Which entry level luxury sedan is best

The Q50's infotainment setup is both laggy and unintuitive. Not only that, the ride is too firm, and the car doesn't stack up dynamically. Pros: Powerful V-6 engines, attractive exterior styling, high-quality interior appointments. Cons: Stiff ride, sloppy handling, lacks standard driver-assist tech. Despite a major overhaul for , the Lexus IS remains near the bottom of our rankings for luxury compact sedans.

The changeover from to brought with it a huge makeover, both inside and out, plus improved handling dynamics. Not only that, but Lexus' finicky infotainment system has finally been overhauled, features a touchscreen, and is much more intuitive than before.

However, the IS is powered by a set of aging powertrains, and it's slower than most of its rivals, though the new-for Vpowered IS will change that. Cons: Cramped back seat, aging powertrains, not as quick as its competitors. At our Car of the Year competition, judges were less than enthused with the CT5. Build quality was subpar, and the CT5 was criticized for being both slow and dynamically unimpressive. The more powerful and sportier CT5-V changes that and corrects many of the base car's dynamic faults, and there's a Blackwing model on the way with a hulking great V-8 that should give the German competition a real run for its money.

Even so, there are better options than the standard CT5 out there. Cons: Poor interior build quality, small trunk, disappointing base model. The Acura TLX is all new for A new-from-the-ground-up design takes inspiration from the extremely hot Type-S concept, while the new chassis delivers better, shaper handling.

But despite all the newness, some flaws remain. Acura's infotainment system has a steep learning curve and might frustrate some buyers, and there isn't the option for a hybrid model—something most of the competition now offers. A new TLX Type-S is on the way that will feature more power and sharper dynamics, but the base TLX still has some work to do before it can compete with the very best in this segment.

Pros: Striking exterior design, extensive driver assists, sporty Type S returns. Cons: Infotainment touchpad might frustrate some, no high-mpg hybrid model. You used to be able to sum up the BMW 3 Series with one word: benchmark. But that's no longer what comes to mind for MotorTrend editors with this generation of BMW's long-lauded compact luxury sedan.

A better word for now would be "middling," as the latest 3 Series has landed mid-pack on our Ultimate Rankings list. Despite its powerful engine options and well-built interior, the M-Sport suspended 3 Series rides far too stiffly for our tastes. Not only that, but start adding some useful options to the base 3 Series and it can get very pricey very quickly. Pros: Optional I-6 engine is smooth and powerful, great automatic transmission, high-speed stability. The interior, however, is the stand out upgrade.

Sure, the TLX may start at a higher price than its rivals — it can hardly be called the bargain of the group. But it brings to the table something really important. Something that the last TLX had none of; and something its competitors could use more of. And something which is slowly fading from so many models and brands. Forgot Password? Click here. First Name:. Last Name:. Yes, please sign me up to receive the Wheels. I would like to receive notices that may be of interest to me, communications, promotional offers and other information from Digital Auto Ventures.

Please contact us or see our privacy policy for more information. Back to Login Back to Signup. Best of. But where do you start?

By Chris D'Alessandro February 18, Add on some goodies, like AWD and the 2. But now, the 3-series is absolutely hideous, the A4 has all the personality of a wet sponge and the C-Class will make you look like a stock trader who makes Soundcloud beats in their spare time. The solution is in the Mercedes CLA. The CLA also has about 30 horsepower more than the A-Class and receives some sportier suspension, steering and stability control tuning.

Despite all that, without hesitation, this is the one I would personally go with. For a few reasons, I think the build quality is top-tier. I like the piece of mind of Toyota engineering. And I think the redesign makes the IS the best-looking entry-level luxury sedan certainly the most striking on the market.

Oh, and they finally got rid of that god-awful touchless screen that made you navigate with an actual mouse — which I can only imagine Lexus outsourced to the writers of The Onion to engineer. It was so frustrating to use, it would make you question whether Lexus was playing some kind of Andy Kaufman-inspired prank on you.

But what I like most is that a Lexus is neither a flex, nor does it come off as some kind of bargain-hunter special. But the ILX is, for all intents and purposes, a really upscale version of the last generation Honda Civic.

The last generation TLX was, in my opinion, an uninspired barge of a vehicle that served only to remind you of the crushing sameness of everyday life.