2013 Honda Accord Sport vs. Toyota Camry SE vs. 2014 Mazda6 Grand Touring

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Sport Medicine: Think family sedans are boring? go for something zippier

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Believe it or not, some midsize sedan buyers view these four- doors as exciting signs of hope, evidence that the fun isn’t over just because kids and jobs now consume 23 hours of the day. Despite their prevalenceâ€"at least that of the Accord and Camry, which sold more than 300,000 and 400,000 units in 2012, respectivelyâ€"the three family sedans here are injected with a shot of sport aimed at enlivening the daily doldrums of commuting, errand running, and passenger hauling. If you can zip from light to light a little quicker or take the freeway on-ramp a bit more aggressivelyâ€"anything to brighten your dayâ€"why not, right? With that in mind, we gathered the all-new Mazda6 and Honda Accord Sport, as well as the best-selling veteran, the Toyota Camry SE, to see which one delivered the most effective spoonful of sport medicine. Each boasts a stout four-cylinder, a seamless automatic, an athletic body kit, and a sport-tuned chassis, designed to collectively stimulate the senses and soothe the soul. We tried to get a Fusion SE, but Ford claimed it couldn’t source one. And the top-dog VW Passat? With the new EA888 turbo I-4 poised for 2014 duty and a dedicated sport trim still a distinct possibility (see the Passat Performance Concept from this year’s Detroit auto show), the Chattanooga champ was relegated to Round 2 and a face-off with this test’s winner. But let’s focus on Round 1…

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Toyota Camry SE

The SE accounts for about 40 percent of Camry sales, which equates to around 160,000 units annually. That’s nearly five times as many 6s as Mazda sold last year. SE drivers are treated to the same 2.5-liter, 178-hp, 170-lb-ft I-4 that powers most Camrys not wearing V-6 or Hybrid badging, but the six-speed automatic (the only tranny offered) comes with paddle shifters and an S mode that delivers quicker shifts and downshift throttle blips. Nice. The chassis receives firmer springs and dampers, stiffer lower front-control arms, strut tower and trunk-mounted braces, and 17-inch alloys wearing 215/55 rubber. Outside, there are SE-specific side skirts, mesh upper grille, black headlamp bezels, and rear spoiler. Inside, a three-spoke steering wheel and thicker bolstered sport seats round out the package. Problem is, the aesthetic parts are more appealing than the finished product. Styling, inside and out, was deemed dated, with the slab-sided exterior and ’80s-esque interior dr awing criticism. And this Camry is only two years old. At the track, the SE put down the slowest acceleration numbers of the group, despite being the lightest car at 3207 pounds. Zero to 60 mph came in 8.1 seconds, with another 8.1 required to reach the quarter mile (16.2 at 87.0 mph). At 0.81 g, lateral acceleration, was acceptable, certainly in light of the modest rubber, and the figure-eight run of 27.6 at 0.61 g was back of the pack, but solid nonetheless. The one objective performance test in which the Camry didn’t play the caboose was 60-to-0 brakingâ€"it stopped 1 foot shorter than the Mazda.

A stiff ride does not a sporty car make.

Over our evaluation loop in Tehachapi, California, the Camry revealed more faults than strengths, notably a stiff ride, numb steering, and a confidence-detracting chassis. Says associate editor Rory Jurnecka, “From the first dip coming out of the parking lot, the Camry makes its stiff ride known. Unfortunately, it’s all for naughtâ€"a stiff ride alone does not a sporty car make. It’s amazing that the Mazda rides better on 19s.” Associate editor Scott Evans: “The body rolls much more than the other two, and the suspension doesn’t handle the inertia well. Even a moderately quick steering input gets you thrown around in your seat. Steering is a little too slow to be fun on the back roads and has little feel in it whatsoever.” On the plus side, the Toyota offers a big back seat, an attractive price tag, excellent visibility, and the best observed fuel economy during our 270-mile trip by 0.1 mpg. The Camry SE has a lot going for it, no doubt, but sporty, engaging, and fun aren’t three of its attributes.

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