a nice sedan of a particular exterior size

I would look at three other sedans in making my decision:
- Honda Civic in EX-L trim
- Toyota Corolla in Limited trim
- Buick Verano in Leather trim

You will need to reserach the sound systems offered, as this can be a very individual preference.

All of these cars have great rides and reputations.The Civic and Toyota have grown in size over the generations. I'm amazed and impressed by how much the Verano looks like the Regal and prior LaCrosse. In fact, it has a larger trunk than the LaCrosse. There's a recent Corolla in base trim in the family and the ride and comfort surprised me (on the good side).

Good Luck!

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Have you considered going the hatchback route? Often you get more storage space for less overall length:

Examples:

VW Golf/GTI: 168"
VW Jetta: 183"

Mazda 3 Hatchback: 176"
Mazda 3 Sedan: 180"

Audi A3 Sedan: 176"
Audi A3 Hatchback: 169"


Actually, per the above, the A3 sedan might be a good option if you must have a trunk. A loaded GTI is also a nice place to spend time and they are very short.

Some of the luxury makes have small SUV's which are really just lifted hatchbacks that are pretty short and might be good options coming off lease.

Mercedes GLA SUV/Hatch: 174"
Infiniti QX30: 174"
Volvo XC40: 174"
Audi Q3: 173"
BMW X1: 175"

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FYI, Buick does not have the longest warranty. Many car manufacturers meet or exceed their warranty. VW now appears to have the longest.

Warranty:
Audi: 4 year/50,000 mile
Acura: 4 year / 50,000 mile
BMW: 4 year / 50,000 mile
Hyundai: 5 year / 60,000 mile
Volkswagen: 6 years / 72,000 mile
Mercedes: 4 year / 50,000 mile
Volvo: 4 year / 50,000 mile
Lexus: 4 year / 50,000 mile
Kia: 5 year / 60,000 mile
Infiniti: 4 year / 60,000 mile
Lincoln: 4 year / 50,000 mile

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Good suggestions here. My main concern with the Buick is it doesn't offer all of the requested safety features. It has blind spot, forward collision, and lane departure warning systems, but no automatic braking. If the last isn't required, could be a good fit--as long as you really don't need much rear legroom. With the Volvo, some will have the Technology Package with the requested features, but others won't. They're not standard. Make sure any Volvo you're considering has the package.

Among premium brand cars, the Civic-based 2016 and Acura ILX might fit what you're looking for. Not as smooth and comfortable as a Volvo.

The 2017 and up Lexus IS is 184.3 inches and comes standard with the safety tech, but might be too new and pricey for how much you're seeking to spend.

The current Audi A4, BMW 3, Cadillac ATS, and Mercedes C-Class are also all under 185 inches, with the BMW shortest at 182.5. Some might be within your price change when equipped with their safety packages.

Among non-premium brands, the 2016+ Honda Civic, 2017+ Hyundai Elantra, and 2014+ Mazda3 might all be worth a look. My main concern with the Hyundai is they went a little cheap with the interior. And with the Mazda? It's getting a bit old, with a redesign coming for the 2019 model year. Also, for some reason its forward collision warning doesn't qualify as such a system according to iihs.org (a good source for safety info). None of these will feel as luxurious and solid as the Volvo, or even as the Buick, though.

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Buyer beware with Hyundai/Kia warranties as they are very limited and are sticklers when maintence is not followed and documented.

" 5-YEAR/60,000-MILE
NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY Covers repair or replacement of any component manufactured or originally installed by Hyundai that is defective in material or factory workmanship, under normal use and maintenance.

The following components are covered for time and mileage limits indicated:
? Radio and audio systems (i.e., radio, compact disc player, DVD player, navigation system and Bluetooth^?): for MY 15 and prior, 3 years/36,000 miles?Equus: 5 years/60,000 miles
? Radio and audio systems (i.e., radio, compact disc player, DVD player, navigation system and Bluetooth^?): for MY 16, 5 years/60,000 miles for all models
? Paint: 3 years/36,000 miles
? Battery: for MY 15 and prior, 3 years/unlimited miles (100% covered 2 years/unlimited miles; after 2 years and within 3 years, 25% cost of battery and 100% labor cost covered)
? Battery: for MY 16, 3 years/36,000 miles (no proration)
? Air conditioner refrigerant charge: 1 year/unlimited miles
? Adjustments: 1 year/12,000 miles
? Wear items: 1 year/12,000 miles (e.g., belts, brake pads and linings, clutch linings, filters, wiper blades, bulbs and fuses)"



BUICK WARRANTY

" 2017 New Vehicle Limited Warranty Buick 4-year/50,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper³

Buick 6-year/70,000-mile Transferable Powertrain Limited Warranty with no deductible³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile 24/7 Roadside Assistance Program³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile Courtesy Transportation Program³ Buick 4-year/50,000-mile Corrosion Protection³

Buick 8-year/100,000-mile Limited Warranty on certain eAssist components³ 2016 New Vehicle Limited Warranty Buick 4-year/50,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper³

Buick 6-year/70,000-mile Transferable Powertrain Limited Warranty with no deductible³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile 24/7 Roadside Assistance Program³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile Courtesy Transportation Program³ Buick 4-year/50,000-mile Corrosion Protection³

Buick 8-year/100,000-mile Limited Warranty on certain eAssist components³ 2015 Warranty and Coverage Buick 4-year/50,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile Transferable Powertrain Limited Warranty with no deductible³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile 24/7 Roadside Assistance³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile Courtesy Transportation³ Buick 4-year/50,000-mile Corrosion Protection³ Buick 8-year/100,000-mile Limited Warranty on certain eAssist components³ 2014 Warranty and Coverage Buick 4-year/50,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile Transferable Powertrain Limited Warranty with no deductible³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile 24/7 Roadside Assistance³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile Courtesy Transportation³ Buick 4-year/50,000-mile Corrosion Protection³ Buick 8-year/100,000-mile Limited Warranty on certain eAssist components³

2013 Warranty and Coverage Buick 4-year/50,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile Transferable Powertrain Limited Warranty with no deductible³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile 24/7 Roadside Assistance³ Buick 4-year/50,000-mile Corrosion Protection³ Buick 6-year/70,000-mile Courtesy Transportation^3"

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Just my advice on what's been said so far:

I second the Civic and Corolla because they are the best values. The Corolla has every safety feature standard on the lowest trim even if Norm doesn't think they work because of a few occurances. I have tried the Toyota safety features on an Avalon, Corolla, and Prius and they all work as intended, which means they work every time. The Corolla rides well and is one of the quieter ones in the segment, but it doesn't handle well and is boring. Toyota has good JBL sound systems. I compared it to our Mazda3's Bose system and I prefer the JBL a little.

The 2016+ Civic is just a great car, period; same with the new Accord. The Civic has the LaneWatch camera instead of a blind-spot sensor, which is not as good but isn't a deal-breaker. Pretty much everything about the Civic is better than the Corolla except the Corolla will be more reliable, but not by much. The Civic's safety features are not found on the lowest trim. I don't think Honda sound systems are the best since they don't have a name brand system. They call their top-tier system "premium" usually.

I know the Acuras always have a great sound system. I have not heard any good things about the Acura ILX. Poor ride, road noise, value, features, and it feels old. Based on the last Civic, the worst Civic.

The Verano is inferior to the new Civic in almost every way except ride quality and maybe quietness. The Verano could probably be found for cheaper than a new Civic, but then you would be driving a car that has already been discontinued and is popular with the oldies. It doesn't even look as good as the Corolla from the outside IMO. Safety features are not easily accessible.

We own a 2015 Mazda3 and it is a great car, but it doesn't really fit with your priorities. The Bose sound system is really good, though. There are not a lot of safety features found on the lower trims. It has some road noise and the ride is firm, but it is comfortable and feels very substantial.

I second the Audi A3. It is like a nicer VW Golf, which is also a great car. It feels substantial and is fun to drive. It is a really small car on the inside, too. It is probably the worst value on the list starting at $32k new, but if you are willing to spend that much check it out. I almost got one instead of my Prius, but I felt like it was too expensive for how big it was.

People seem to like the Volvo (182"), but there are so many other better luxury cars like the Mercedes Benz C300 (184") or Audi A4 (186"). Just add the driver assistance package.

This is what is at the bottom of the Buick warranty page:

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT ALTERATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Installations or alterations to the original equipment vehicle (or chassis) as distributed by General Motors are not covered by the General Motors New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The special body company, assembler, equipment installer, or upfitter is solely responsible for warranties on the body or equipment and any alterations (or any effect of the alterations) to any of the parts, components, systems, or assemblies installed by GM. General Motors is not responsible for the safety or quality of design features, materials, or workmanship of any alterations by such suppliers.

How is this better than Hyundai/Kia/Genesis? It has the same fineprint details and drawbacks, but the Hyundai warranty is better. Even Mitsubishi has a better basic and powertrain warranty than Buick.

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Unforunately, Norm is mostly right about Hyundai / Kia warranties. They cover exactly what the fine print says they cover, which can be less than people assume. I hear more complaints about Hyundai / Kia warranties than all others put together.

This said, I haven't heard of warranty claims being rejected because all maintenance wasn't documented. Instead, the issues tend to invoice interior trim and audio, which are expliciitly excluded from the 5/60.

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Note that, like danlisahall said, Audi/VW and the other European brands are usually less reliable than the other cars. They also cost more to repair than the other brands. They make very nice cars otherwise. The previous A4 got outdated pretty quickly FYI.

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