Honda Fails With Toyota to Dominate American Sedan Market: Cars

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Stephen Ragsdale is no longer one of Honda Motor Co.’s “Happy Drivers.” A loyal owner for a decade, he ditched a 2009 Accord just 18 months after he bought it. The reason: He coveted his mother’s stylish Kia Optima.

He found last month he could get an Optima with heated rear seats, cooled front seats and a larger video screen for his navigation system -- and still save $40 a month. He traded in the Accord and also swapped a 2003 Honda CR-V compact sport-utility vehicle for a Kia Soul wagon.