Family sedans with zip: the Volkswagen Passat remains our top-ranked V6 family sedan despite close competition from the redesigned Honda Accord. (Family Sedans * Road Test).(Product/Service Evaluation)

Four-door family sedans are the largest segment of the car market, accounting for about one-fourth of all new passenger vehicles sold last year. They appeal to a wide range of drivers because they're big and comfortable enough for long trips, small enough to easily fit in normal parking spaces and garages, maneuverable enough for tight, urban driving, relatively fuel efficient, and priced to suit a variety of budgets.

The percentage of overall sedan sales has been decreasing, however, as more buyers have opted for SUVs, minivans, and other light trucks. To increase their appeal, some automakers are trying to make their sedans sportier and more fun to drive by infusing them with better engine performance, handling, and driving positions.

A balanced blend of sportiness and comfort has long been an inviting trait of the Volkswagen Passat, which from 1999 to this year has stood alone as our top-rated family sedan. For 2003, consumers can now find a similar blend in the redesigned Honda Accord and the new Mazda6, which replaced the lackluster Mazda 626.

In our tests for the January 2003 report on four-cylinder family sedans, the Honda Accord edged out the Passat to become our top-rated model in the segment. We had planned to include the four-cylinder Mazda6 in that test, but it wasn't on sale in time. For this report we pitted the V6 versions of the Accord and Mazda6 against the Passat and Hyundai's top-of-the-line XG350. The four-cylinder models in January ranged in price from about $21,000 to $23,000; the V6 models here range from about $26,000 to more than $30,000 for the Passat. We also tested the four-cylinder Mazda6 with this group so we could judge how it compares with the previously tested four-cylinder competitors.

RECOMMENDATIONS

All the cars in this group are good, reliable models that we can recommend. But the Passat and the Accord are exceptional. The Passat retains its position at the top of the V6 family-sedan class by the slimmest of margins over the Toyota Camry (see the February 2002 report) and the Accord. Because each of these cars has a different driving character, you might want to consider all three and see which best meets your personal tastes.

Retaining the same basic design for the past six years, the Passat delivers responsive handling, a comfortable, quiet ride, and the well-crafted interior of a luxury car. On the down side, it uses premium fuel. With premium-fuel prices hovering around $2 per gallon lately, that's a significant consideration, especially since many other excellent V6s run on regular. Reliability has been average. Our test car, along with all older V6 Passat models, was not affected by a widely reported Volkswagen ignition-coil recall earlier this year. See Recalls, page 45, for more information.