2021 Sedan Of The Year: Elimination Round #1

We have twenty sedans in the competition for 2021 Carz Sedan Of The Year, but that number will decrease as we are letting go of three sedans. These sedans just didn't make the cut because they were either unimpressive compared to the competition, or simply had a flaw that set it back too far for us to keep it in the next rounds. Well, here it goes. These sedans will be leaving the competition.

Cadillac CT4-V

As much as we loved the unique, smooth design and athletic engine of the CT4's sporty counterpart, we were not pleased with the mediocre interior. Cadillac had the opportunity to make the CT4's interior as lavish as the Escalade, but for some reason, they didn't. They're a luxury automaker, aren't they? The infotainment screen was far too small compared to rivals like the Audi A4, and things that should be standard in a luxury vehicle, like heated and ventilated seats, are only optional. Another flaw is the marketing of the 'V' moniker. Previous Cadillac models that wore the 'V' badge meant business. But, the new CT4-V is merely a slightly faster variant of the standard model. So, we'll wait for the CT4-V Blackwing.

Dodge Charger

The Dodge Charger is the last American sedan with a true performance-geared personality. The Hemi V8 is shockingly powerful and loud. The styling is also impressively new-looking. But, that doesn't excuse the Charger from having a decade-old platform. Plus, it is mighty expensive for such an outdated car. The ride quality isn't ideal with big wheels, so tuners, take note. The steering isn't as engaging as we'd expect in a performance sedan, either. Moving on into the interior, it's no secret that the Charger is ancient. The materials are stiff and quite uncomfortable, legroom falls behind competitors, and the Uconnect infotainment system doesn't offer a Wi-Fi hotspot, and some controls are only accessible through the touchscreen. Sorry Dodge, but the Charger just wasn't good enough.

Honda Civic Si

The Civic Si is easy to love, and the manual transmission is very fun. Actually, the Civic Si is fun altogether, especially at its affordable price point. Despite those compliments, the Si can't help being a bit old. Most people call its design polarizing right off the bat, but we totally disagree. It's just that it would look even better in a hatchback body style (the Si is sedan/coupe only). Also, the infotainment system lacks a few features that competitors have. The screen is quite small, too. We would also love to have a better engine and exhaust sound. Our final complaint was that the headroom and legroom were restricted in the coupe, which is the complete opposite of the roomy sedan variant. We'll really miss the Civic, but it just couldn't beat the tough competition.

Safe

These competitors are safe for this week!

- Acura TLX

- Audi A4

- Audi A8

- BMW 5 Series

- Genesis G70

- Genesis G80

- Hyundai Elantra

- Hyundai Sonata N Line

- Jaguar XF

- Kia K5

- Lexus LS

- Mazda3 2.5 Turbo

- Mercedes-Benz CLS

- Mercedes-Benz E Class

- Nissan Sentra

- Toyota Mirai

- Volkswagen Arteon

Image Credits: Cadillac, Autoblog, Dodge, Honda