Sorting through sports sedan features

Sports sedans inject fun into your daily drive, experts say. They can be as practical as ordinary family sedans and as plush as luxury cars, with a dash of sports-car speed and handling. But beware: Some pricey "sports sedans" flunk in tests, while some reasonably priced models perform very well. If you're shopping for a sports sedan, here are a few points to keep in mind:

  • Sports sedans range from stripped-down racers to opulent luxury cars, with prices to match. In this report, prices range from about $26,000 to $88,000, but all of the Best Reviewed cars fall in the $30,000 to $60,000 range. At that price, sports sedans tend to offer plenty of upscale touches (leather seats, sunroofs and automatic dual-zone climate control are common standard features), but some concentrate more on lithe handling, and others lean more toward a powerful, comfortable ride with lots of amenities.
  • Sports sedans often double as family cars. All of the sports sedans in this report seat five people, although with varying amounts of legroom and luggage space. If such practicality is not a concern, investigate some of the sports cars in our separate ConsumerSearch report.
  • Manual gearboxes are still offered on many sports sedans. Depending on your priorities, you may find that a manual transmission gives the best feeling of being connected to the vehicle, with improved acceleration and precise control over the gear selection. However, quick-shifting traditional automatics and dual-clutch gearboxes provide the convenience of leaving the car in drive with the option to manually select gears (without using a clutch pedal) by using wheel-mounted paddles or tapping the traditional console-mounted shifter.
  • Rear-wheel drive is the most common setup for sports sedans because experts say it forges the best link between the driver and the car.  All-wheel drive is a popular option. When it's done right, experts say AWD can make a car feel particularly sure-footed, but some automakers do AWD better than others.
  • Check out the tires. Some sports sedans are equipped with high-performance tires, while others offer them as an option. These sharpen a car's handling and grip, but they may not be suitable for winter driving. More sedans are shipping with 18- to 20-inch wheels for a sporty look. However, be aware that the larger the wheel, the harsher the ride and the more you'll likely spend for replacement tires.

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