Sports sedans usually deliver agile handling and swift acceleration in a four-door package, and the leaders typically herald from a small number of prestige brands. But not always. With the July 2011 Consumer Reports road test, the Buick Regal CXL and Infiniti G25 join exclusive ranks with the BMW 3 Series, out-scoring the Audi A4 and Volvo S60.

The G25 now ranks second overall in Consumer Reports' recent tests of 13 sports sedans, behind the more powerful Infiniti G37, our current sports sedan Top Pick. Buick's Regal Turbo is now mid-pack in the rankings, slightly higher-rated than the less expensive, non-turbo Regal and BMW 328i.

The new S60 now ranks 10th out of the 13 sports sedans rated. Still, the new Volvo is much improved over its mediocre and outdated predecessor, helping it earn a road-test score that's almost 20 points higher than the previous generation. The A4 currently ranks 12th, with the Saab 9-3 at the bottom of the rankings. But it's not all bad news for the A4: It now uses a super-smooth eight-speed automatic transmission to help it get an impressive 25 mpg overall, among the best in this class.

Also in the July issue, the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima were pitted against one another in a turbo-sedan face-off. And while they have a slightly different take on the same platform and powertrain, the Sonata has the edge.

See the full July issue road tests as published, or visit the individual model pages linked above.