Affordable Family Sedans

Today's traffic might make you think everyone is driving sport/utilities. Actually, most families have at least one passenger car of some sort in their driveways, and the midsize, mid-price four-door sedan remains the most popular combination of comfort, user-friendliness, and value. Other than the occasional need for cargo carrying or heavy towing, the average sedan still fills nearly every transportation need faced by a family on the go.

There are scores of sedans to choose from between $10,000 and $100,000. The best-sellers-Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Ford Taurus-range in price around $20,000 to about $27,000, depending on trim level, powertrain, and optional equipment chosen. For those who don't always follow the crowd, however, there are many other choices in this highly competitive ballpark. We got familiar with two of them-and found out how they measured up to one of the class standard-bearers.

From the best-seller list, we chose the aforementioned '01 Honda Accord, in EX V-6 form. Dodge's Stratus is the classic domestic-branded sedan with a fresh look and a more powerful V-6 this year. Hyundai? Isn't that the Korean company that makes only "bare-essentials," inexpensive cars? Not no mo: Check out the crisply styled, feature-laden XG300, also new for '01. While none of these is apt to evoke lust and drooling among America's teen population, they will appeal to the sensibilities of breadwinners and domestic engineers, with their 2.3 children and groceries/golfbags.

Styling is not the major issue with this type of car, but looks still rank as a part of any purchase decision. The Dodge Stratus is decidedly American in approach: jet-fighter-intake-looking prow, menacing stance, muscular wheel arches, rakish profile, and a sassy, upturned tail. This is for the adult who misses his first muscle- or ponycar. The Honda Accord is conservatively clad and doesn't draw a lot of attention, but then again, it's clean and inoffensive. Accord buyers tend to be drawn more to quality and reliability than the latest style. Interestingly, Hyundai's XG300 wears the trappings of a near-luxury car. The styling is a mix of cues, viewed from different angles, most of them familiar and decidedly upscale: a bit of Lincoln LS here, and an amazing resemblance to a 7/10ths-scale Bentley Arnage from the rear. It's a rather adventuresome exercise for this market niche, and not quite what we're used to from this maker. Reaction is mixed, but it does get a reaction-mostly positive.

As different from one another as these three are on the outside, there is some common ground. All feature (in varying combinations of standard and optional equipment) a V-6 engine, front drive, automatic transmission, four-wheel ABS-equipped disc brakes, remote keyless entry, power windows/door locks/mirrors, leather interior, power seat(s), air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo, intermittent wipers, cruise control, adjustable steering column, and folding rear seat.

Since any family drive or errand can end up being an urgent one, performance and handling can't be completely ignored. All three players have adequate power to move their 3200-3600-lb curb weights, but they vary in ride, cornering, and overall quietness. The differences are manifested in how much feedback the driver gets, what the powertrain feels and sounds like, and how well they accelerate from an objective standpoint.

The Honda Accord EX V-6 was quickest in our acceleration tests. Its 7.6-sec 0-60-mph dash puts it on the brink of sport-sedan performance, and its well-mannered powerplant is silky smooth at idle, then pulls strongly all the way to its 5500-rpm 200-hp peak. It sings under hard acceleration with a Honda Racing-inspired whine-pure pleasure for the driver whose commute includes his own private stoplight grand prix.