Cars.com's Luxury Best Bets
The pool of Cars.com Best Bets includes all the models that meet our set of minimum standards. To understand how we choose our selections, and how they fit with the Cars.com Lifestyle New-Car Buying Guide, read the Best Bet methodology.
| Cars.com Best Bets for 2008 Luxury Cars | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Here, Cars.com staff reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder picks his favorite luxury cars, which are ordered alphabetically. | |||
 | $33,725 - $38,225 | ||
| The TL is an unostentatious, comfortable and nimble midsize luxury car with front-wheel drive, excellent reliability and good crash tests. The Type-S offers a manual transmission and sportier handling. | |||
 | $28,190 | ||
| The compact TSX sedan is Acura's best-kept secret. With a sweet six-speed manual, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder drives the front wheels with surprising oomph, and the car begs to be pushed into sharp turns. Though it's about to be replaced by a redesign, the 2008's excellent reliability history is a big draw. | |||
 | $25,930 - $34,915 | ||
| Combined with a manual or an automatic transmission, the compact A3's standard turbocharged 2.0-liter engine is a thing of beauty, and the car manages to feel both substantial and nimble at the same time. Reliability has been average, and that's pretty good for a German import. | |||
 | $28,900 - $47,900 | ||
| The A4 brings high interior quality and standard features for which some competitors charge extra. There are countless choices: two engines, three transmissions, front- or all-wheel drive, sedan or wagon (Avant), hardtop or convertible. Reliability has been decent, and it even tops its class in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests. | |||
 | Audi A6 (six-cylinder) | $42,950 | |
| The midsize Audi A6 is another IIHS Top Safety Pick, one with a roomy backseat and many of the choices the A4 offers: sedan or wagon, front- or all-wheel drive, V-6 or V-8 engine, continuously variable automatic transmission or six-speed automatic. Though the V-8 is unrated, the V-6 models' reliability is above average — a big change for Audi. | |||
 | $32,400 - $43,200 | ||
| Unprecedented fierce competition doesn't take away from what has always made the 3 Series the benchmark in the compact luxury class. Though modest in power, the 328 is still a driver's car — with a history of above-average reliability. | |||
 | $38,900 - $49,100 | ||
| BMW's answer to a growing number of competitors that have more power than the 3 Series, the 335i has a blistering twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine with virtually no turbo lag. It shares all the 3 Series' attributes, including good crash-test ratings. So far its reliability has been average. | |||
 | $75,800 - $122,600 | ||
| Available in regular and extra-long versions, BMW's flagship sedan does an excellent job combining luxury with driving performance in a large car. The base 750i's 360-horsepower V-8 is more than enough for most, but a limited number of V-12s (760Li) and supercharged V-8s (Alpina B7) raise the ante. The 750's reliability has been good. | |||
 | $42,620 - $50,120 | ||
| The DTS is Cadillac's largest sedan, with the brand's roomiest interior and a potent V-8 engine. It has a cumbersome 46-foot turning diameter, but if you can see past that, it's one of a dying breed: a large luxury car with front-wheel drive and decent reliability. | |||
 | $24,235 - $27,335 | ||
| Anyone who bothers to put aside disbelief will find the Azera to be a remarkably nice full-size premium sedan with quality and creature comforts galore. It's reasonably reliable, and the sticker price — well below $30,000 — makes it easier to accept the idea of a premium Hyundai. | |||
 | Infiniti M35 and M45 | $43,050 - $49,350 | |
| Though it lacks a manual transmission option, the M goes toe-to-toe with its German competition in performance circles and in interior quality, and it blows them away with exceptional reliability. You can now get all-wheel drive with the M45's V-8, not just the M35's V-6. | |||
 | $63,835 - $94,085 | ||
| A relatively low-volume model, Jaguar's flagship sedan has no crash-test or reliability data. If you don't mind that, this stately ride offers a snug but wonderfully uncluttered interior and surprising athleticism. It's a car with styling that still stands out. | |||
 | $74,835 - $80,835 | ||
| Available in coupe and convertible styles, the XK is a Cars.com staff favorite for its knockout looks and effortless performance with what is probably the best conventional automatic transmission around. An impressive exhaust growl makes this cat a multisensory experience. Due to low sales volume, crash tests and reliability data aren't available. | |||
 | $33,820 | ||
| If you seek a cushy, quiet, roomy midsize luxury sedan, the Lexus ES 350 delivers in a way sport-oriented European luxury cars don't. Its average reliability is disappointing for a Lexus, but it still qualifies the ES as a Cars.com Best Bet. | |||
 | $44,150 - $54,900 | ||
| Lexus' answer to the BMW 5 Series is similar in formula, but with simple controls. The rear-wheel-drive GS 350 has been more reliable than average, but the all-wheel drive is below average. The V-8-powered GS 460 has been average. The best of these Best Bets is the hybrid GS 450h, with excellent reliability and better gas mileage in the city than the V-6. | |||
 | Lexus IS 250 and IS 350 | $30,555 - $36,005 | |
| The compact IS sedans are arguably the sportiest models from a company known for its cushy approach. Only the IS 250 offers a choice of transmissions and all-wheel drive, but the more powerful rear-drive IS 350 with a six-speed automatic rockets the car to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds. The model shares top-of-class reliability with the Acura TSX. | |||
 | Lexus LS 460 and LS 600h | $62,000 - $104,000 | |
| Known as the car that parks itself (with optional equipment), the reliable Lexus flagship is perhaps the most comfortable, quiet car you can buy without stepping into ultra-luxury territory. With the extended LS 460L version, you're almost there. A costly hybrid LS 600hL saves little fuel but makes quite an impression. | |||
 | $65,455 | ||
| The SC 430 retractable-hardtop roadster isn't the sportiest model out there, and it hasn't really changed since its 2002 debut. You could say it's stood the test of time, boasting exceptional reliability in a class known for maintenance headaches. | |||
 | $30,790 - $32,660 | ||
| The luxury version of Ford's successful Fusion, the MKZ (formerly Zephyr) is a sharp-looking midsize sedan with a powerful 3.5-liter V-6 not offered on its sister models from Ford or Mercury. Reliability has been above average with front-wheel drive and average with AWD. | |||
 | $103,100 - $295,000 | ||
| A coupe version of Mercedes' flagship S-Class sedan, the CL550 has a large, striking presence and many of the sedan's amenities, including a high-quality interior and advanced tech options, such as night vision. Also sold in V-12 (CL600) and AMG versions, the CL has no reliability data; the S-Class, however, is rated below average. | |||
 | Mercedes-Benz E350 (RWD) | $50,900 - $85,800 | |
| Mercedes' midsize model comes in sedan and wagon versions, with rear- or all-wheel drive. We give a qualified nod only to the six-cylinder with rear-wheel drive; its below-average reliability makes it an acceptable choice for this class, but the AWD version and V-8-equipped E550 are rated too poorly to recommend. The E320 Bluetec diesel doesn't have enough reliability data to rate it. | |||
 | $86,700 - $194,000 | ||
| A 2007 redesign put the S550 on par with BMW's 7 Series in many ways, though the Beemer is still the favorite of sport enthusiasts. Also sold in V-12 (S600) and AMG versions, the S-Class gives up nothing to competitors when it comes to technology, including night vision. Its reliability has been below average, but it deserves citation among many unrated competitors. | |||
 | $28,080 - $45,640 | ||
| An IIHS Top Safety Pick, the 9-3 sedan returns to Best Bet status with an improvement in reliability (excluding the convertible). The front-wheel-drive sedan and SportCombi wagon are fun to drive, with some of the best-executed turbo engine and automatic transmission pairings sold. | |||
 | $39,240 | ||
| It's hard to find a more well-rounded convertible than the C70. It has four seats, its retractable hardtop and front-wheel drive make it suitable for winter, it offers manual or automatic transmissions and it's one of few convertibles to offer side curtain airbags. Reliability has been decent, and its crash tests are top-notch. | |||
 | Volvo S40 (2.4i) | $24,365 | |
| The S40 compact sedan is Volvo's best-kept secret, and the model's own secret is that its interior is almost as roomy as the larger S60's (also a Best Bet). Offering Volvo's safety reputation at a low price, the S40 is a good choice for young drivers. We recommend the reasonably reliable non-turbo 2.4i only; the turbo versions' reliability is below average to downright poor. | |||
 | $30,885 - $33,985 | ||
| Nothing less than the car that broke Volvo out of its boxy, practical safe-car era, the S60 led the brand into its sleek, sporty safe-car era. Its interior is a bit tight, but it's a well-put-together car with exceptional reliability — a Volvo rarity. | |||
Posted on 2/13/08
