After spending time with the 10 cars in this test, it was evident to us that a great many modern-day family sedans aspire to do more than merely get you where you want to go in reasonable comfort and safety. Some of them want to be luxury sedans. Others see themselves as sport sedans. And quite a number of them offer comforts and conveniences that make them downright pleasurable to drive.

The Accord won by virtue of the fact that it's strong in all areas: Its interior is attractive, roomy, high in quality, loaded with features and as ergonomically friendly as you're going to get and, out on the road, it handles capably and goes fast. And the Honda puts together all of these attributes for a price that undercuts comparably equipped cars.

The Mazda 6 finished less than four points back from the Accord, a significant feat because the smaller 6 is biased more toward sport than practicality. To have it finish this high suggests that it's more qualified for family duty than we previously thought, thanks to the availability of important safety and convenience features and its unexpectedly smooth, quiet ride.

The Camry was the second most expensive car in this test, not to mention a little bland, but its roomy, user-friendly cabin; quiet ride; powerful new 3.3-liter V6 engine; and extreme level of refinement helped it overcome those obstacles. If price is not your number-one concern in buying a family sedan, the Toyota could be a great fit for you.

Although the Altima's interior design and materials still need work, this car was a favorite with editors. Two years after the introduction of the current generation, this is still one of the fastest, roomiest, most comfortable and most fun-to-drive cars in this price range. Credit goes to Nissan for pushing the issue of performance to the forefront of the family sedan segment.

Despite the fact that the Volkswagen Passat costs a lot and is no longer one of the most spacious or powerful cars in the segment, this is the one car in the group that looks, feels and drives like an entry-level luxury sedan. When asked to rank the cars in order of personal preference, every editor who participated in this test picked the VW first.

Inspired by the Altima's sales success, the 2004 Mitsubishi Galant has arrived on the scene with an equally potent V6 engine and even greater back-roads handling potential. It also has a spacious, comfortable interior. Although mediocre interior materials and some key omissions on the equipment list kept it from finishing higher than sixth in this test, those who can overlook its rough edges will like the sport sedan underneath.

The redesigned Chevrolet Malibu is a promising sign of things to come at General Motors. Its roomy, comfortable cabin is filled with thoughtful conveniences, while an unexpectedly potent V6 engine and a well-tuned suspension make for a pleasant driving experience. Unfortunately, a bland approach to interior design, along with build and materials quality problems, will keep it on the fringes of a segment dominated by polished imports.

The Hyundai Sonata and Chrysler Sebring found themselves in the eighth and ninth spots. Although the Hyundai, in particular, could have appeal for bargain hunters, neither car presents the quality interior furnishings or refined driving demeanor offered by the higher finishers in this test.

Suzuki's Verona brought up the rear of this 10-car comparison test. Despite its handsome styling and reasonably well-appointed interior, it desperately needs a more vigorous engine, more composed handling and a set of side airbags. Until Suzuki gives it a few upgrades, this car is for undemanding value seekers only.