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Sedan Comparison: Accord, Altima and Camry:
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| Challenge to the throne |
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| Updated |
Mar 17, 2005 19:41:50 |
| Rating |
 199 ( 6 +3.01% ) | | Author | Brian Chee |
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Description:
Sedan Comparison
Accord, Altima, Camry
Writer's Notes
2003 Sedan Comparison Test
Tale of the Tape
Click above to compare by the numbers...
Honda Accord Ex V6
MSRP Range: $20,699 to $23,000
Fuel Economy: 21 \ 30
Transmission: Five-speed auto with overdrive
Engine: 240 horsepower, SOHC 3.0-Liter, VTEC(TM), 60-Degree V6, 24-Valve, with 212 lb-ft of torque
Nissan Altima 3.5 SE
MSRP Range: $16,649 - $22,999
Fuel Economy: 19 / 21
Transmission Four-speed auto with overdrive
Engine: 245-horsepower 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 with 246 lb-ft of torque
Toyota Camry
MSRP Range: $18,970 - $25,405
Fuel Economy: 20/28
Transmission:Five-speed auto with adaptive overdrive
Engine: 210-horsepower, DOHC 3.0-Liter, V6, 24-Valve, with 220 lb-ft of torque
Overall Ranking:
1. Honda Accord
2. Toyota Camry
3. Nissan Altima
Comments or suggestions about this review? Send an e-mail to: editor@autobytel.com
Autobytel Inc. operates the popular automotive websites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com, and Autosite.com.
xxx
Once a year, at the height of the spring season, they invade. Thousands, millions of deep orange and golden poppies, blanketing the hillsides of interior southern California and transforming a plain and ugly area into one of the most refreshingly beautiful places in California.
Then the poppies die. And it's back to life in the Dirt Kingdom for thousands of suburbanites, most of whom commute into the business centers of Orange, LA and San Bernardino counties. It's a long haul, with terrible gridlock. But most people who live out there will tell you they like living on the fringe, and for three reasons: the family lifestyle, the poppies and, well, they really don't mind the commute.
Those are usually the ones who park a Honda Accord in their driveway.
Or a Toyota Camry, and more often lately, a Nissan Altima. These are the three Big Guns of the family sedan class; there are more of these vehicles on the road between suburbia and city than, perhaps, any other car. And for good reason. If you're on the road for an hour or more every day, you want something that's easy to drive, comfortable, and carries enough combustion excitement to keep your eyes wide when the road opens. If you want an affordable family vehicle with a little pep - and one that economizes at the pump, as well, a good sedan is the way to go.
They are everyman's car because they offer every man and woman a little taste of what they crave -- with a big dose of what they need. Sedans, after all, are not sports cars, though the people who drive them want to feel sporty. They are not SUVs, though the people who own them want to have adequate cargo room and comfortable seating.
They are family sedans, and they must be a little bit of everything because their owners need and want a little of everything in their vehicles.
It's a tough mandate, to be sure. Few vehicles on the road have to be as dependable, or have as much built-in value. Build a good one, and they will come. People will come, buy your sedan and then buy your SUVs, and more. Build a bad one and watch your sullied reputation for quality infect the rest of your model line-up.
Honda and Toyota built a sterling reputation by selling affordable, quality sedans. The Accord and the Camry dominate sedan sales in America, and recent upgrades have made them ever more fearsome to competitors. Then there's Nissan. It's not coincidence that Nissan launched their revival around the new Altima - just as it's not coincidence that the Altima has ushered in an era of exciting design and commesurate sales for the surging Asian automaker.
The Accord. The Altima. The Camry. These are the vehicles the domestics are up against when they make their long-awaited push into the sedan/passenger car market.
Good luck. We took a close look at these three vehicles, side-by-side, to see if they truly are the best value for your dollar. Each was nicely equipped, and all carried the V6 engine - considered the best of the best, pitted against each other in the battle for sedan supremacy. After poking, prodding and, mostly, driving each one in and out of the traffic and back roads of inland southern California (no poppies), we found that, overall, each vehicle is high in quality and recently improved. We discovered that General Motors and Ford have their work cut out for them if they hope to compete with this class of sedan. We also found some significant differences worth considering if you're in the market for a new family sedan.
Driving
There are two types of driving: because you have to, and because you want to. Among the three sedans, the Nissan Altima was the car each of our three testers most wanted to drive when the road was clear and fun. The dual exhaust note told the Altima's tale nicely, with an aggressive and tight grrr. Behind that growl is a 245-horsepower 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 with 246 lb-ft of torque; power that translates into fun on the fly and an engine that behaved as if it were constantly thirsty for throttle. Put the Altima through its paces on corners and rough pavement, and it handles each with aplomb - the biggest drawback being a little torque steer and virtually no feel of the road at the steering wheel. These are offset, however, by it's ability to control itself throughout the entire arc of a typical corner.
Hard to believe that this is a family car. The others were more in line with what a family sedan ought to be -- especially the Camry - which was, for some, the most comfortable and insulated ride. Compared to the Accord and Altima, the Camry felt heavier and lumbered a bit in the corners, but held up better under tough conditions such as traffic. Braking was virtually even across the boards, with the edge going to the Altima's 4-wheel ABS, Brake Assist and Electronic Brake force Distribution.
When it came to driving, the Accord was neither hot nor cold -- and was thus a close runner-up to the Altima. The car most of the testers would drive if they were faced with a commute of flat roads and nasty traffic, the Accord has what is sure to be an award-winning V6, a stiff frame and overall excellent road manners. The Accord's feel for the road is excellent from fingertips to feet; where it loses points is in its ability to take corners and, according to one tester, downhill braking.
But you don't brake hard down a mountain road every day. And it's unlikely that performance cornering is much of a requirement if you're in the market for a family sedan. Qualites such as ride comfort, realness to the road and a pletiful reserve of power do matter, however - which is what the Accord does best.
If only it could be a bit more fun.
Rankings:
Nissan Altima
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry
If you wanted to be uncomfortable, you'd buy an S2000 instead of an Accord, right? Then at least you could really have some fun.
Comfort
If you wanted to be uncomfortable, you'd buy an S2000 instead of an Accord, right? Then at least you could really have some fun.
Which proves the pudding: when it comes to sedans, driving prowess is nice but comfort is king - and it's a misguided shopper who buys a car like this based mostly on performance characteristics. If that's what you want, buy the coupe and tell the kids to stay home. As a result, all three vehicles were comfortable to ride in and drive. Of the three, the Altima fared worse, due to significantly more wind and road noise inside the cab and inferior materials. The Altima just wasn't up to its competition in this category.
For the dollars you'll spend on these vehicles the Accord was slightly more refined on the inside; mostly due to its focus on utilitarian comfort. Quality was supreme on both, but especially the Accord; the vehicle feels tightly put together.
From behind the driver's seat, the Accord seats are stiff and sturdy with the right amount of give; they hold up well on long jaunts and don't create the sensation of sinking into a couch. It's all about firm back and thigh support up front with the Accord, where the Camry took on a bit softer approach. Here, in the front seat, was the Camry's biggest drawback: limited foot room on the driver's side. Back seats were a toss up, with more leg room provided by the Accord, but more head and elbow room in the Camry.
Ranking:
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry
Nissan Altima
Design
There is more to design than the look of the vehicle. Good design encompasses how t he vehicle is put together, south of the engine well and ending at the back brake lights. It's the exterior look. The interior feel, and control practicality. Good design includes compartment space and color choices.
And in virtually every category except one, the Camry ruled -- while the Altima got lapped by its more mature competitors.
That one category is the most visible: exterior design. The Altima is a more youthful, exciting vehicle than the Accord and Camry, though the Accord has made inroads with its latest attempt. Where the Altima falls short is on the inside: poor fit and finish, second-rate controls and less-than intuitive compartment placement were obvious areas that could be improved. For Accord and the engineers who designed it, the aspects that make the Camry best can be measured in "family values": perfect back door compartments for juice boxes in the back, versus the funky new stereo/climate control function in the front on the Accord. Those stereo controls were a point of contention among testers; some hated it; termed it hard to use and a mess, while others found it nicely thought out - mainly because of the location of multiple controls in one place. In essence, the Camry is designed specifically for families who want a family car first and last.
Conclusion
Of the best sedans in the world - measured in terms of sales and sales growth - the very best is the Honda Accord, followed by the Toyota Camry and the Nissan Altima.
Why the Accord? Because overall quality is the most important trait, and the Accord did all things well - from performance driving to ergonomics and design. It is a very comfortable car to drive, with a slightly quirky look and a slightly better than average result on the road. The Camry, on the other hand, comes in first if your requirements are based on pure family need - the excellent fit and finish, smart layout and interior plan, the quiet ride and adequate power is exactly the type of traits a family should look for in a sedan.
But what of the Altima? The Altima was most fun, yet the worst overall. Go figure our priorities. Overall, all three are good vehicles, with the Accord and Camry clearly at the head of the class.
Ranking:
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry
Nissan Altima
--Story by Brian Chee, with Christian Wardlaw and Erik Hanson
Photography by Erik Hanson |
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