A reader recently began a discussion on the fact that he still loved sedans. Though surrounded by SUVs and crossovers, he and many others still loved the traditional four-door sedan, he said. Why, he asked.
Luckily, we had the new Lexus IS 300h Hybrid as our talking point. And a nice quiet (and spirited) drive to the Tahanan Bistro and artist’s residence in Antipolo became a nice way to prove our case.
Sedans could provide a few things SUVs and crossovers did not.
They could provide luxury and elegance. They could provide sportiness and feel. They could provide sleekness and beauty of design.
The sedan, being built lower to the ground, offered advantages in handling by nature of a lower center of gravity. Yes, taller vehicles can do that more now than ever, but they do so using increasingly complicated electronic systems. Yes sedans have the same systems but they don’t spend so much time fighting the laws of physics. Tall heavy mass just moves differently from lower lighter mass.
The same applies to comfort and luxury. You can use sophisticated suspensions systems to make big SUVs and trucks more plush, but again they do this by spending a lot of energy countering natural movement. Which will feel great, until you take the same corner in a sedan or a sports car. Plus, and let’s face it, getting in and out of a car looks far more elegant than climbing in and out of an SUV no matter what it is. That’s why the biggest and most impressive garages will still have sedans. To be seen in, and be seen exiting from, in all the right places. This isn’t the most important thing in the world, and true sports cars are tough exits too. That’s why sedans still remain this wonderful middle ground.
Take our example, the Lexus IS 300h. It is the smallish sports sedan from the brand, and in this case had the hybrid powertrain. This meant less weight than bigger sedans or even similarly-sized SUVs (remember Lexus created the luxury SUV market) so handling is by nature a bit more dynamic and tight. Ingress and egress is always easy, going around corners tight or sweeping is a pleasure because you don’t feel like the car is fighting anything. The fact that you can have the nice quiet electric motor running so much is a breath of fresh air, or perhaps more appropriately a nice den of peace and quiet. This quiet comes when you don’t hit the throttle too hard, and that means you actually train yourself to roll on the pedal rather than punch it unless you really want to. And if you want to, the 2.5 liter gas engine happily comes out to play. You may want to avoid this, because the IS is still a sports sedan, and the exhaust note will tell you that. And you pretty easily get used to the peace and quiet part of the equation.
Sedans were the standard choice for generations, but the generations have changed. Now most people by SUVs or crossovers or pickups because you need the space, or you need the flexibility, or you need the clearance, or you just like what one German company would call the dominating position on the road.
You buy sedans because you want them. Because they speak to you. because they answer something that many just don’t understand or appreciate anymore.
This was the same reasoning we all had for sports cars of course. Interesting how the white-bread cookie-cutter sedans may now be the gateway vehicle to the truly sporty automotive world.
