Also known as the Camry segment due to the dominance of Toyota’s mid-sized sedan, medium cars are fast becoming the new large car globally. It was once a category associated with dull and unexciting options, but since the early noughties the class hasn’t looked back with buyers now spoilt for choice. Here are CarAdvice’s top five picks for the segment:
Spacious and well presented inside; Creamy-smooth V6 engine; Loaded with safety tech; Manageable capped-price servicing
Behind the times on infotainment tech; Dash intrudes on passenger knee room; Dithering eight-speed auto spoils refinement; Could be more frugal by modern standards
Wolfsburg brings a big extras list for a small premium; Strong and efficient engine; Excellent road manners; Capable AWD system; Good towing capacity; Classy, practical interior
Ground clearance could be higher for an all-roader wagon; Comfort mode’s floaty ride and slow engine response; DSG still not the perfect automatic gearbox; Some interior-quality inconsistencies
Assured handling and comfortable ride; Turbo petrol’s mid-range muscle; Atenza cabin looks upmarket; 6’s improved road noise; Equipment level lives up to Atenza’s ‘range-topper’ status
Some similarly priced wagons have bigger boots; Older Mazda infotainment system; 6 not as engaging to steer as previous generations; Performance comes with a fuel-economy penalty
Excellent road manners; Better cabin design and layout; Metal-for-money equation; Hyundai ownership experience
Missing active safety tech; Price gap between Active and Premium; Lack of hybrid
Excellent (expanded) suite of driver-aid tech; Improved connectivity; Smart-looking cabin; Strong engine with effective CVT; Build quality
Bouncy country ride; Gluggy steering; Thirsty six-cylinder; Expensive servicing
Interior vastly superior to the old model; Fast, responsive drivetrain; AWD system doesn't kill BMW soul; Does the Jekyll/Hyde balance perfectly
The old BMW steering wheel was nicer; M40i xDrive wagon is not available here; Perhaps the exhaust could sound gruffer
Quiet cabin at highway speeds; Mild hybrid technology offers a new tech dimension for the C-Class; Infotainment upgrade overdue and welcome; Economical in and around the city
Over 10 per cent weight increase due to 48V mild hybrid components; Three-year warranty only; COMAND infotainment system not as good as its competitors
Lots of sheetmetal change to enhance appearance; Techy new infotainment format; Adaptive Comfort suspension improves ride-handling balance
MMI Touch more distracting to use; Surprise-free on-road experience; Stop-start coasting feature of little real-world benefit
Superb design; Clever in-built rear-view mirror camera; Good fuel economy; A1 ride and handling; Fewer range variants
Rough engine stop/start system; Interesting climate-control set-up; Tight rear comfort
Great steering and handling; Spirited and efficient drivetrain; Steering wheel and paddle-shifter design; Outsider appeal, badge cachet
Dated centre display; Lacking some modern tech, for example, a head-up display and lane-keeping assist; Fairly steep servicing costs
