Representing the largest slice of the annual sales pie, mid-sized sedans are the most popular vehicles sold in the United States. Nearly every manufacturer sells one, albeit at varying price points ranging from the mid-teens (Plymouth Breeze) to more than $50,000 (Jaguar XJ8). A buyer in this size class has at least 40 models to select from, with the Acura TL and Volvo S70 book-ending the segment on either side of the list. But the most popular models are those that comprise the heart of the market, priced between $20,000 and $25,000.

During 1997, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry battled it out for best-selling car in America. At this writing, the victor wasn't clear, but the Camry was up several thousand units with the Accord closing quickly at the end of the year. We wanted to find out if buyers are justified in shopping for either of these models, or if there is an American nameplate that they ought to be considering. Our question: Does Honda still build the best family sedan?

The average car buyer spent close to $22,500 on a new vehicle in 1997, so our candidates for this test had to have a base sticker within $2,500 of that figure. Each candidate had to come equipped with a V-6 engine and an automatic transmission. Each candidate had to have four doors. Otherwise, anything was legal. We wanted representatives from each of America's Big Three to take on the two best-selling import brands, but Chrysler was unable to provide a 1998 Dodge Intrepid for the test and Chevrolet did not return our phone calls regarding the Lumina LTZ. Those manufacturers able to accommodate our request are as follows: Buick sent the Regal GS, Honda provided an Accord LX V6, Mercury donated a Sable LS, Oldsmobile shipped an Intrigue GL, and Toyota gave us a Camry LE V6.

We also wanted to find out how everyday drivers and typical consumers might rate each sedan. Invited along for the ride were several people who don't drive or study automobiles for a living. Our test team included 10 women and men of varying age, height, and weight; some experienced drivers who've had the opportunity to sample much of what's available on the market today, and others who had no preconceptions or preferences to suppress going into the test.

We spent two full days driving laps of a 60-mile test loop over a variety of roads in southern California. Each participant had the opportunity to sample the five sedans back-to-back. Evaluations were made during each driver change. Two nights in a row we discussed our impressions over dinner, attempting to find a clear winner, a clear loser, and to determine which cars slotted into the spaces in between. The results of our exhaustive test driving and analysis follow, and the cars are ranked in order from worst to first.