Available As: Large sedan

Base Price Range (MSRP): $25,495

Pros: Interior comfort, interior quality, refinement, ride, safety ratings, price, warranty.

Cons: Fuel economy, handling.

Overall: A better, $25,000 Lincoln Town Car.

Rating: 7/10

Recommended: YES

Despite recent upgrades, the Amanti remains a boat of a car. Its ride float has been controlled but hardly eliminated, as has its body roll. Its seems no attempt was made, however, to fix the numb, slow steering. Blame the handling on both the suspension tuning and the car's weight, and the latter also hurts fuel economy. But if you like a softer ride, and the handling and fuel economy aren't deal-breakers, you'll find a surprisingly good car. Quite literally, everything else about this car is excellent. The engine is smooth and powerful, the ride is silent, the seats are spacious and very well-shaped and comfortable, the interior is extremely well-detailed and well laid-out, and the price undercuts most rivals by a significant margin. Give it the test drive it deserves more often than it gets before buying your next large car.

The Hyundai Azera, which shares some mechanicals with the Amanti, is a better-rounded choice in the bargain-luxury segment, with a more controlled ride, better handling, slightly higher gas mileage, a larger trunk, and lower-priced base versions, but it isn't quite as silent, its seats aren't quite as comfortable, and its interior isn't quite as nice. (Though it hardly falls short in any of those ways.) For a similar price, consider the Ford Taurus, which as a vast interior and trunk, a smooth and quiet ride, top-notch safety ratings, and better gas mileage, though it has a less opulent interior. You could also spend a more for the Toyota Avalon's additional power and fuel economy or the Buick Lucerne's blend of similarly excellent seats and better ride and handling.

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Available As: Midsize Family Sedan

Base Price Range (MSRP): $16,355-$20,400

Pros: Price, interior comfort, fuel economy (4-cylinder), safety ratings, ride, interior quality, warranty.

Cons: Trunk space.

Overall: Comfortable, safe, and inexpensive with no glaring weaknesses.

Rating: 9/10

Recommended: YES (IFCAR Top Pick)

Drive the Optima, and no aspects of it are likely jump out to wow you. It's not stylish or sporty or luxurious. But that doesn't make it any less of an excellent family car, because much of what makes it excellent is what won't be noticed. Like bumps on the road, or excessive noise, or a lack of power, or discomfort from cramped or poorly shaped seats. And just driving it, you can't notice the safety ratings, the fuel economy (on the four-cylinder model), or the excellent price and warranty coverage. If you aren't looking for your family sedan to excite you, the Optima's ride, refinement, interior comfort and quality, safety, and value should put it at or near the top of your shopping list.

The closest thing to cross-shop the Optima against is the Hyundai Sonata. The two offer a similar feel, the same warranty, and similarly low prices, but the Sonata is a bit roomier and has a larger V6, and the Optima is quieter, has a nicer interior, and handles better. Choose between the two based on your preferences on their slight differences, and based on whichever is selling for less when you buy. If you're looking for the family sedan basics with a touch of sport, consider the Honda Accord and Ford Fusion, but expect to pay quite a bit extra for the Honda and to give up some refinement, interior quality, and power with the Fusion. If you want more space and luxury, consider upgrading to the Hyundai Azera or Kia's own Amanti, or the Ford Taurus. For the family sedan basics done at a near ideal, consider the Toyota Camry, though it has some cheap interior details and a relatively high price. And for a sporty family sedan, consider the Nissan Altima, Mazda6, or Mitsubishi Galant.

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See the 2007 Optima LX 4-cylinder in the IFCAR Inexpensive Family Sedan Comparison Test

See the 2007 Optima LX V6 in the IFCAR Inexpensive Family Sedan Comparison Test

Available As: Small sedan and 5-door hatchback

Base Price Range (MSRP): $10,770-$13,750

Pros: Price, warranty, fuel economy, ride.

Cons: Rear-seat space, acceleration, safety ratings.

Overall: While the Rio is good for a subcompact, particularly by standards of the recent past, it's priced too close to superior larger vehicles.

Rating: 5/10

Recommended: NO

To someone used to a subcompact as new as three years old, the Rio (or its Hyundai Accent twin) would seem terrific, and by the standards of that age it would be. It is rides comfortably, gets excellent gas mileage, and has comfortable front seating, a long warranty, and a low price. And then, its unimpressive crash test performance, rear seat space, and acceleration were the norm, and would not have hurt it. But the times have changed, and the prices have risen even for the least expensive subcompacts. Space efficiency has improved to provide adult-friendly rear seats, the Rio's standard side airbags are overshadowed by the competition's superior safety ratings, and other small cars offer a better blend of pep and fuel economy, with higher manual-transmission shift quality. The Rio has few serious weak points, but also few unique strong points (the leading one being Kia's long warranty). Not doing too much wrong is no longer enough to compete in the economy car class.

The best budget car on the market is the Ford Focus, which is not only deeply discounted from already reasonable prices but also offers impressive interior space and driving dynamics. It is also much more powerful than the Accent, though not as fuel-efficient. For maximum fuel efficiency at a low price, consider the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris. But neither are as inexpensive as the Accent, and the Fit is in very short supply. The Fit is also fun to drive for a subcompact car, though the Yaris is not. And the Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Versa, and Toyota Corolla are well-rounded, relatively inexpensive economy cars with good gas mileage and roomy interiors.

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See the 2008 Hyundai Accent GLS in the IFCAR Economy Sedan Comparison Test

See the 2006 Kia Rio5 SX hatchback in the IFCAR Subcompact Wagon Comparison Test

Available As: Small wagon

Base Price Range (MSRP): $16,395-$20,195

Pros: Interior space, refinement, interior quality, acceleration, third-row seat, warranty.

Cons: Fuel economy.

Overall: A comfortable, practical, and inexpensive family car priced alongside econoboxes.

Rating: 8/10

Recommended: YES

The Rondo is likely to be missed in standard cross-shopping. Its closest equivalent, the Mazda5, also fits into the niche of the tall, inexpensive front-wheel-drive compact station wagon with three rows of seats, but neither car gathers much attention from the average family car shopper. Wagons are unpopular, and economy cars are often viewed as something to be settled for more than chosen. But the Rondo, sharing its platform and engines with Kia's midsize Optima sedan, feels nothing like an economy car. It is more powerful, more spacious, more refined, and higher quality, though it isn't as agile or as fuel-efficient. But the pricing clearly shouts "economy car", as the Rondo undercuts most traditionally family-use vehicles by so much that it may be overlooked. Its third row seat is too small for all but occasional use, it's not nearly as spacious as a true minivan, it's more expensive than most economy cars, and unlike most small cars, there is no available manual transmission. Nonetheless, it is an excellent choice as a practical, comfortable, and inexpensive family car.

As noted, the Rondo can be most obviously cross-shopped with the Mazda5. The 5 is more nimble and has an available manual transmission, and its sliding doors ease rear access, but the Rondo is more refined, more powerful (particularly with the optional V6), and more comfortable, and can seat up to seven passengers instead of merely six. Among other small wagons, the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe twins are noisy and slow and only seat five, but get excellent gas mileage and offer spacious front and rear seating. The Nissan Versa doesn't have as much cargo space, and also lacks a third row, but is very comfortable for four occupants, gets excellent gas mileage, rides and handles well, and has a high-quality interior, and is quite inexpensive. The Rondo can also be cross-shopped against inexpensive small SUVs, where it compares favorably for its emphasis of practicality over rugged appearance, or against midsize sedans, where it compares favorably for its wagon practicality and for the added maneuverability caused by its smaller footprint. Families needing more space should consider a minivan, like Kia's own Sedona. The Rondo is also an excellent practical alternative to a midsize family sedan.

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See the Kia Rondo in the IFCAR Inexpensive 6-passenger Vehicles Comparison Test

Available As: Short and regular-length minivan

Base Price Range (MSRP): $20,495-$26,195

Pros: Safety ratings, price, warranty, cargo space, ride, handling, acceleration, refinement, interior quality.

Cons: Third-row comfort, fuel economy.

Overall: A blend of most of the best aspects of pricier class leaders, along with class-leading safety.

Rating: 9/10

Recommended: YES

The Sedona is a value-priced minivan that meets or exceeds the pricier established class leaders in most ways. It is spacious and powerful, it rides and handles well, it has excellent interior quality and ergonomics, and did better in crash-testing than any other minivan. The Sedona falls between class leaders Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna in offering much of the Odyssey's driving dynamics and much of the Sienna's luxury and refinement. A few details come up short, though, such as the too-low third-row-seat, and the mediocre gas mileage. But the Sedona is clearly a top-notch minivan at bargain prices, and deserves strong consideration from all shoppers.

The primary competitor to the Sedona is its twin, the Hyundai Entourage. The two are virtually identical, and typically priced similarly, so which of the two you choose should depend on what deal you find at the time of your purchase. Among other vans, consider the Honda Odyssey for the sportiest feel of any van, and the Toyota Sienna for the most luxurious one. Both of those can be quite expensive, however. For an even lower price than the Sedona, and for a slick system that stows second and third-row seats into the floor, consider the Dodge Grand Caravan, though it isn't agile, powerful, or refined, and has a low-quality interior and a few mediocre crash-test scores. And for a more refined driving experience but a similar seat trick, consider the somewhat expensive Nissan Quest.

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Available As: Small sedan and wagon

Base Price Range (MSRP): $12,895-$15,995

Pros: Price, interior quality, ride, refinement, warranty.

Cons: Limited ABS-availability, safety ratings, acceleration, fuel economy, handling (except SX).

Overall: A comfortable, quiet, and well-priced small car crippled by a few serious issues.

Rating: 6/10

Recommended: NO

The Spectra is a very pleasant economy car with an unusually high level of interior quality and refinement, excellent pricing, and a long warranty. But once a class leader, it has fallen behind thanks to Kia's decontenting (limiting antilock brakes to high-end models) and competitors' advances. Mainstream versions of the sedan ride very comfortably and quietly, but handle sloppily by small-car standards, and no Spectras with automatic transmissions are either quick or fuel efficient. SX models, which are all hatchbacks and the top-of-the-line sedan have better handling but aren't as comfortable or as quiet, and cost much more. While the Spectra was once an excellent bargain, there are now competitors that can do a better job for no more money.

For a roomy, high-quality interior, a low price, a long warranty, and a comfortable and quiet ride, consider the Hyundai Elantra from Kia's parent company. A newer design than the Spectra, it also has stronger crash-test scores, much better gas mileage, and less clumsy handling, though the Spectra is quieter. The Nissan Versa offers better handling, more comfortable seats, and a nicer interior, and can be had as a practical hatchback, but lacks the Hyundai/Kia warranty and still isn't especially fun to drive. The Ford Focus is a very well-priced, comfortable, refined, and fun-to-drive sedan, but it isn't as fuel efficient as some competitors. And the Honda Fit and Scion xD are fun-to-drive subcompact hatchbacks that offer excellent gas mileage but aren't smooth-riding or refined.

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See the 2008 Spectra EX in the IFCAR Economy Sedan Comparison Test

See the 2006 Spectra5 SX in the IFCAR Compact Wagon Comparison Test

Available As: Small SUV

Base Price Range (MSRP): $16,895-$23,745

Pros: Price, interior comfort, ride, refinement, warranty.

Cons: Fuel economy (V6), acceleration (I4), cargo space.

Overall: Hardly outstanding, but pleasant and well-priced.

Rating: 7/10

Recommended: YES

The Sportage is a comfortable, practical, and inexpensive compact SUV. It rides comfortably and quietly, has well-shaped and reasonably spacious front and rear seating, has a good array of standards safety features, and costs less than most competitors. Its powertrain technology does not match the class leaders however, with a weak 4-cylinder engine offered only on base models and with a marginally more powerful but less fuel-efficient V6 the most common. Both engines are quiet, at least. But if you can forgive the Sportage's powertrain deficiencies, relatively compact cargo hold, and acceptable-at-best safety scores, it's an excellent bargain that does most things well.

Before buying the Sportage, consider also the nearly-identical Hyundai Tucson. The Tucson has a slightly more comfortable ride,  while the Sportage has a slightly nicer interior and more nimble handling. Which of the two has a lower price when you buy should also be a deciding factor between them. Also consider the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Toyota RAV4, which cost more but are more fuel-efficient and no less powerful, even with their 4-cylinders competing against the Sportage's V6. The RAV4 also offers a roomier interior that includes a tiny third-row seat, and all three have better safety ratings than the Sportage. Also consider the Hyundai Santa Fe, which is roomier, more refined, more powerful, and more luxurious than the Sportage, though of course also more expensive. 

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