VOTE: Who makes the best luxury cars?

Not that there’s anything wrong with them but, since when has Volvo been considered a luxury car maker?

Volvo’s have been luxury ever since they went big in both price & size.
They have all the goodies other luxury autos have.

The best, reliable, fun car I ever owned was a 1964 fastback.

They may be a super safe car today but for the price I prefer my BMW & if I bought a different car I would consider Audi, Mercedes & Lexus.

Tough to define what ‘best’ is in this category? Styling? performance? Exclusivity? Dependability? For me, it comes down to which car has the wow factor. That leaves out all the Japanese, Swedish and American cars. All nice, but nothing to dream about. BMWs and Mercedes are too common to have a wow factor, although they’re all beautiful. But the Audi A7 – WOW!

Ross. I feel the same way about Jaguar. Since Maserati overshoots the list and the Porsche Panamera apparently doesn’t qualify Porsche as a true luxury car brand, Jaguar is the choice on my own personal wow-o-meter.

It’s hard to quantify just what it is. There is just something “more” about them. Jaguars don’t often win comparos, but I find it oddly significant that I’m almost always hoping they will. I guess it’s just my emotional side trying to pull rank on my rational one. Whatever…I just like them

My hat is off to the Audi A-7. Just stunning. BMW’s remind my of German Hotel rooms. Just Blah on the inside. They might be the ultimate driving machine, but the interior is dull. the A-7 and the Jag have re-set the bar for interior luxury.

This is a biases listing with exclusion of the new kids on the block like Hyundai!

I just can’t bring myself to think of any of these cars as, “desirable”. When I think of sedans in the $80-100k price range, they all just seem to personify wretched excess. I can’t imagine ever putting that kind of money into a family sedan, even if I were in the income category that could afford it.

Now, expensive sports cars are a different matter. Sports cars are primarily toys, and as everyone knows, you can always find good reasons to spend more than you should on toys. Toys make you smile.

I agree with Minnesota Mike. The JAG has a certain mysique. Coupled with sumptuous interiors, superb road manners.

I have always loved Jags. There is just something special about them, at least the sporty models. The Ford Taurus based Xwhatever it was they could have kept, though.

As the owner of an older BMW E34, I have to say that right now I’m partial to BMW, although about the only BMW I could possibly hope to afford today would be a basic 1-series.

I have serious issue with Lincoln being on this list. Don’t misunderstand me; I would really like to see the Lincoln brand succeed and become the luxury brand it used to be years ago. Unfortunately, it was allowed to languish far too long. Although Ford has improved the brand somewhat in the last year or two, Lincoln has been, and still is, what Mercury should have been for the past quarter century. In fact, Ford would be better off financially if they’d simply drop Lincoln, and ressurect the Mercury brand using the entire Lincoln lineup. Every current Lincoln model is a glitzed-up Ford. Their “corporate grille” is as hideous as Acura’s, and I cannot for the life of me keep any of their “MK-whatever” model names straight. If Ford wants Lincoln to be perceived as a serious luxury brand, they need to scrap the entire product lineup and start over from scratch. Anything short of that, IMO, is a waste of their time and resources.

Sorry Biased List, but, Hyundai is no more of a luxury brand than Lincoln or Chrysler. They’re decent cars, and some have nice luxury features. They are not a “luxury Brand,” however, with all of the basic transportation models they build. They also have a long way to go before they overcome their reputation as cheap transportation. At best, they’re on a par with Ford right now.

I agree completely with what Eric says about Lincoln. Their models aren’t distinctive from the Ford models on which they are based, and I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who has troubles with their nameplates. Ford needs to address those concerns (at least the distinctiveness issue), but it would be great to see Lincoln restored to its former place as a true luxury marque. I definitely remember the time when the Cadillac and Lincoln nameplates were held in virtually equal esteem.

I partially agree on Eric’s Hyundai comment. Hyundai is trying a new approach by selling two legitimate luxury offerings (Equus and Genesis) under the same nameplate as the Accent, Elantra and Sonata. That is a different marketing approach that most other manufacturers steer clear of, and it remains to be seen if it will work in the long run. Calling Hyundai a luxury brand only certainly would not be correct, but they are including luxury cars in their stable. I haven’t driven an Equus, but I sat in one at a Hyundai dealer, and it is one plush vehicle. Personally, I think they are making good progress at overcoming their prior reputation as “cheap transportation,” but that (like style/design) is a judgment made in the eye of the beholder.

I would put some of the new audi’s at the top of my desired list however, I have read so many bad long term reviews of these cars. Important things break that just shouldn’t. Steering colums, warped cams, transmission failures. Again, these are on long term test cars for major magazines. I can’t emagine what that would make the odds of me getting a lemon, but it has to be pretty high. I would say Mercedes Benz is the next best bet. An AMG C63, E63, or CLS63 (yeah the last two creep over 100k, but they are sweet and are below 100k in regular trim). A C250 at 35k is a really nice benz and a damn good deal. Nicer than an A4. Still like the Porsche Panamera as well. Would have to by a 911 first, but the Panamera would be so nice as a daily dirver. It is so damn nice on the inside and still drive like a big porsche. Acura and Lexus have not built a desirable new car in 5 years. Jags are just horrible all around. BMW’s are nice but to many jerks drive them in Atlanta. I don’t want to be lumped into that category. the rest have no business being on the list. Cadilac uses the same headliner as a chevey cruz… nice touch. Volvo has as much pull as Saab. No one wants them anymore. A lincoln is a nice car if you drive people to and from airports for a living. Infiniti…. I like them so little I can’t even think of a comment to insult them, they do a fine job embarrasing themselves. I guess it is cool when your Valet says he has the same G37 you do.

Ive had quite a few Cadillacs, Lincolns and a couple BMWs, while I think a big Merc. or a Jag would be my dream car, from my experience I really like the Cadillacs. I know they’re not considered very “cool” these days but I’ve liked all of the Caddy’s Ive had.

Bill T: I think a CTS-V is pure unadulterated cool right from the factory. Smooth, quiet, reasonably luxurious, and faster than a Hilton sister.

Depends on what your definition of “best” is. Personally, I have an Infiniti, because I wanted the bulletproof reliability of a Lexus without the incredibly bland driving experience of a Lexus. But Infiniti doesn’t have the flashy styling of a Jag or the flat out performance of something like the CTS-V. All depends on what you care most about. There is no one brand that has the best styling, performance, dependability, and prestige.

Wow Gary from Atlanta, now we have the elitist 1%er perspective. Thank you so much. I’m surprised that someone with your discerning taste bothers sullying yourself test driving anything less than a Maybach or a Continental GT. We lower caste peons get excited that someone doing such disdainful jobs like parking cars can reach up and enjoy the fruits of a better quality of life. Perhaps the perspectives are different in Buckhead.

I narrowed it down to M-B, Lexus and Jaguar (recent models).

M-B definitely has an exclusive feel to it. Lexus is probably the most comfortable and Jaguar provides more of an exotic cache than the others.

For the record, guys and gals, I’m limited to ten entries for the poll. Porsche is more of a sports-car manufacturer than a luxury-car manufacturer, but they do come pretty darn close, don’t they?

I agree that Jaguar is the sexiest of the luxury cars. They have not been the most reliable in the past, but I think they have lost that reputation lately. They are good looking, and certainly have that “Wow” factor when you see them on the road!

A nice list of brands…all good cars. However I believe you are amiss in not including Hyundai. The Genesis and Equus can rival all on your list at significantly less money.

I am surprised not to see the Tesla Model “S” or the Fisker on the list

I am surprised not to see the Tesla model “S” or the Fisker on the list.

I’ve owned three Mercedes, all of which were fine cars, I’ve also had a BMW cabriolet which has the wow factor, My Jag X Type was extremely versatile and one of my favourite vehicles. I’ve had two Range Rovers easily my most enjoyable rides and now I have an Audi 8L quattro which is utterly fantastic. I bought it as a previously owned vehicle from a foreign diplomat stationed in my city and since it was owned by the country he represented I got a great deal. That car retails here at $130,000 but I didn’t pay that.

i wouldn’t touch anything that came from Ford–not even from England, now–and the Germans still over-engineer to justify their snooty prices;

the Swedes are hanging on by a thread now that Saab is a shell of its former 900 Turbo self and the Caddy is just an overgrown Hot Wheels car;

Lexus are nice and would probably come in second if one didn’t take into account Land Rover, as you apparently didn’t;

that leaves Jaguar, by default–now if only they’d live up to their former lofty reputation…