With more automotive brands backing out of the sedan segment each year, the ones who are sticking it out continue to wage a tough battle for market share, fighting among each other for less total percentage each year.

Once the go-to for families, sedans are now being pushed aside in favor of SUVs and trucks, but they’re not quite dead yet.

Among the handful of brands still competing in the sedan battle is Nissan, whose offerings include the midsize Altima sedan — which goes head-on against giants such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry and has been sold for more than 30 years.

After a makeover for 2023 when its sixth generation was unveiled, the Altima carries over mostly unchanged for the 2024 model year.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2024 Nissan Altima SL, and I’m back with a full report on my experience and how the Altima holds up against other midsize sedans.

Continuing an ongoing trend as SUVs and trucks continue to dominate sales, yet another sedan has reached the end of its road.
Subaru has announced that production of the Subaru Legacy midsize sedan will conclude with the 2025 model year, with the last vehicles rolling off the assembly line in spring of 2025.

The Legacy first came to the U.S. market in 1989, making this the end of a 36-year run. Subaru claims that over 94% of Subaru Legacy vehicles sold in the last 10 years are still on the road today. The 2025 Legacy will be priced starting at just under $25K.

Since its debut, Legacy models sold in the U.S. have been assembled at Subaru of Indiana in Lafayette, Indiana. Through six generations of the car, it has generated 1.3 million sales in the U.S. and was the longest-running Subaru model.

With the loss of the Legacy, Subaru’s lineup will be even more focused on SUVs, and Subaru is also moving toward electric vehicles including its Solterra EV (and plans to offer eight EV models by the 2028 calendar year).

The death of the sedan has been greatly exaggerated.

For all the talk of the SUV takeover of the automotive industry, a few brands continue to push the sedan as one of the segments where they hope to continue for a long time to come.

The sedan segment still accounts for about 20 percent of new vehicle sales in the U.S., which is a significant number of vehicles (roughly 3 million).

One of those brands still battling in the segment is Hyundai, whose sedan offerings include the midsize Sonata — which has the pleasure of competing with big-name rivals such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Kia K5 and Subaru Legacy.

The Sonata is the largest sedan in Hyundai’s portfolio, and features a healthy amount of room for all five passengers. (Note: I tested a 2023 Sonata; and there have been some further design updates made for the 2024 model)

With such strong competition, the Sonata aims to stand out in the category with its strong looks, excellent tech features and strong safety record.

Read on to learn more about how it holds up vs. the remaining sedan stalwarts battling for their piece of the pie.

Since debuting the Prius at the tail end of the 20th century, Toyota has long been a force in the world of hybrid vehicles, and they continue holding on to this leadership role with a large number of hybrids available for the 2023 model year.

The Camry is Toyota’s midsize sedan tour de force, so it makes sense that a hybrid version has been available for the past 15-plus years. And while some competitors have abandoned hybrids and focus exclusively on electric vehicles, there are still a few direct competitors for the Camry hybrid — including the Sonata hybrid and Accord hybrid.

I’m of the belief that Toyota is being smart by not diving fully into EVs before the infrastructure is there to support them, and still keeping a strong hybrid lineup in play for people who want fuel economy but don't want to go the EV route.

I recently spent time behind the wheel of a 2023 Toyota Camry hybrid, and I’m back with a full report.

Mazda has always aimed higher than its status.

While not officially a competitor in the luxury class, it has long designed its vehicles to look and perform at a level that will make people think of Mazda as a luxury-level purchase, even if the price is lower.

That applies to their smallest vehicles too, including the 2023 Mazda3, which is available as both a sedan and a hatchback.

There have been some updates to the engine lineup for 2023 to further improve drive quality, more tech features are standard, and there is an attractive new trim level offered called Carbon Edition — which I was recently able to test.

When you’re going against major players like the Honda Civic, Volkswagen Jetta, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Nissan Sentra and more, you have to come strong.

And to put it simply, Mazda’s compact sedan and hatchback options continue to deliver performance over and above their competition, while also maintaining a distinct looks advantage.

When a vehicle has been around for 50 years, like the Honda Civic can boast, it obviously has some good things going for it.

But even a popular model like the Civic needs to change now and then, and for 2022 the Honda Civic has undergone its latest reimagining — the 11th overall generation of the vehicle.

The results have paid off, with this compact ride being selected as the 2022 North American Car of the Year.

The redesigned Civic — which comes in sedan and hatchback versions — encompasses an upscale and roomy interior design, a sharper looking exterior, and the inclusion of additional safety features to bring the vehicle into the modern era of high-tech cars.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2022 Honda Civic, and I’m back with a full report.

As we move closer to everyone and their mother having a truck or SUV, small car offerings are a rarity these days, especially the subcompact vehicles that seem to be disappearing more and more each year.

The Nissan Versa is one of the few still available to those in search of a tinier ride: A subcompact, front-wheel-drive, 4-door sedan. I spent a week in a 2021 Versa, and I’m back with a full report on this small but capable ride.

LOOKS

Completely redesigned in 2020 and touched up a bit for 2021, the 2021 Nissan Versa is now one of the better-looking subcompact sedans available on the market, inside and out.

Legroom is always a concern in a subcompact, but up front there’s plenty to spare even for taller folks. In the back, of course, it’s going to be a bit cramped, which is why these types of vehicles are often used as commuter cars and not family carriers.

Long viewed as one of the more basic, low-priced vehicles available to buyers on a budget, the Nissan Versa comes back for 2020 with a redesign aimed at stepping up its status among subcompact vehicles.  

I recently spent some time in a 2020 Versa and I’m back with a full report on how impactful the changes for the new model were, and how it competes in the subcompact sedan segment.

LOOKS

While in the past the Versa mostly blended in and lacked character in its exterior design, the 2020 Versa makes a strong impression and delivers a big step up design-wise — with a new look that’s lower to the ground, as well as wider and longer, and featuring sharp lines.

A statement is also made with the new interior, which feels quite comfortable and is more upscale than its bargain basement price would lead you to expect. The Versa seats 5 people, though the rear seating will be tight for adults. Controls are well placed and easy to use.

When the name Hyundai is mentioned, traditionally your thoughts won’t go toward thinking about an upscale vehicle.

But in today’s competitive automotive landscape, even non-luxury brands are stepping up their game, and doing so on vehicles of all sizes, too.

I was pleasantly surprised when I first got my first look at the 2019 Hyundai Elantra, a compact sedan that offers more than you would expect for a vehicle in this size and price tag.

Read on for more details on where the Elantra comes up big and where it could be improved.

LOOKS 

With some refreshing changes made on the exterior design for 2019, the Elantra looks sharp both from the front and rear, including some exciting headlight and taillight designs.

Most compact sedans are not much to look at, but the Elantra breaks that mold and becomes a standout in the class.

It’s no secret that the market for sedans is on the decline, as the public’s demand for SUVs and crossovers has soared, and some automakers are decreasing their sedan offerings.

But the sedans that are available are still duking it out for control of that remaining market share, and within that fight there are many tactics that can be taken. One of those tactics is to offer an upscale design and high-tech offerings to help draw customers.

One sedan offering that takes this path is the 2019 Kia Optima, a midsize sedan that puts in a strong effort and competes well in the segment. I recently spent some time in an Optima, and I’m back with a full report.