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(Enlarge photo)
A strict hierarchy of entry-level luxury sedans? Not really. We actually have three favorites in this group.
(Photo by Scott Jacobs)
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Road Test: Comparison Test
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2002 Entry-Level Luxury Sedan Comparison Test
Justifying the Long Hours at Work
By
Erin Riches, Senior Content Editor , Edmunds.com
Date posted: 09-20-2002
Is the slumping economy making you wonder just how comfortably you can afford
the burgeoning cost of putting a child through college? Or how cushy you can live
10 years from now when you're ready for carefree days on a golf course in a warmer,
drier climate? Meanwhile, as you mull and cringe over the thought of mixing with
the commoners at the Toyota dealership when the lease on your Lexus is up, people
much like you continue to shop for bona fide luxury cars.
Do they have more money, more debt or less ambitious 10-year plans? Well, we'll
leave you to find that answer at the next dinner party. What we do know is sales
of entry-luxury cars — that is, cars in the $30,000-to-$45,000 range —
have remained healthy over the last two years, regardless of the grim faces, statistics
and poll results on cable news networks. Since we conducted our last entry-level
luxury sedan comparison test in early 2001, even more choices have appeared
in this price range: do you want a traditional luxury nameplate, a luxurious reskinning
of an old favorite or a deluxe version of an already well-to-do family car? Most
automakers have at least one of the above.
In order to accommodate the larger, more diverse field of contestants this year,
not to mention the varying priorities of buyers, we divided the entry-luxuries
into two brackets. If you consider driving a hobby as much as a necessity, and
therefore want plenty of sport with your luxury, then you should sidestep over
to our Entry-Level Sport
Sedan Comparison (which includes an Acura TL Type-S, Audi A4, BMW 330i, Cadillac
CTS and Infiniti G35). If, however, driving is just something you have to do and
your objective is merely to be as coddled and confident as possible while doing
it — all the while putting on a good show for your clients and your relatives
— you're in the right place.
The cars in this group include obvious choices like the Lexus ES 300, which was
completely redesigned for 2002, and the Infiniti I35, which benefited from several
mechanical upgrades (not the least of which is the bigger 3.5-liter V6) —
these are, of course, deluxe versions of the Camry and Maxima. And we invited
the Saab 9-5, a fringe luxury player under pressure from its parent company (General
Motors) to swing toward the mainstream (to that end, it too received a number
of 2002 upgrades). Also on our list was the Chrysler 300M, an upscale American-style
performance sedan (which is to say softer than the German competition) whose sales
have fallen off over the last two years; a quick
spin in 2002's Special version convinced us that it was worth another look
here. Finally, we decided to take up the case of the Volkswagen Passat W8. Before
now, the Passat seemed like a really nice family car, but with "W8" appended to
its name, eight cylinders working under the hood and a $38,000 price tag, we could
hardly leave the now top-shelf sedan out of this test.
So what did we omit? Certainly you'll notice that the Volvo S60, Mercedes-Benz
C320 and Lincoln LS are missing — none of them won the last comparison test
and none of them received major changes for the 2002 model year. We had intended
to put a Jaguar X-Type in this comparison (in either the "Luxury" or the "Sport"
bracket depending on its equipment), but Jaguar couldn't supply one.
We put our final group of five through the usual comparison test rigors over the
course of a week — urban commutes, highway driving, back-road adventures
and instrumented testing. This time, the focus wasn't on all-out performance (though
a little extra passing power didn't hurt) but on ride quality and agile handling
in routine maneuvers. Editors also examined each sedan inside and out and rated
the ability of each to provide a palatable environment for the typical luxury
buyer and her passengers. We were looking not only for upscale features, but also
for high-quality materials, easy-to-use controls and spacious, comfortable seating
with adequate storage for personal effects and beverages.
When we totaled up the scores in each category — price, performance, feature
content, our editors' subjective 23-point evaluations and personal and recommended
picks — the results were unusually close. We had a two-way tie for second
place, and just over three points separated these cars from the winner. While
this outcome precludes us from making a feel-good announcement like, "This is
the absolute best entry-level luxury sedan," we can say that any one of
these three would likely prove satisfying for your next (or your first) entry-luxury
car.
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