Midsize Luxury Sedan Buyer's Guide

Roomier than petite luxury SUVs but not as pricey, thirsty or cumbersome as the big ones, midsize luxury SUVs might be the most well-balanced luxury vehicles of all. Most suggest three-row seating for seven, several suggest driving dynamics reminiscent of some sport sedans, and four begin in the low $40,000 range or lower. All of them, of course, suggest the elevated seating position, cargo plasticity and bigger-is-better profile that proceed to drive the enlargening popularity of SUVs across the industry.

The next step in luxury makes a terrific final destination

The average transaction price for an entry-level luxury car is about $40,000 nowadays. The average price for a flagship luxury sedan is closer to $100,000. That’s a big gap, and these midsize luxury sedans are here to pack it with an average selling price of around $55,000.

Today’s mid-lux lineup is more diverse than ever. Turbocharged 4-cylinder engines are increasingly common, while some models have dropped the V8 altogether. Other trends include all-wheel drive and even hybrid powertrains. Still, the segment remains defined by V6 power and rear-wheel drive.

And while the cars have leaned sportier in latest years, midsize luxury sedans still split the difference inbetween famed drivers’ cars like the smaller BMW three Series and big cruisers like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

What’s Fresh and What’s Next

There were slew of switches for 2017. The all-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class made its debut, as did the all-new BMW five Series. The G80 became the very first model in the fresh Genesis brand. And the newest face in the segment is the one with the longest lineage: the iconic Lincoln Continental is back.

Not so long ago, virtually every entry in the midsize luxury sedan segment suggested available V8 power. But as a result of rising gas prices and improved engine technologies, turbocharged 4-cylinder engines — unheard of in the segment until recently — are now about as common as big V8s.

Today’s diesel engines are so sleek and quiet that they’re an excellent fit for luxury cars. As of right now however, the only midsize luxury sedan available with a turbodiesel is the BMW five Series. However, we expect a diesel option will be suggested in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class by mid-2017.

If you choose efficiency of the gas-electric diversity, you can get hybrid power in the Acura RLX, BMW five Series, Infiniti Q70, and Lexus GS.

In addition to the broad multitude of powertrains outlined, each of these models is available with the added traction of all-wheel drive.

The Lexus GS three hundred fifty boasts the highest predicted resale value of this group, and was on the podium for one of KBB’s most latest 5-Year Cost to Own awards.

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