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SUVs and pickups represent nearly three-quarters of all new vehicle sales, while passenger car sales continue to decline to record lows. However, it is too early to consider the demise of the passenger car segment, which includes sedans, hatchbacks and wagons.

DesRosiers Automotive Consultants reported that sales of mid-size passenger cars in February grew 5.3 per cent month-over-month, breaking from the trend of passenger car sales overall.

In fact, several automakers have been paying greater attention to their mid-size offerings over the past couple of years. For example, the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Volvo S60 were all recently redesigned. The Accord also went on to win the coveted North American Car of the Year award in 2018.

Technological advancements and economies of scale have helped automakers achieve the seemingly impossible task of combining sportier designs and greater in-cabin and cargo space, without compromising on safety standards.

We’ve featured some of our favourite offers this week on mid-size sedans. If you don’t find an offer that suits you, be sure to check out the Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest incentives and discounts on any new car, truck or SUV.

2019 Subaru Legacy

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Subaru unveiled its redesigned 2020 Legacy sedan at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year. In addition to interior and exterior updates, the 2020 Legacy will come standard with Subaru’s EyeSight suite of active safety technology, and will also be available with a turbocharged engine variant and an 11.6-inch tablet-style infotainment display.

The 2019 Subaru Legacy comes standard with a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder Boxer engine that outputs 175 horsepower and 174 lb.-ft. of torque, a continuously variable transmission and Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drivetrain. Most trims feature an eight-inch infotainment display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility; a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel; LED fog lights and mirror-integrated LED turn signals, and EyeSight, Subaru’s suite of active safety features such as precollision braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist and lead-vehicle-start alert.

2019 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Sport with EyeSight
  • MSRP: $31,695
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $1,500 (as compared to $1,000 in January)
  • Estimated dealer discount: $1,000
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,790
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $30,985
  • Finance for 60 months at 0.99 per cent interest (as compared to 1.99 per cent in February) for $618 per month including tax, which includes a $500 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
  • Lease for 48 months at 0.99 per cent interest (as compared to 1.99 per cent in February) for $475 per month including tax, which includes a $500 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment

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Ford Fusion

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Handout

The Ford Fusion experienced a massive 148-per-cent jump in sales in the month of February, making it the bestselling mid-size sedan in Canada that month. With total year-to-date sales of 1,366 units, it is also this year’s second-bestselling sedan in its class, after the Toyota Camry.

Although most sedans available in the market today have a hybrid variant, what sets the 2019 Ford Fusion apart is the availability of two distinct electrified powertrains – Hybrid and Energi. While both these variants are powered by a 2.0-litre Atikinson-cycle engine and electric motor that output a combined 188 horses, the former is a traditional hybrid, versus the latter, which is a plug-in hybrid and has an all-electric drive range of 40 kilometres. Notable features on the SEL Energi trim include a SYNC 3 infotainment system, an 11-speaker premium audio system, dual 4.2-inch displays in the instrument cluster, a rotary gear-selector, LED exterior lighting, automatic high-beams, adaptive cruise control and engine start-stop capability. Technology features on the SEL Energi trim include EV mode, precollision assist with automatic emergency braking and a keyless-entry keypad.

2019 Ford Fusion SEL Energi
  • MSRP: $36,590
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $2,000
  • Estimated dealer discount: $750
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,890
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $35,731
  • Finance for 60 months at 2.49 per cent interest (as compared to 3.49 per cent in January) for $716 per month including tax, which includes a $2,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
  • Lease for 48 months at 1.99 per cent interest (as compared to 1.99 per cent in January) for $623 per month including tax, which includes a $2,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment

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2019 Chevrolet Malibu

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The Chevrolet Malibu, also one of the bestselling mid-size sedans in the country, received a facelift for the 2019 model year. It now boasts new grille and headlight designs, a standard eight-inch infotainment display and an available eight-inch reconfigurable multi-information display in the instrument cluster.

The Premier trim is equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged gasoline engine that generates 250 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. Highlights on this trim include a nine-speaker Bose premium sound system, dual-zone automatic climate-control, remote engine-ignition, heated front and rear seats, wireless cellphone-charging and LED exterior lighting with automatic on-off headlights and automatic high-beams. Key safety technology includes forward-collision alert, front-pedestrian braking and rear-park assist with a high-definition rear camera.

2019 Chevrolet Malibu Premier
  • MSRP: $36,195
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $3,000
  • Estimated dealer discount: $1,000
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,840
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $34,035
  • Finance for 60 months at 0.99 per cent interest for $715 per month including tax and assumes zero down payment

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2019 Kia Optima

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The Optima falls right in the middle of Kia’s extensive sedan lineup, with the Rio and Forte on the smaller end and the Cadenza on the larger end.

The 2019 Kia Optima is powered by a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder engine with gasoline direct-injection technology. The EX Tech trim features an eight-inch infotainment display with integrated navigation, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, wireless cellphone-charging capability, heated leather seats, a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic projector-beam headlights, high-beam assist and rain-sensing windshield wipers with deicing capability. The EX Tech trim also features safety technology such as forward-collision-avoidance assist, rear-parking sensors, a rearview camera and a blind-spot detection system.

2019 Kia Optima EX Tech
  • MSRP: $33,345
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $2,000 (as compared to no incentive in February)
  • Estimated dealer discount: $500
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,825
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $32,670
  • Finance for 60 months at 0.99 per cent interest (as compared to 1.99 per cent in February) for $670 per month including tax and assumes zero down payment
  • Lease for 48 months at 1.99 per cent interest (as compared to 2.99 per cent in February) for $586 per month including tax and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment

Get Local Price on Globe Drive

Andrew Tai is CEO of Unhaggle. Follow on Twitter @ahytai

Manufacturer incentives and pricing calculations are based on Ontario customers and subject to availability of inventory. Dealer discounts shown are estimates for illustrative purposes only, may vary by region and are given at the discretion of individual dealers. Please note that while every effort is made to ensure the information above is accurate at the time of publication, pricing, incentives and discounts are subject to change or discontinuation at any time. Vehicle images may not represent the exact model featured in the pricing provided. Consult your local dealership for details.

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