Best Sedans by Gas Mileage

The 2022 Toyota Camry is a midsize sedan with plenty of room for five passengers. It has something for everyone with 13 trims that include two gas engines, a hybrid engine, and a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive. No matter which you choose, the Camry is focused on passenger comfort with a welcoming interior swathed in attractive materials throughout. While some sedans have minimal rear-seat room, the Camry can comfortably seat three adults back there. It boasts a wide range of standard safety features along with a comprehensive infotainment system. Downsides are an underpowered base engine and a small trunk that makes it difficult to accommodate luggage for those five adults.

Other popular choices in the midsize-sedan segment include the Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, and Hyundai Sonata. The Altima has fewer trims with similar pricing and a less powerful engine. The Accord provides better fuel economy and more room for cargo. The Sonata has similar pricing and a lineup that includes both gas and hybrid engines.

The Lexus ES is a midsize sedan with seating for five people. Its latest redesign includes an aggressive front grille that helps it stand out in the crowd. The interior is spacious and comfortable with rich trims throughout. It looks and feels every bit like a proper luxury car. Two engines are available, as well as hybrid models that deliver excellent fuel economy. Whichever you choose, the ES provides a smooth, quiet ride. Luxury amenities include a choice of premium audio systems. The biggest drawback to the ES is its infotainment system. Rather than a touchscreen, it has a difficult-to-use touchpad controller.

Direct competitors to the Lexus ES include the Acura TLX and Genesis G80. The TLX doesn't offer a hybrid, but it has a lower starting price and is more performance-focused. The G80 comes in only two trim levels. Both offer top-notch luxury, but at higher costs.

The Honda Civic has been one of America's best-selling vehicles for years. It checks all the important boxes — economy, reliability, comfort, safety — that buyers want in a compact car. And the special sauce is the Civic's fun-to-drive nature. From the bottom of the lineup on up, the Civic can put a smile on your face simply by the way it drives. And that's a claim few others in the segment can make.

For years compact sedans and hatchbacks have been getting bigger, but the new-for-2022 Civic doesn't stretch the envelope much. It's less than 2 inches longer than the previous generation and it is exactly the same height. Those seem to be the right dimensions because most compact cars mimic them almost exactly. Key competitors in the segment include the Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, and Hyundai Elantra. The Asian brands have been so successful, they now have no domestic competitors and only one from Europe: the Volkswagen Jetta. Like its challengers, the Civic will seat five adults but is more comfortable with just four on board. It is currently available as a sedan only, but hatchback and performance models are expected.

The Kia Forte is a solid-if-unremarkable sedan that drives with assured confidence and competence. It does everything well at a price that undercuts many of its competitors. The standard engine is one of its few weak spots as it delivers average performance at best, but the optional engine in the GT trim goes a long way toward making the Forte feel fun to drive. A no-nonsense interior design and quality materials make the cabin a pleasant environment, while the infotainment system is one of the best in the class. There's even a spacious trunk.

This segment has a number of appealing competitors. At the top is the unmatched excellence of the Honda Civic, followed by the quality-durability-reliability of the Toyota Corolla, upscale interior of the Mazda 3, intriguingly styled Hyundai Elantra, standard all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza, value-packaged Nissan Sentra, and Germanic elegance of the Volkswagen Jetta.

Volkswagen announced that it will discontinue production of the midsize Volkswagen Passat sedan in the U.S. to make room to produce the Volkswagen ID.4 electric crossover SUV. Thus, the compact Jetta has become the sole remaining sedan in the German automaker's lineup. Even with the rapid rise in SUV sales, the Jetta has been the best-selling Volkswagen sedan for years.

The current version of the Jetta was introduced for the 2019 model year. It doesn't possess the evocative styling of the Hyundai Elantra, the uplevel interior materials and all-wheel-drive content of the Mazda3, or the Toyota Prius-like fuel economy of the Toyota Corolla Hybrid. However, it offers a uniquely European-flavored driving experience in a roomy-on-the-inside, tidy-on-the-outside front-wheel-drive sedan. Its small size also makes it easy to park and maneuver in congested urban settings.

It's also easy to purchase. In base trim, it's the least expensive Volkswagen you can buy as well as the least expensive offering in the compact-sedan segment. Higher trims offer up-to-date infotainment and driver-assistive technology. And the GLI versions are some of the most fun-to-drive entries among compact sport sedans that include the Honda Civic Si, Elantra N Line, and Subaru WRX.

Formerly known as the [Kia Optima], the newly rebranded Kia K5 competes against popular sedans, such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Unlike those familiar names, the K5 stands out in the segment with bold styling that assures it won't be mistaken for anything else in the class. The Kia also offers all-wheel drive as an option along with a fun-to-drive performance model at the top of the range. Complementing the K5's aggressive exterior is a nicely trimmed cabin that borders on luxurious in the higher trim levels. And like most Kias, the K5 has an easy-to-use driver interface that makes its standard features all the more accessible.

The midsize sedan slots into the Kia lineup above the compact Kia Forte and below the Kia Stinger sport sedan. The K5 is an inch longer than the Camry and about 3 inches shorter than the Accord.