It must be a bummer, being underappreciated. You shine and excel, and still you remain hidden in the shadows.
Just ask any of the six models listed after the jump. It's a story they know all too well.
Each of these models is amply qualified for mainstream success, yet remains stuck in relative obscurity. In looking at last year's sales figures, their sad lot in life becomes clear; sales-wise, their numbers are tiny relative to those of segment leaders.
Let's throw them a big ol' pity party, shall we? Our picks are listed in alphabetical order.
1. Audi A6
Last year, Audi moved just 11,065 A6 models, a small fraction of the sales logged by rivals like the BMW 5 Series (47,949) and Mercedes-Benz E-Class (62,736). This is a shame since the current A6 (released a few months ago) offers the best driving dynamics in its segment; the sedan has always been capable enough but a 2012 redesign made it the one to beat for luxury-car shoppers who place a premium on driving enjoyment. This Audi is also ahead of its peers when it comes to luxury; the manufacturer has long been known for offering sumptuous, well-finished cabins and the A6 lives up to this tradition.
2. Ford Flex
The Flex can love you in so many wonderful ways. It's got a huge, versatile cabin with three roomy rows; tech up to its eyeballs; and assertive styling that sets it apart from the mommy vans with which it competes. Still, despite its charisma, this Ford has never lit a fire with the public. A mere 27,428 Flex models found homes in 2011; competing three-row crossovers like the Honda Pilot and Chevy Traverse fared much better (116,297 and 107,131 units, respectively). The model is set for a nip and tuck in 2013, and we hope this refresh has a positive effect on its fortunes.
3. Hyundai Azera
Hyundai has undergone a dramatic reversal in recent years, rising to become a dominant force in many of the segments in which it competes. However, while Hyundai models like the Elantra and Sonata logged six-digit sales numbers last year, the competent Azera remained woefully overlooked; a mere 1,524 of these full-size sedans rolled off the lot in 2011. The Azera's most direct competitors and the Ford Taurus and Toyota Avalon, and both these models outsold the Hyundai by huge margins; Toyota moved 28,925 Avalons last year while Ford moved 63,526 Tauruses. The Azera has been redesigned for 2012 and with the upgrade comes a change in strategy. Boasting a bigger price tag and a high-end look, the current model (which goes on sale this month) has been positioned as a more premium choice than its predecessor.
4. Nissan Quest
Brimming with refinement, the Nissan Quest is a top-tier minivan in almost every respect. Though it has less passenger capacity than its rivals (the Quest only seats seven), it makes up for this with a luxurious interior, a silky ride and relatively sharp handling. Despite its appealing mix of attributes, there's considerable distance between this Nissan and other minivans when it comes to sales performance. The Quest sold just 12,199 units last year, a number that doesn't come close to those logged by models like the Chrysler Town and Country (94,320) and Honda Odyssey (107,068).
5. Suzuki Kizashi
We lived with a Kizashi for an entire year (it served mule duty in our long-term test fleet), and we loved it; it's a crime that this model hasn't found wider acceptance. It's been hurt, of course, by Suzuki's limited dealer network, but if you can get your hands on one, this sedan's engaging handling, swanky cabin and value-oriented price will leave you impressed. Sales last year were dismal, with just 6,944 Kizashis making it off the lots; for comparison, one popular rival, the Chevy Malibu, sold to the tune of 204,767 units.
6. Volkswagen Passat
A makeover last year made VW's aspirations for the Passat clear: The manufacturer intends for this model to be a mainstream contender, going head-to-head with the Accords and Camrys of the world. In many respects, the redesign was a success. With its lower price, roomier cabin and tonier accommodations, the current Passat is a much stronger choice than its predecessor, graced with all the attributes of a segment leader. Still, while the new Passat has seen an increase in market share, it has a long way to go before it catches up with the sales leaders. Shoppers purchased 22,835 Passats last year, a figure that's a drop in the deep blue sea relative to numbers logged by the Camry (299,269) and Accord (235,625).
Which models strike you as being most underappreciated?
brn says:
07:00 AM, 02/ 5/12
Audi A6 - People have figured out Audi goes into the shop too much. The competition is more reliable.
Ford Flex - The problem with the Flex is the unique styling. People aren't willing to accept that form Ford. If it said Scion, it'd sell.
Suzuki Kizashi - As much as you guys go on about what a deal it is, you're wrong. It's too expensive for what it is. Their competition offers more for the money. You're correct about the dealer network. That's going to be a Suzuki issue for some time to come. They need to find a way to utilize their bike network to help sell cars.
mkboyardee says:
08:00 AM, 02/ 5/12
Audi A6 - looks like every other Audi sedan, and is costly to own. It sells accordingly, in my opinion.
Ford Flex - the price is the main thing that pushes me away. I don't know about others.
Hyundai Azera - this car has very little, if any, marketing or status. If publications actually reviewed or compared any, it would become more known.
Nissan Quest - easily the ugliest minivan on the market. As superficial as the general public is, I'm not surprised it's a sales flop.
Suzuki Kiazshi - You said it yourself. It's not the car, it's the brand. I see maybe one Suzuki a week. And I've never seen a Suzuki dealership.
VW Passat - same as the Audi. Generic textbook design. Coupled with the massive flocks of sheep in this segment who'll only consider the Accord or Camry.
That said, not to generalize brands, but this list seems pretty incomplete without a Mazda or Volvo. Both decent/good brands with chronic poor sales.
ne1butu2 says:
08:32 AM, 02/ 5/12
The Quest is hideous
The Azera looks like a Korean car from five years ago. Or a Toyota.
The A6, although awesome, is mistaken for an A4. I have a feeling people will mistake the A8 for an A6. I do.
The Ford is too un-branded. They don't market it well at all and don't communicate how cool it can be. And with fake woodgrain, there are signs that they still trying to appeal to the geriatric crowd at the same time they are attempting to appeal to a young crowd.
The Passat sells strong. Comparing to the Camry sales isn't realistic. Toyota whores that car out to fleet customers and practically gives them away. VW should not be aiming for that.
ed124c says:
09:01 AM, 02/ 5/12
With Audi's reputation for bad reliability, wannabee luxury car owners go for the A4, while the rich people who don't need to worry about having to leave their car at the dealer's service dept. because they have other cars to drive (kind of like Edmunds), will gravitate to the A8. Leaving the A6 floundering in the middle.
Suzuki is one of several carmakers trying to get a toe hold on the US market. But lack of dealerships hurts them terribly. Also, I have priced the Kizashi, and it is more expensive than the competition. That doesn't help at all.
Other brands that are dropping into the niche column include Mazda. I think that they should have stuck with Ford. Here's hoping that SkyActiv pulls them up a peg or two, because without it their fleet is stuck with poor mileage vehicles.
GM should have hung onto the Pontiac brand. It is still hard to believe that Pontiac is gone.
blackdynamite1 says:
09:29 AM, 02/ 5/12
Audi A6: No style outside. High style inside. About as reliable as a VW. Only sells to those who don't want to drive a BMW/Lexus/Mercedes like everybody else. 1k a month sales sounds about right. I would get a M37/2013 GS/535i over it.
Ford Flex: ROOMY! Love it or hate it styling. Most hate it
Hyundai Azera: Redesign coming into showrooms now. Has deserved all the disinterest it has received.
Nissan Quest: See Ford Flex.
Suzuki Kizashi: What?
VW Passat: If I want something less reliable, noisier, slower, and less efficient than a Camry/Accord, with even less style, it's good to have that option.
Has sold 23k in 4 months on the market. The People have spoken!
BD
wheelmccoy says:
09:33 AM, 02/ 5/12
Another vote for Mazda. They're pretty innovative, take chances, and make fun affordable cars. I think they are selling well in Canada and the rest of the world. It's really in the U.S. that they are unappreciated.
moparbad says:
09:38 AM, 02/ 5/12
Honda Ridgeline
jrhoglund1 says:
09:41 AM, 02/ 5/12
volvo c30 great car but over priced by 5000 make that correction compare to the competition and watch sales soar.....dah
cardrvr says:
11:39 AM, 02/ 5/12
I'm a "luxury-car shoppers who places a premium on driving enjoyment" and I would never consider new A6 as an "alternative" to other choices. It may perform better than similar E-Class and 5-Series models but its electric power steering is still "numb" even on "dynamic" setting and is not what I would personally consider as "enjoyable". Plus its interior is really awful (one of the worst I've ever seen, right down to minor details like disproportional, "sawed-off" look of automatic transmission shifter and the placement of engine start button on PASSENGER's side of transmission tunnel) and the local Audi dealers (in North East area) usually treat you like shit, so I am totally puzzled why you chose the Audi for your list.
As for Suzuki - it feels like they aren't even interested in success of that Kizashi model (and the customers react accordingly, leading to well-deserved poor sales numbers). If they would, they would've increased their dealership presence, put a better (more powerful) engine into it and a better automatic transmission (CVT transmission doesn't belong on non-hybrid/non-electric cars).
mrryte says:
11:40 AM, 02/ 5/12
Sad to say; it ain't the actual product itself-it's how the product is perceived to be.
ctpaul says:
12:05 PM, 02/ 5/12
You are using last year's sales figures for two models that have been recently revised, the Quest and Passat. I think the Quest was even off of the market for a while? That being said I have seen absolutely zero of the new Quest and I agree it is ugly, somewhat similar in looks to the Flex. I happen to think the Flex looks better, and its upcoming restyle will help too. It is large and expensive and get cross-shopped against mini vans which are more functional and I think cheaper. Suzuki - who cares? They have no marketing and almost no dealers and should go bye bye. Audi A6 - expensive not as much panache as BMW or Mercedes and people inclined for Audi will get an A4 instead. The Hyundai - what is it? They have too many upscale or pseudo upscale models now to keep track of and this one gets lost in the shuffle. Plus I do not think it demonstrates the cost competitive nature of Hyundai against its competitors as does the Genesis does for instance.
billt9 says:
12:41 PM, 02/ 5/12
The 2012 Azera interior looks sweet with all the fancy lighting and futuristic styling.
If only it came with AWD. Too bad.
blueguydotcom says:
01:19 PM, 02/ 5/12
Glad I'm not alone in wondering what they're smoking with the Audi endorsement.
alpha01 says:
02:52 PM, 02/ 5/12
@ne1butu2 - Your hyperbole regarding Camry fleet sales is a bit ridiculous given that the actual fleet numbers are available here on InsideLine.
http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2012/01/2012-toyota-camry-se-the-sales-crown.html
I generally agree with this list, EXCEPT for the Passat. A family sedan, when equipped with Automatic, that starts at AT LEAST $25K? Please, this is a huge reason why VW can't sell more, and pretty foolish given VW's desire for success. And, that particular model is anchored by the unimpressive combination offered by the 2.5L - low power, low efficiency. This car, despite MT's mystifying designation, is a not a winner in the form that would otherwise sell the most volume - Basic engine, moderate options.
moparbad says:
10:01 PM, 02/ 5/12
VW Passat is a tremendous sales success at this point in time. VW is increasing output at the TN assembly plant to increase production capacity as sales have surpassed expectations.
Only hardcore VW fans are disappointed with the Passat.
blackdynamite1 says:
10:49 PM, 02/ 5/12
moperbad
They built that plant to build, and sell, 150k Passats a year. They are on pace for less than half that!
5-6k sales a month is 2nd worst in the class, only beating the Mazda 6 in sales. You can't spin that into good news!
If that is a success story, than VW is in real trouble! Don't be a sucker for every PR spin, please.......
BD
alpha01 says:
07:12 AM, 02/ 6/12
I would also add to this conversation that the picture for the Passat is not about to get any rosier, with the gorgeous and fuel efficient new Fusion around the corner... not add a commendable new Malibu, and redesigned efforts from Honda and Nissan with the Accord and Altima. If the plant is not up to full capacity right now, that's a shame, because there is indeed a window of opportunity here, and with each day that passes, it's closing a bit more.
brian_k says:
07:30 AM, 02/ 6/12
". Plus its interior is really awful (one of the worst I've ever seen, right down to minor details like disproportional, "sawed-off" look of automatic transmission shifter"
I guess we are all entitled to our opinion, but your stance is like saying that the Mona Lisa is garbage. It's your opinion, but you are WAY in the minority.
Audi did not differentiate the A4/A6/A8 enough. I am looking at downsizing my A8 to an A6/A7 and was very impressed with the dynamics and interior. I will have to make do without 22 way seats with masse that articulate every which way, as well as some other bells and whistles, but the A6 is a very solid choice. It is definitely a little conservative on the exterior, so the sport package with 19 inch wheels gives it some more presence.
t10 says:
08:42 AM, 02/ 6/12
The Passat needs the 2.0 T as the standard engine. Heck the last gen had that as the base engine and I know this one is cheaper, but still, it's not progress. The power of the 2.0 T perfectly suits the weight of the Passat and it gets reasonable fuel economy. I can't believe the cost to VAG is that much different on huge volumes (few hundred per engine?).
e90_m3 says:
08:51 AM, 02/ 6/12
The Azera is still around? I thought it was gone after the Genesis sedan came along.
Since I live two blocks from a (sleazy) Hyundai dealership and even I don't know about the Azera, Hyundai's got a marketing issue.
nedmundo says:
09:56 AM, 02/ 6/12
I agree with brn that Audi's poor reputation for reliability undermines its sales. The current BMW 5 Series is probably just as bad, but isn't perceived that way.
As for other under-appreciated models, I'll nominate the Mazda 5 microvan. With its maneuverability, hauling capacity, and sliding rear doors, it simply RULES as a family car in an urban environment, and it has decent highway manners too. The darned thing is even fun to drive, at least with a manual transmission. When it gets the Skyactiv engines for better fuel economy, it might get the attention it deserves. For achieving its intended purpose, it's the best vehicle I've ever owned, by a wide margin.
I think Acura's TSX gets short shrift too, at least in 6MT guise. The numb electrically assisted steering is a drag, to be sure, but at least it's accurate and responsive. The TSX's chassis dynamics are spectacular for a family-friendly FWD sedan, and the suspension tuning is the best I've experienced in any Honda.
moparbad says:
10:43 AM, 02/ 6/12
RE blackdyslexia
VW is taking an intelligent and measured approach to reaching capacity at the new TN assembly. Quality before Quantity.
Volkswagen is hoping to increase 2012 Passat production by 13% by hiring 200 new workers and engineers. The moves comes as Passat demand excess current production levels, with some markets seeing as low as a 5 day supply of the hot selling sedan. Volkswagen will work with its staffing partner Aerotek to fill these spots as soon as possible.
cbmandly says:
10:58 AM, 02/ 6/12
Couldn't agree more about the Flex! I own a Limited AWD model and it is the greatest non exotic car I have ever driven and been in! Nicer ride than a Mercedes, more leather than a BMW, more technology than an Infinity and its a Ford. THis car should be selling 10x more than it does, and Ford did an amazing job with the car. I LOVE mine and everyone who has ever actually spent time in one does at well. Absolutely amazing I really hope the new one sells more because its even cooler looking!
blackdynamite1 says:
11:43 AM, 02/ 6/12
Someday, VW/Audi will figure it out.
But that day is not today.......
BD
smilez says:
12:58 PM, 02/ 6/12
Someday the 3rd largest auto manufacturer will figure it out.
Insert initials since people can't see my name right above my entry.
blackdynamite1 says:
01:14 PM, 02/ 6/12
Are you referring to the maker of the #1 car in America, the #1 compact car in America, the #1 car of all-time, the #1 luxury SUV in America, the #1 hybrid in America, the most fuel efficient car in America, and the #1 luxury brand in America 10 out of 11 years?
Is this the company that needs to figure things out? Is that the company of which you refer to?
BD
carmageddon says:
01:18 PM, 02/ 6/12
I'm a bit skeptical of the claim that the A6 is the best driver in its class given its front drive based chassis. I've test driven practically everything that Audi has offered over the years but never pulled the trigger; nose heavy understeer isn't my idea of fun to drive. Maybe the latest iteration of the A6 has found a way around the laws of physics, but like I say, I'm skeptical. And how about some new styling while we're at it? Only a fanatic (i.e. everyone reading this) can tell one generation A6 from the next.
Speaking of styling, if A is for anodyne (as in Audi A6), F is for fuhgeddaboudit (as in Ford Flex). I'm all for love it or hate it designs, but the Flex's target audience, young moms, seems to fall almost entirely in the hate it camp. Cool stretch wagons that appeal to some guys are not the stuff of which hit products are made (Dodge Magnum anyone?)
ptcdawg says:
02:10 PM, 02/ 6/12
Of the cars listed, I would think the Flex would be my choice to own.
fotowunderman says:
02:47 PM, 02/ 6/12
A6 will always be a low seller - two reasons. Price is stratospheric. The kind of car most of use ooh and aah over at auto shows but won't ever own in their lifetime. And its main competitors are BMW and Mercedes. People want to drive those "names" for their "cachay" status. Is it such a good value. For that amount I'd rather buy real estate.
Ford Flex has ALWAYS been the shadows. And much of the problem has to be attributed to Ford itself. They put an awful lot of money into the new Ford Explorer last year and it was like the last nail in the Flex program. A great alternate to the Mini Van but Ford did not market it well. It will be phased out I predict in 2 years. But will make a good used vehicle when it does.
Just what is the Azera's market ? Even Hyundai doesn't know. No soul. Nothing to inspire. Bloated styling. Just typical excess. Hyundai has so many 4 door sedans that look like melted blobs of metal it's no wonder this vehicle is overlooked. It gets what it deserves.
Nissan Quest ? Are u kidding me ? The only mini vans that count in the public eye are the Odyssey and the Dodge / Chrysler Mini Vans (the original, I will remind you). Of course all Mini vans IMHO are basically with soul-less, appliance like people movers ... long live the Station Wagon !
Suzuki ... some people remember when they made motorcycles and lawn mowers ... but cars ? I don't think so. I'd rather drive a Hot Wheels car. And how about dealerships ? If I live in PA I might be able to find one in NJ. That's cool.
VW has ALWAYS had the most uncomfortable seats in any car and for that reason alone they deserve no success ... I have no clue why they think a comfortable seat has to have the equivalent softness and comfort of granite. Seating comfort has not changed much since I owned my 1968 VW Beetle. Still their best product ever. VW ... please ... put your money into your cars not buying Motor Trend's COY award. It means nothing.
ozcop1 says:
03:05 PM, 02/ 6/12
The Audi A6 is a smooth, great handling, powerful piece of work...but too pricey when compared to BMW's of the same segment. We had several in our driving school a couple of years ago and they were fantastic handling, and quite reliable for what we put them through. All Audi's are too similar in appearance for my liking...
Ford Flex... I was interested in buying one, but loaded up, AWD model was pretty pricey. I ended up with new Dodge Durango to get the towing capacity, and 7 passenger comfort I wanted, and decent fuel economy for about the same price.
As others have stated, the Suzuki is just plain ugly...
The VW Passant I drove for a couple of weeks back in September 2011 was indeed a nice car, good seats, good handling, and decent acceleration. A bit generic, but if I were looking for a car in that range, I think I would buy the VW over the Camry...talk about generic...Camry is the king of generic.
Azera is also a nice car, decent looks, etc., but the company came out with a wildly popular, but cheaper car to rival their own... Hyundia has indeed made large strides in the automotive industry over the past 5 years, and they continue to innovate...
Quest appears to be on a quest to see how ugly Nissan can build a mini-van.
To add to the "no respect" list, I would throw the new Durango into the mix. Based on a Mercedes ML chassis and no longer a box on a truck frame, its good handling manners, steering, ride, and knock-out good looks, combined with the most towing capacity in the segment, and two engines that are smooth, have ample power, and produce decent fuel mileage as SUVs go, I see very few of them on the road. I have not checked the sales numbers for 2011, but am surprised there aren't many on the highway. On a recent 2K mile trip from TX to KY and back, I saw a total of 4 new Durangos, and 6 new Jeep Grand Cherokees, which are also built on the same chassis. The Durango is basically a stretched Jeep Grand Cherokee, 114.9 inch wheel base vs 119.0 wheel base respectively...
blackdynamite1 says:
03:06 PM, 02/ 6/12
The redesigned Azera should do VERY WELL when it comes out in a few weeks.
50k a year sounds about right......
BD
blackdynamite1 says:
07:29 PM, 02/ 6/12
I'll tell you EXACTLY what's VW/Audi's strategy/market problem
They copied Toyota's modest styling, without copying Toyota's strong name in the market.
If you are Toyota, or Honda, you can get away with bland styling. Their names are so strong, their styling doesn't matter!
Not VW/Audi. Your name is MUDD with consumers, so you're styling better have sunshine and rainbows (See Hyundai), because nobody really wants to buy your cars.
No style + bad name = LOSERS!!
Hyundai: Correct countermeasures
VW/Audi: Not so much......
BD
blueguydotcom says:
07:36 AM, 02/ 7/12
@blackdynamite, as much as I dislike VW, their current sales are showing strong growth with the new strategy. Shrug.
blackdynamite1 says:
08:36 AM, 02/ 7/12
Compared to what? Their usual crappy sales?
Not compared to their competition.
And not compared to their sales goals (They want to sell 800k a year in the U.S., between VW/Audi)
Failure precedes them..... (Shrug)
BD
eldaino2 says:
09:33 AM, 02/ 7/12
blackdynamite, and others:
where is this 'bad audi/vw reliability' bs coming from?
they have made a complete turn around and that has been the case for at least 3 or 4 years now.
time to pick up the latest consumer reports, instead of one from 2002
blackdynamite1 says:
10:21 AM, 02/ 7/12
Comes mostly from owners.
And JD Power's IQS and Dependability studies, which has VW in the bottom 6 in Dependability for the last decade......
Look at last year, the year before, any year. The results don't change.
Audi is a different problem. It's the 3rd wheel of Germany. Why get an Audi when you can get a BMW or Mercedes? They have street cred. Audi, not so much........
BD
sohcammer says:
11:03 AM, 02/ 7/12
Somebody ought to counter this post with,
6 Models that are Way Overrated
scorp76 says:
07:27 PM, 02/ 7/12
When the a6 gets some style and personality and stops looking like the overpriced vw it is, maybe it will sell. Maybe people would know something about it if this silly company would start advertising it properly instead of making immatures ads that just try to poke fun at their (far superior) competitors.
jlh3 says:
04:20 PM, 02/ 8/12
What about the Jaguar XF or Jaguar in general. I know they don't have the best reliability but that doesn't stop the germans.
jammerz5 says:
09:24 PM, 02/15/12
I think there are 2 problems for the A6. #1 would be many people have become aware of Audi reliability issues. #2 is it's too mistakable for the A4, and people spending on an A6 catagory car want to be distinguished. I can honestly admit to that confusion as well. So many times I see an A8 and think it's an A6, or I see an A6 and think it's an A4 lol. Family resemblence is one thing, but I think Audi needs to get a little more segment specific after the A4. A6 and A8 need to be clearly distinguishable, and after all, people paying the extra cost of each successive model tier don't want to be confused with a model 2 levels down.
With the Flex, it seems as though many people feel that it's an orphan as far as design styling goes. Doesn't seem to follow the design trend of most other Fords, so people tend to see it as a bit quirky or the oddball of the Ford line up. I know I've been driving around with as many as 5 other people and drove past a Flex, which illicited comments such as "that's a Ford? wierd... or "hmmmm that's kind of... interesting".
The Azera including the new redesign are a bit long in the tooth to say the least, and with the price increase (starting at 35k) for the 2013 models, I don't know if sales numbers will increase any. I think Hyundai needs to go back to the drawing board with Azera and start all over again from scratch. They are just throwing good money after bad with trying to fix the looks of it.
Nissan Quest is reaching for a more "care-like" appearance. Personally I like the styling of it. I think maybe Nissan just needs to make the case more of why the Quest is at the top of its catagory.
Suzuki Kizashi is definitely deserving of better sales. The main issue for lack of sales of Kizashi is simply people not being aware that the car even exists. Suzuki still doesn't advertise it enough, but that has more to do with the fact that Suzuki has a very slim U.S. line-up currently compared to most other brands, thus it's very difficult for them to do extensive advertising campaigns on any single model vechile they sell due to the cost it ads to each vehicles sticker price. I think Suzuki will get around this issue once they enhance their U.S. line-up with more models such as their world wide best seller, the Swift, and the new XA Alpha Concept. A more extensive line-up with those vehicles added to the mix will allow for greater advertising and brand awareness which is precisely what they need. As far as value goes when you compare feature for feature -vs- other Mid-Sized sedans, the Kizashi comes in at a lower price than nearly all of the competition. Some people make the mistake of comparing an AWD version of Kizashi to a FWD Mid-Sized sedan of another brand. That makes no sense. Compare AWD to AWD and FWD to FWD. Duh? If you are going to compare prices it should be done based on an equivalent set up. So when comparing to a FWD mid-sized sedan of another brand, you should choose a FWD kizashi also, and then take into account all of the standard features of each and make sure you match the features of each car you are comparing even if that means adding packages to bring one car up to the level of another. Otherwise you still are not comparing on an equal level. Even the most base level Kizashi comes loaded with features that costs hundreds or thousands more (bundled) in other brands. Lastly you need to also add in warranty coverage comparisons. Kizashi's warranty is 7yr, 100,000 miles with No Deductable, and Fully Transferable. Some other brands boast 100,000 mile warranties, but fewer years, or some offer 10yr warranties but their warranties have a deductable and are not fully transferable. When ALL of that is taken in to consideration, Kizashi is the bargain leader of the mid-sized sedan offerings.
Passat simply needs to be re-thought from a segment perspective. I think it could do much better if it was given a bit more distinguished looks rather than the current... almost anonymous look. Again we are talking price point here, and people that are going to spend on a passat level vehicle may expect a bit more exterior bling for the buck. It's rather ironic (or maybe not so ironic) that this seems to be an issue with the above mentioned Audi models as well.