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:
Fantastic fuel efficiency; Nice design touches inside and out; Quiet and comfortable on the road
Some basic safety tech should be standard; Dated native infotainment interface; Paucity of charging options for devices
Excellent ride comfort; Spacious, upmarket interior; Large boot; Strong, flexible engine
Standard features good but not outstanding; Higher-than-average servicing costs; Lack of wireless smartphone charging; Not the wagon pick for keener drivers
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
Spacious and versatile boot; Punchy engine performance...; ...but subtle enough to live with as a daily drive; Impressive and functional technology
A few small trim items let the overall presentation down; Abrupt start/stop system; Fidgety urban ride
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
Good turbo petrol, very good turbo diesel; Attractive, high-quality interior; Family-friendly interior space; A rare mid-size luxury high-riding wagon
Some driver-assistance systems should be standard; Backward step for infotainment; A bit dull to drive; Q5 boot is bigger and more versatile
Excellent ride comfort; Fantastic steering and agile handling; Punchy and refined engine; Improved infotainment system
Average rear-seat leg room; Small boot for the class; Wireless charging and blind spot should be standard; Limited line-up and V6 gone
The balance between ride quality and handling is near perfect; every drive is an experience and it feels special; beautiful styling matches the performance on offer
Brakes take some getting used to at low speed around town; second row space is tight and might count against family buyers; traditional auto isn't quite as smooth as the very best
