surprise behind the wheel. As soon as you put your foot down there’s excellent pick up, with a lot more low-rev pulling power than the Toyota and Mazda.
It accelerates strongly across the rev range and the automatic does a commendable job. But what the engine possesses in performance it lacks in refinement. It sounds gruff at times, with a variety of noises and whistles emanating from under the bonnet that don’t suit its sporty performance.
The mid-life update gave Hyundai Australia a chance to re-examine the Sonata’s local suspension tuning. The benefits of the Australian ride and handling program is obvious on the road, with the Sonata offering a comfortable and compliant ride on our patchy local roads.
Safety is good on the Premium with adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, six airbags and a reversing camera. However, what’s notably absent from that list is autonomous emergency braking - a glaring omission at this price and type of car.
The Sonata Premium does come with 18-inch alloy wheels (fitted with better quality Michelin tyres than the 17-inch, Continental-shod Active), a panoramic sunroof and dark chrome exterior trim to help differentiate it.
The Premium also comes with leather-trimmed seats and steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, rear sun blinds, a wireless charging pad for your smartphone, an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, navigation and a six-speaker stereo with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The interior presentation of the Sonata is nice but looks and feels a step behind its rivals here. There’s a good mixture of materials and elements but they look and feel a bit cheaper than what you find in the Skoda.
But the Hyundai wins points back with the size of its cabin. The rear seats offer the most knee room and there’s enough shoulder room to fit three adults across the back pew.
It also has a big boot, measuring 510 litres, to stow your gear.
2018 Hyundai Sonata Premium price and specifications
Price: From $45,490 plus on-road costs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol
Power: 180kW at 1350-4000rpm
Torque: 353Nm at 1350-4000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, front-wheel-drive
Fuel use: 8.5L/100km
Skoda Octavia 169TSI RS
The Czech entrant in this contest is slightly off-kilter with rest of this group, being slightly smaller (approximately 300mm shorter than the Toyota) and more overtly sporty.
The Octavia RS is, in simple terms, the brand’s version of the Volkswagen Golf GTI - running the same powertrain and using a stretched version of the same underpinnings. Despite those differences the RS 169TSI is the cheapest of our cars, starting at $38,990.
It’s powered by the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine as the Golf GTI, tuned in this situation to produce 169kW and 350Nm. It gets mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
It may be slightly behind the Hyundai on paper but on the road the Skoda feels sportier and punchier, with excellent pulling power from low down in the rev range. Its sporty performance is matched by a sporty soundtrack, with a rorty growl from the little motor.
The dual-clutch transmission still has some slight juddering at low speeds but otherwise makes up for that negative with rapid shifts on the move and an active tuning that extracts maximum performance from the engine.
Rated at 6.6L/100km it’s the equal most efficient on paper but like all four here, used notably more on test.
With the expertise of the Volkswagen Group the Octavia RS has the poise and precision you expect from a hot hatch. The steering is sharp but unfortunately so is the ride as bumps are transmitted more harshly through the cabin thanks to the firm suspension set-up.
It’s not uncomfortable but it certainly lacks the plush ride of the Camry and Sonata. Ultimately it’s just a different take on the mid-size sedan - sportiness over comfort.
On the safety front the Octavia RS comes with forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and nine airbags and a reversing camera. However, to get lane keeping assist and blind spot detection you have to add the optional $1500 Luxury Pack.
The Octavia RS looks overtly sportier than its rivals here with its aggressive sports bodykit, 18-inch alloy wheels (although our test car was fitted with optional 19-inch rims) and lower, sportier suspension.
Inside it’s just as sporty with a flat-bottomed steering wheel and sports seats as well as the usual Skoda ‘clever’ touches like the bin in the door pocket and ticket holder in the windscreen that demonstrate this is a practical car too. Also included in the price is ambient lighting, a 9.2-inch gloss infotainment touchscreen, navigation and an eight-speaker sound system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Despite being shorter it still boasts impressive rear knee room and head room for adults for a car of its size. However, it’s narrower body and transmission tunnel means it does feel tighter across the shoulder for adults.
A unique element of the Octavia is its liftback boot, which allows easy access to its cavernous 568 litres boot.
2018 Skoda Octavia 169TSI RS price and specifications
Price: From $38,990 plus on-road costs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol
Power: 169kW at 4700-6200rpm
Torque: 350Nm at 1500-4600rpm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic, front-wheel drive
Fuel use: 6.6L/100km
Verdict
As is so often the case with these comparison tests picking a winner isn’t easy because all four offerings have admirable qualities.
The Hyundai is the first to drop out of contention though, primarily due to its high price and lack of AEB. It’s the biggest inside, which will appeal to families or anyone that regularly carries passengers, plus it rides well and the engine packs a punch.
Next to drop out of contention is the Mazda6. It’s still a stylish car with plenty of on-road poise but its engine and interior is starting to show its age. It’s just hard to see where it justifies its price premium over the Toyota.
Which leaves the Skoda and Toyota to fight for top spot. In reality either of these is a good choice. The Octavia RS is the one to choose if you’re willing to sacrifice comfort for a dynamic edge. But it also comes at the expense of a bit of space inside which won’t suit everyone.
Which leaves the Camry as a narrow winner in this contest. Toyota has managed to retain the elements that have made the car such a success - dependability, practicality and value - with a new layer of driving character and a polished presentation.
Dare I say, Toyota has made the Camry ‘cool’.