Sedans are still around
Sedans never went away, but trucks – and then SUVs – created less space in garages for them. An unheralded champion of the auto industry, the sedan is seeing renewed interest in the age of electrification. Even hybrid sedans are having a moment, and sedans are an easy foray into EVs for many new car buyers. Plainly put, sedans are a “safe” purchase, pretty much across the board.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a sedan that’s actually bad, too. Sure, some aren’t as cool or don’t have all the bells and whistles you’d like to have, but among the top-selling sedans, none are actually bad. 2026 promises to be a challenging year for the auto industry, and many believe we’re entering a time when auto sales will stagnate or decline.
For sedans, only the strongest will survive 2026. We don’t expect any sedan to be stricken from an automaker’s roster, but we wouldn’t be surprised if they were, either. These are the five sedans that will make it to 2027, and they may even see increased sales as buyers prioritize efficiency and reliability.
The Toyota Camry
If you drew a sedan from memory, chances are you’d sketch the Toyota Camry. The Camry is ubiquitous and has been the best-selling sedan in the United States for quite some time. In a segment with long-standing rivals, that’s saying quite a bit. If you’re a fan of hybrids, you have the Camry to thank, as it was key in ushering in the age of hybrid powertrains.
In 2024, Toyota sold over 300,000 Camrys, and there’s no sign that 2025 is faring worse. The Camry is stylish, reliable, and is now exclusively offered in hybrid form. It’s a smooth ride, has excellent fuel economy, and takes interior styling cues from the more upscale Toyota Crown. It continues to punch above its weight, and 2026 could be a banner year for Toyota’s flagship sedan.
The Honda Civic
Honda
If the Camry bores you, the Civic may put you to sleep. It’s not nearly as sporty, aesthetically speaking, less powerful or spritely than the Camry, and less refined inside. But the Honda Civic is priced incredibly well, offers gas- or hybrid-powered options, and, for those who want a more “proper” looking sedan (read: less sporty), just might be at the top of a very short list.
The Civic often gets higher marks than the Camry, overall, thanks to its low starting price point and well-equipped trim packages. It’s reliable, comfortable, and proud, leaning into traditional styling and utility to make it one of the most sought-after sedans for families and young professionals. The Honda Civic is the car you don’t think twice about; if you’re looking for an instabuy, this one might be it. How do we know? Almost 250,000 people in the U.S. bought one in 2024.
The Tesla Model 3
Tesla
You might love Tesla. You may loathe Tesla. Either way, the Tesla Model 3 is undeniable. The first proper sedan from Tesla represents that electrified sedans are resonant, and that the sedan segment has room for at least one more offering.
As sedate as sedan styling can be, electrification means lightning-quick acceleration, making the Model 3 feel far more sporty than the rest of the cars on this list. The interior is minimalist, which you either love or loathe, and the exterior styling is pure Tesla, with its sloping hood, round roofline, and clean body lines. Tesla sold 145,000 Model 3s in 2024, so if you’re looking to go electric and want a sedan, the Model 3 is easily the best option.
The Kia K5
Kia doesn’t sell a ton of K5s (nearly 50,000 in 2024), but we think that could change. Its sibling, the smaller K4, sells much better, but the K5 is poised to challenge the Toyota Camry in a significant way. It’s attractively priced, fun to drive, and has plenty of room for passengers and cargo. The K5 has a nice, large dash-mounted dual-display setup, too.
The Nissan Sentra
Nissan is the underdog automaker on our list, and hangs a lot of its success on the Sentra. It sells about as well as the Tesla Model 3, and is the most affordable sedan here, which is a huge reason it makes this list. It’s a touch underpowered, but interior comfort and features are competitive in the sedan category, and its price point makes it extremely attractive to budget-minded buyers. Given how competitive 2026 is shaping up to be, the Sentra might find its way into more garages given its features and price point.
The cars we didn’t mention (and why)
This list could have easily been the “Toyota and Honda sedans list.” The Toyota Corolla and Honda Accord weren’t listed. Still, both are incredible vehicles worth a look if you want something smaller than the Camry (Corolla) or larger than the Civic (Accord). Similarly, the Prius was excluded, but it’s a great hybrid vehicle, too. The Hyundai Elantra and Sonata are also not listed since they’re sibling vehicles to the K5 and K4. The Subaru Legacy is a solid AWD sedan, if you’re into a sportier vehicle, and the Mazda 3 is also worth consideration if you are in the market for a compact sedan.
Toyota
Final thoughts
Sedans are still quite popular, and for good reason. They have excellent fuel economy, plenty of room for day-to-day activities, and many have sporty styling that makes them feel like more than a simple car to get you through your week. The segment is ripe with incredible options – so many that we had a lot of difficulty thinning this list down.