Entry-Level Luxury Sedans: Would you buy?

[Tomaz]

So, I have started looking into purchasing a new vehicle again! Kind of. After cross-shopping eco boxes, hot hatches, and 4x4s, I was going to see what Beyonds opinion is on entry-level luxury cars. I have always been drawn in with words like “build quality”, “refinement”, and “Precision Engineering”, but have always wondered if those fancy words would apply to the lowest ranges of the brand.

My ideals of what a car should be are pointed towards “build quality”. I am not one for gimmicky features like parking assist and GPS. I am more concerned about dash buttons working in the future, panels staying firmly in place, the stitching in the seats keeping, chassis being firm and fun, engine and drivetrain being over engineered, solid driving feel, etc. I want a car that ages gracefully and stays true to the values it was built upon.

The parameters:
Brand New, being financed
$40k or less
Sedan or Estate
Drivetrain can be whatever, but prefer AWD or RWD
Auto and Manual are both acceptable

Some cars that have sparked my interest:
BMW 320i
Lexus is250
Mercedes CLA250
Cadillac ATS
Audi A4
Infinity Q50

So, Beyond, what are your thoughts? Would you buy an entry level luxury car? Which one would you get? Would you rather buy a fully-loaded “commoner” brand for the same money? Feel free to add any vehicles I may have overlooked or would suggest.

[max_boost]

Have a 328X and quite happy with it.

[Asian_defender]

I was in the same boat as you. Went to test drive everything and looked up reviews. In the end the service at Lexus won me over so I ended up with an is250. Mind you if you're taller then 6 ft you'll probably want to move into the es. Can't beat Lexus for build quality. Even with the improvements on the new IS it's still built for a 5 ft chinaman

[flipstah]

Lexus IS250 RWD drives well and can be bought with AWD but pricing hits close to your mark with options.

If Cadillac is sticking with all touch controls, stay away.

BMW is always good for driving experience but their entry-level offerings are bare for what you get. You have to get goodies so make it somewhat 'luxurious'

Audi A4 is nice but boring.

If the CLA is anything like a C300, then I'd look elsewhere. So many plastics everywhere. Felt so cheap.

Can't say anything about Infiniti.

If it were me, I'd go with either a Lexus or the BMW and go on from there.

[clem24]

If you can stand the look of the Lexus.. Maybe. I'd say Q50 > IS > A4.

But really, with what you're paying for those OTD, you might as well buy Benyl's C63 for the same $$$ and likely suffer almost no depreciation after a few years.

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.p...29#post4170929

[flipstah]

Originally posted by clem24
If you can stand the look of the Lexus.. Maybe. I'd say Q50 > IS > A4.

But really, with what you're paying for those OTD, you might as well buy Benyl's C63 for the same $$$ and likely suffer almost no depreciation after a few years.

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.p...29#post4170929

$40k for a C63? That's a sweet deal for that much powah!

Granted, the new Lexus front fascia is... debatable.

Either you love it or you don't. I personally find it to look like a sting-ray and comparable to Acura's 'beak'.

Whatever I would hate, you would love for all I know.

[rage2]

The CLA is the odd man out in the list. Competes at a lower sub entry level luxury segment.

[A790]

Buick Verano or Buick Regal?

The new Regal GS is gorgeous and has a 259 hp AWD turbo.

[bleu]

I would buy a more common brand...VW perhaps?

Of that list I prefer th A4.

[Graham_A_M]

I'd say take a Regal GS for a good boot. I bought one a few months back, and I love it. Mine has the 270hp 2.0 turbo, that I just had tuned. Now its 305hp.

Best handling sedan/car I've ever driven, it handles stupidly well, and its a blast to drive.

[colinxx235]

A4 chipped would be my choice

[Sugarphreak]

...

[know1edge]

Lexus wins in reliability

[dirtsniffer]

Fully loaded passat. Vr6 4motion.

[ddduke]

I have personally owned an is250, cts, a handful of newer bmw's, a clk, an m45 and used to have a a4 which I actually loved so much I handed down to the wife because I Couldn't bare to sell.

Here's my personal opinion on you choices.

Merc: great quality, interior stays intact, semi reliable, repair costs were highest out of the whole lineup.

Lexus: No room, felt like I was in a Corolla, doesn't feel like a luxury car at all, feels like an econobox with leather. Service with Lexus is great.

Cadillac: I couldn't get passed how poorly they're made, same interior quality as our company trucks, buttons wear out, check engine lights are constantly on, leather is fucked after a year, etc. I'll never buy one again (besides a classic) or escalade ext for towing.

Infiniti: IMO hands down the best bang for your buck, Most luxury features in class by far. Was super reliable for me, Hyatt service is shit, but that can affect you with more then the infiniti brand. Interior looked like new after 4 years. None of the buttons stopped working. But remember I had an m45, which is a fair bit different then a g37.

BMW: Absolute shit, interior pleather chips, flakes, rips like nothing. Heated seats stopped working on both my 5 and 3 series. Constant warranty issues. Repaired my hids in my 5 series 2 times at $1200/time. Harmon Kardon sucks balls compared to the competition. Idrive is fucking annoying even after using it for a year. Auto wipers are ALWAYS either too fast or too slow. If you're anal about your car and want to keep it looking new then don't buy a bmw. Drove it to Edmonton during the summer with no 3m on and got piled of rock chips, more then any car I have ever seen. Only bmw I will ever buy again will be an m5 which will strictly be a summer, beautiful day driver, hopefully giving it such limited use that it actually stays in good shape.

Audi: Best build quality by far. Paint is hard as fuck with no 3m and hardly chips, stereo system is best out of the entire lineup. Not the Most reliable but not the worst either, if it has warranty then who gives a fuck anyways, in 93k km mine has been in the shop 6 times on warranty. Interior is kind of boring but holds up amazingly and nothing has stopped working. Amazing in winter.

In the end my choice would either be Audi Or Infiniti and I highly suggest you stay away from BMW unless you plan or trading it in within 2 years.

[dirtsniffer]

That's funny, I've driven thousands of different bmws and haven't seen much destroyed leatherette and usually the leather (that's not 10+ years old) to be in great shape. Also haven't seen any interior trim that chips. Was yours painted?

Also I drive has always been ahead on the competition. It is constantly imitated year after year. I can't see you going from similar year BMW to anything else and having the infotainment be better.

[Xtrema]

IS250 - the last one was gutless. I assume not much is changed in this one or improved very little. I warmed up to the style but still its too out there for me.

320i - why bother, go buy a ILX.

CLA - can't comment. Looks OK.

ATS - fun car cheaply built and msrp too high for what you get.

Q50 - everything I have read is basically G37 with a new body. There isn't much wrong with the old G37.

A4 - its a bit dated and played out right now. And you won't get much equipment @ $40k. But a stage 1 tune and you get a cheap and fast awd sedan that's built right.

[heavyD]

Hard to beat the A4 for Calgary's weather. High quality materials, AWD, decent fuel mileage, and pretty attractive car overall.

[Canucks3322]

Only one I've owned was the IS250 awd...felt the same as driving my moms Corolla.....and was very underwhelmed with its luxury interior, in fact it was only 4 years old and looked like crap.

[eglove]

Went through most of those when I was looking for a car in January. Ended up with my Focus ST. Love it