NoTo said:
" Same reason why the previous Lexus IS didn't, and why the new Lexus IS can - structural rigidity. To be cheaper, they use regular steel rather than more rigid stuff, so they need the space behind the rear seat to stiffen the chassis."
Good thing you're not a structural engineer! High strength steel is NO stiffer than regular steel - sorry to diappoint both you and the marketing departments of the car companies. Steel is steel, and its characteristic Young's modulus doesn't change, so stiffness doesn't either. It will bend more before it fails, and thus absorb more impact energy - that's why you find it in the crash structure.
Chassis rigidity is defined by geometric shape and amount of material, so increased chassis stiffness comes from better design shapes. That's the real truth and it's incontrovertible.
I've driven most of these cars in my own quest for a new car. My opinions are just that. The Optima is really not very good and not up to the rest. I agree it looks best, but I'm looking for a decent car, not the styling champ.
The Accord has a bobblehead ride, quite offputting on known good pavement. The quality of manufacture appears to me to be by far the best however, when you look at the oily bits, and how things are organized underhood. The manual is ace.
The Mazda6 is not made to the same quality as the Accord underhood. The manual transmission low gear is shared with the reverse gear shaft, and whirs like an old pickup truck. Ride is more level than the Accord until you hit a manhole cover, and it bangs very badly. Best driving position. Only fair visibility.
The Camry - I found the interior so bad I couldn't be bothered to test drive it. I'd never buy it anyway because of that, having to gaze at that mess each day.
The Fusion drives nicely, but under the gloss lurks too much weight and not particularly great assembly. The Accord eats it for lunch in that department. Extra weight causes poor fuel economy no matter what engine has to accelerate the mass. It is not a nimble vehicle.
The Altima seemed overly cushy to me and a bit lightweight so gave me pause on bad roads. Just didn't grab me. It is a car and that is all. Yawn.
The Malibu. Right.
None of these cars is particularly great, and none have what I'd call a good driving experience. They're all pretty blah and disappointing. My pal just leased a Mazda3 manual, and it drives far better than these galumphers. It's actually stimulating to boot around and for less than 20 grand plus freight a reasonable deal, keyless entry, HMI controller included. It just doesn't have any beans at all though.
I didn't think much of the CLA I drove either and the styling trumped visibility. Useless. I like VWs but 5 Audis in a row cured me of the delusion that VW/Audi makes anything you can rely on.
The worst new car I drove was the Subaru Legacy (if you don't count the clown Crossdreck). Subaru sure ruined my Legacy with this plastic crap. While I have felt better getting back in and driving my old Legacy GT after each and every car mentioned above, plus a BMW 320i and an X1, the current Legacy stands out as utter dross. Don't know where they lost the plot.
None of these cars has persuaded me to spend my money as yet. They're pretty anodyne driving experiences. And related CUVs are even worse.
Not one of these cars has any sense of presence except the Optima. And then you drive it. What a letdown.
