The best are refreshingly affordable, making them particularly attractive as the average transaction price of a vehicle car climbs toward $40,000.<\/b>
\nSUVs tightened their grip on drivers\u2019 fancy in 2020, but the year only its mother could love also saw the arrival of some great new sedans. The best are refreshingly affordable, making them particularly attractive as the average transaction price of a vehicle car climbs inexorably toward a record $40,000, according to TrueCar. That\u2019s counter to a cranky, but common, view that sedans are as dead as a New Year\u2019s resolution on Jan.2. In fact, SUVs\u2019 sales ascendancy may free \u2014 or force, depending on your degree of cynicism \u2014 automakers to make better cars. \u201cFewer competitors can mean higher profitability for the cars that are left. That allows for more emotional design and profitability,\u201d IHS senior analyst Stephanie Brinley said. In short, compact and midsize cars long derided as appliances and commodities may evolve into statements of personal style. According to Cox Automotive, traditional cars \u2014 sedans, coupes, hatchbacks and station wagons \u2014 held a paltry 24.2% of the market in the third quarter of 2020. That\u2019s chicken feed compared with historical levels over 50%, but up a tick from a COVID-19-battered nadir of 23.4% in the second quarter of 2020, when it seemed the only people who could afford a new vehicle wanted pickups and SUVs for a post-apocalyptic flight from population centers. Reality check: Coronavirus is everywhere, some people still want cars and a few automakers are building ones that are better than ever. Automakers responded to surging SUV sales by shifting investment from cars to SUVs that sell in greater numbers at higher prices. That\u2019s Econ 101, but if you got my mail, you\u2019d know that some buyers take it as an assault on their personal liberty to drive whatever the heck they want, even if the manufacturer goes out of business making it for them. They think Big Auto conspired to take their nice, little cars away and force them to buy Chevy Suburbans. Or maybe it was 5G. I can\u2019t keep up. There\u2019s a big difference between «fewer\u2019 and \u2018none.» When vehicles like the Ford Fiesta, Buick Regal and Dodge Avenger stop cluttering dealer\u2019 showrooms, some buyers will shift to the sedans other automakers still build. \u201cThere\u2019s a market for passenger cars. Some people prefer them \u201d Brinley said. \u201cThere\u2019s more design freedom styling a car than an SUV, and sedans generally have better handling characteristics\u201d because they\u2019re lower to the road and lighter. \u201cSome people just don\u2019t need or enjoy an SUV.\u201d Outstanding and affordable new cars introduced in 2020 include: The Elantra looks, feels, and protects its occupants like a bigger and more expensive car. Prices for the compact sedan start at just $19,650. You can pay more for the N Line performance model or upcoming hybrid, but the base model delivers beaucoup safety features, a gauge display good enough to grace a Bentley and wireless Apple CarPlay. The 2021 Elantra is a finalist for Free Press Car of the Year and a finalist for North American Car of the Year. \u201cThere are more than 4 million sedans sold in the U.S. each year,\u201d said Olabisi Boyle, Hyundai North American vice president of Product Planning and Mobility Strategy. \u201cMany drivers still desire a car that represents safety, good fuel economy and great design. The all-new Elantra certainly delivers on those attributes and more.\u201d Kia pulled out all the stops for this replacement for its long-running Optima midsize sedan, adding performance and optional all-wheel drive. The Optima was a bellwether of Kia\u2019s steady march from econo-brand to a design and value leader. The K5 continues that, generating interest in the sedan as SUVs surged to 65% of Kia\u2019s total sales. K5 prices start at $23,495. \u201cBeyond the simple truth that fewer competitors in the sedan market means more opportunity, Kia is turbocharging the segment with a compelling combination of unforgettable design, unexpected athleticism and innovative technology,\u201d Kia of America Executive Vice President and COO William Pfeffer said. The early results are promising, Pfeffer said. \u201cSales of the K5 have increased since launch this summer and were up 13% year-over-year in November compared to 2019.» The Sentra\u2019s metamorphosis transformed a compact that met the lowest expectations in its class into a mini-Maxima loaded with charm and advanced safety features. Prices start at $19,410. All prices exclude destination charges. The Sentra is a finalist for Free Press Car of the Year and a finalist for North American Car of the Year. \u201cNissan has had incredible success with sedans,\u201d company Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing Michael Colleran said. \u201cOur studies indicate that millennials and other younger future car buyers appreciate sedans, indicating that the segments will stabilize and likely rebound. \u201cThe all-new Sentra will continue to win new buyers for Nissan, bringing more style, refinement, connectivity, performance and value to our bestselling vehicle of all time.\u201d Some carryover cars got impressive updates, too: The new cars\u2019 affordability is particularly welcome because automakers migrated to SUVs largely because they can charge more for them. The Sentra, K5 and Elantra make advanced safety and convenience features available to buyers who can\u2019t afford a similarly equipped SUV. More: Quick takes: High-mpg diesel Suburban, quirky Genesis, excellent Elantra More: 2021 Mustang Mach-E electric SUV is everything most of us could ask for The coming year promises at least one more outstanding and affordable new car: The 2022 Honda Civic. Honda acknowledged falling car sales by dropping some slow-selling Civic variants and boosting its SUV lineup, but the latest version of the small car that spearheaded the brand\u2019s U.S. growth nearly 50 years ago should raise the bar for the whole segment. \u201cOur passenger cars play a key role in bringing younger and first-time buyers to the Honda brand and Civic leads the industry in both categories,\u201d American Honda Executive Vice President and General Manager Dave Gardner said. \u201cEven as we work to grow light truck sales, we will continue to advance our passenger car leadership with an all-new Honda Civic coming in 2021.\u201d<\/p>\n