Lexus IS 250
Price: Around 44,000 MSRP F Sport+Navi
I heard about how hot the IS lineup have been selling and made the Lexus Dealership my first stop. This car got a very eye catching design and I really liked it. The new Lexus designs is no longer about conservative soft luxury but now is about a more in your face type of style. It's not for everyone but I definitely appreciate the new direction. Interior of this car was beautiful, all the parts above the steering wheel is covered with leather(something unique that I haven't seen before in BMW/Mercedes cars. In the German cars, that area above the steering wheel is usually plastic). Loved the way Lexus milked their halo LFA car into their IS lineups. I saw a lot of LFA inspired gauges and designs in the IS. The test drives I took in this car was pretty much as expected. Enough power for a daily driver, very good handling and it felt like a driver's car. The sports mode was fun to tinker with but got annoying with the noise. That is the biggest downfall of the IS 250 and 350. The incredible amount of noise from that V6 engine is more suited to a Mustang than a Luxury Sports Sedan. The turns were very easy though and I barely felt the bumps on the roads. Smooth and refined with some sport thrown in. My issue with this car? The price. Even a Base IS 250 Non F Sport will cost you 38,100 MSRP. After taxes and fees, you are looking at paying over 40 Grand for a Base IS 250. People are buying this car due to the Brand,the good reviews, and the unique styling. The price rise of the Lexus Cars is something that I have noticed and the Brand is edging ever closer to the Germans in terms of expenses. For those of you with a 50,000 budget? I will recommand the much better IS 350 F Sport over the 335I.But if you are looking at the 40,000-45,000 range? The IS 250 is probably a bit too expensive for what it offers.
Audi A4 2.0T with Navi: MSRP 39,000
I was pleasantly surprised at just how nice the Audi interior was compared to it's German counterparts. The interior really felt like it was an A6 caliber car as oppose to an A4 caliber.Drove the car for half an hour and it was about as refined as they come. The things I don't like about it is that I really didn't feel the 'sportiness' Audi tried to market with this car. It feels like a smooth luxury sedan that gives you great comfort during a long drive. The turns were fine but lacked the crisp nature of a BMW and I actually didn't like the acceleration feel. A bit too rigid for me when I'm hard pressing the gas pedal. The biggest positive I have to give here is the price. Is the A6 over priced? Yes. Is the A8 over priced? Yes. Is the Audi performance models over priced? Yes. But not the A4. Audi really priced their bread and butter sedan right. For around 39,000 MSRP you can get a pretty decent Audi A4 with full Navi package.(Under cutting their Lexus Navi counter part by a few thousand bucks). Of course if you are looking to lease instead of buy? Than Audi will probably be the worst deal out of the bunch. Audi leases have not yet caught up with BMW/Mercedes/Lexus and their 'best offers' will probably be a Mid Level BMW offer. If you are looking to buy into the A4 Lineup though? It's a great value.
BMW 328 I Sport Line/Navigation System w/Touchpad: Around 45,000 MSRP
The 'King' and undisputed #1 sales giant of this segment. The BMW 328I. As a Mercedes C Class driver, I always had a 'Anti 3 Series' mindset, but I tried my best to be neutral when I test drove the car. The verdict? Better than I expected, but not by much. My parents drive a Lexus LS 460 and a Mercedes C 250. I myself drive a Mercedes C 250, so I'm used to 'interior luxury'. I want to feel like I'm in a comfortable setting when I'm driving. The 3 Series didn't deliver this. Everything felt plastic and watered down. I never once got the feeling that I was sitting in a 45,000 dollar+ car. So how do BMW make up for this? Brand prestige and driver's mentality. I admit it. The 3 Series is a better driver's car than my 2010 Mercedes C 250. No comparison. The 328 give a bigger boost zooming onto the free way, it felt more natural during turns, and the entire ride felt like BMW somehow managed to build an actual sports sedan when every other Luxury Brand just managed to build a Luxury sedan with dashes of sport. Price too high? Forget that stereotype. The car I was interested in is around 45,000 MSRP. But I seen brand new 328 I'S with Navi......at around 42,000. A base one can be found for around 37,000. There really is a price range for everyone(everyone as in people willing to spend 35,000+ on a car.) I liked the 3 Series a lot more than I thought I would.
CADILLAC ATS SEDAN 2.0L I4: Around 40,000 MSRP
This is a wonderful car. I loved the exterior design. It gives off a perfect blend of sports and comfortability . The drive itself was perfect. Good power, great handling, and it felt natural from the get go. Never once did I feel out of place in this sedan and everything just clicked as I was driving this through turns and swerves. The downfall of this sedan is the interior. Cadillac tried their best but still came up short when it comes to making a luxury interior. The screen felt cheap and too small.The steering wheel felt like it came from a lower tier of materials as compared to the Lexus/Audi cars and the overall design just didn't vibe with me. That being said, 40,000 MSRP for a car such as this? It's worth it. There is also a much more affordable lower tier model that basically looks the same(outside and inside) which you can get for closer to 30,000.
I didn't bother with the new Mercedes C 300. It is better than every single one of these above cars. But it also starts at 47,000 MSRP. I don't even consider it in the same 'segment' as the rest of these sedans anymore. Not when a Navi C 300 will cause you 51,000 MSRP. The new C300 is now competing with the Lexus GS and the Audi A6 in my opinion. It have definitely moved up.
Acura TLX I4:Around (31,000-35,000) MSRP
I decided to try out the new TLX. I didn't go with the V6 but with the lower priced I4. Always curious about a car that have gathered so many positive reviews, I was not let down at all. The interior of this TLX I4 can go toe to toe against the much more expensive Lexus and Germans without flinching. Very comfortable seating and dazzling technology. Comparing it to the similar priced CLA is no comparison at all.The TLX make the CLA look like a empty husk of a toy car and that's coming from a Mercedes driver. The ride itself pleased me as well.Easy to handle and was quick when I wanted it to be. No Jerky feelings or lack of control. Everything's just in place and it felt like I can drive this car for 5 hours without tiring. A relaxing yet engaging ride that rarely went off course or gave me a sense of boredom.
Acura finally build a worthy successor to the 3G. Is it enough to take away from the customer base Lexus,BMW, and Mercedes took over 20 years to gather? Yes it enough to steal away from the customer base that is flocking to the new hotshot in town(Audi). Is it enough to steal away from the customer base of Cadillac and Infiniti?
Audi for all it's dash and it's brilliance is still a relatively new upstart in the American market. Cadillac is already showing flaws in the foundation they started building only a few years back. Infiniti is lost right now. I say the iron is hot for Acura to take from those above 3 brands. As for the three headed monster of luxury sales? Maybe one day. But the TLX is definitely a great start in the right direction.
Price: Around 44,000 MSRP F Sport+Navi
I heard about how hot the IS lineup have been selling and made the Lexus Dealership my first stop. This car got a very eye catching design and I really liked it. The new Lexus designs is no longer about conservative soft luxury but now is about a more in your face type of style. It's not for everyone but I definitely appreciate the new direction. Interior of this car was beautiful, all the parts above the steering wheel is covered with leather(something unique that I haven't seen before in BMW/Mercedes cars. In the German cars, that area above the steering wheel is usually plastic). Loved the way Lexus milked their halo LFA car into their IS lineups. I saw a lot of LFA inspired gauges and designs in the IS. The test drives I took in this car was pretty much as expected. Enough power for a daily driver, very good handling and it felt like a driver's car. The sports mode was fun to tinker with but got annoying with the noise. That is the biggest downfall of the IS 250 and 350. The incredible amount of noise from that V6 engine is more suited to a Mustang than a Luxury Sports Sedan. The turns were very easy though and I barely felt the bumps on the roads. Smooth and refined with some sport thrown in. My issue with this car? The price. Even a Base IS 250 Non F Sport will cost you 38,100 MSRP. After taxes and fees, you are looking at paying over 40 Grand for a Base IS 250. People are buying this car due to the Brand,the good reviews, and the unique styling. The price rise of the Lexus Cars is something that I have noticed and the Brand is edging ever closer to the Germans in terms of expenses. For those of you with a 50,000 budget? I will recommand the much better IS 350 F Sport over the 335I.But if you are looking at the 40,000-45,000 range? The IS 250 is probably a bit too expensive for what it offers.
Audi A4 2.0T with Navi: MSRP 39,000
I was pleasantly surprised at just how nice the Audi interior was compared to it's German counterparts. The interior really felt like it was an A6 caliber car as oppose to an A4 caliber.Drove the car for half an hour and it was about as refined as they come. The things I don't like about it is that I really didn't feel the 'sportiness' Audi tried to market with this car. It feels like a smooth luxury sedan that gives you great comfort during a long drive. The turns were fine but lacked the crisp nature of a BMW and I actually didn't like the acceleration feel. A bit too rigid for me when I'm hard pressing the gas pedal. The biggest positive I have to give here is the price. Is the A6 over priced? Yes. Is the A8 over priced? Yes. Is the Audi performance models over priced? Yes. But not the A4. Audi really priced their bread and butter sedan right. For around 39,000 MSRP you can get a pretty decent Audi A4 with full Navi package.(Under cutting their Lexus Navi counter part by a few thousand bucks). Of course if you are looking to lease instead of buy? Than Audi will probably be the worst deal out of the bunch. Audi leases have not yet caught up with BMW/Mercedes/Lexus and their 'best offers' will probably be a Mid Level BMW offer. If you are looking to buy into the A4 Lineup though? It's a great value.
BMW 328 I Sport Line/Navigation System w/Touchpad: Around 45,000 MSRP
The 'King' and undisputed #1 sales giant of this segment. The BMW 328I. As a Mercedes C Class driver, I always had a 'Anti 3 Series' mindset, but I tried my best to be neutral when I test drove the car. The verdict? Better than I expected, but not by much. My parents drive a Lexus LS 460 and a Mercedes C 250. I myself drive a Mercedes C 250, so I'm used to 'interior luxury'. I want to feel like I'm in a comfortable setting when I'm driving. The 3 Series didn't deliver this. Everything felt plastic and watered down. I never once got the feeling that I was sitting in a 45,000 dollar+ car. So how do BMW make up for this? Brand prestige and driver's mentality. I admit it. The 3 Series is a better driver's car than my 2010 Mercedes C 250. No comparison. The 328 give a bigger boost zooming onto the free way, it felt more natural during turns, and the entire ride felt like BMW somehow managed to build an actual sports sedan when every other Luxury Brand just managed to build a Luxury sedan with dashes of sport. Price too high? Forget that stereotype. The car I was interested in is around 45,000 MSRP. But I seen brand new 328 I'S with Navi......at around 42,000. A base one can be found for around 37,000. There really is a price range for everyone(everyone as in people willing to spend 35,000+ on a car.) I liked the 3 Series a lot more than I thought I would.
CADILLAC ATS SEDAN 2.0L I4: Around 40,000 MSRP
This is a wonderful car. I loved the exterior design. It gives off a perfect blend of sports and comfortability . The drive itself was perfect. Good power, great handling, and it felt natural from the get go. Never once did I feel out of place in this sedan and everything just clicked as I was driving this through turns and swerves. The downfall of this sedan is the interior. Cadillac tried their best but still came up short when it comes to making a luxury interior. The screen felt cheap and too small.The steering wheel felt like it came from a lower tier of materials as compared to the Lexus/Audi cars and the overall design just didn't vibe with me. That being said, 40,000 MSRP for a car such as this? It's worth it. There is also a much more affordable lower tier model that basically looks the same(outside and inside) which you can get for closer to 30,000.
I didn't bother with the new Mercedes C 300. It is better than every single one of these above cars. But it also starts at 47,000 MSRP. I don't even consider it in the same 'segment' as the rest of these sedans anymore. Not when a Navi C 300 will cause you 51,000 MSRP. The new C300 is now competing with the Lexus GS and the Audi A6 in my opinion. It have definitely moved up.
Acura TLX I4:Around (31,000-35,000) MSRP
I decided to try out the new TLX. I didn't go with the V6 but with the lower priced I4. Always curious about a car that have gathered so many positive reviews, I was not let down at all. The interior of this TLX I4 can go toe to toe against the much more expensive Lexus and Germans without flinching. Very comfortable seating and dazzling technology. Comparing it to the similar priced CLA is no comparison at all.The TLX make the CLA look like a empty husk of a toy car and that's coming from a Mercedes driver. The ride itself pleased me as well.Easy to handle and was quick when I wanted it to be. No Jerky feelings or lack of control. Everything's just in place and it felt like I can drive this car for 5 hours without tiring. A relaxing yet engaging ride that rarely went off course or gave me a sense of boredom.
Acura finally build a worthy successor to the 3G. Is it enough to take away from the customer base Lexus,BMW, and Mercedes took over 20 years to gather? Yes it enough to steal away from the customer base that is flocking to the new hotshot in town(Audi). Is it enough to steal away from the customer base of Cadillac and Infiniti?
Audi for all it's dash and it's brilliance is still a relatively new upstart in the American market. Cadillac is already showing flaws in the foundation they started building only a few years back. Infiniti is lost right now. I say the iron is hot for Acura to take from those above 3 brands. As for the three headed monster of luxury sales? Maybe one day. But the TLX is definitely a great start in the right direction.