What brand of luxury cars is the most affordable?
January 16th, 2008 | by cars |
Joshua asked:
I am wanting a car that is more than your mother’s Toyota, but am trying to keep the cost down. Any make&model suggestions? I’m looking primarily at new cars.
FELIX
I am wanting a car that is more than your mother’s Toyota, but am trying to keep the cost down. Any make&model suggestions? I’m looking primarily at new cars.
FELIX
6 Responses to “What brand of luxury cars is the most affordable?”
By dcserpa on Jan 19, 2008 | Reply
if you are looking for brand new..you might want to consider something like a SATURN AURA.. also HYUNDAI AZERA they have GREAT WARRANTY (10 year /100k miles ) and 5 year roadside assistance…and cost less than 30 k…unless you want european then jag or mzb…base models for around 35 k.
By whuz007 on Jan 20, 2008 | Reply
It depends how you define “Luxury”. I like the Audi A6, but in terms of long term affordability, if you’re planning on keeping it for some time, the repair costs are very high. You could also look at Subaru, it doesn’t really come to mind when thinking of a luxury brand, but the new Impreza is tons of fun, priced very well, has full time 4 by 4 and drives like a small BMW. Finally, you can look at the Mercedes B class. That’s different and very affordable as well. Have fun.
By surname_27 on Jan 21, 2008 | Reply
By luxury I’ll assume you mean Lexus, Infiniti, BMW, Accura, MB, etc. A G35 or an S300 are the best cheaper ones. But I recommend the Mercedes Benz C350 that just came out, because it starts at a reasonable price, and it has everything you need.
By Chad D on Jan 25, 2008 | Reply
Go used and get something like a GS300 or a G35 coupe. You can get those for around $20K.
By sixoneurdun on Jan 25, 2008 | Reply
Infiniti G35
$31,600 msrp
a sweet ride for a lot less than the rest.
Basic Warranty:
48 months/60,000 miles
Available in rear- and all-wheel drive, the new G has an enhanced platform, redesigned suspension and an upgraded engine.
Consumer Reports Overview
Highs: Acceleration, handling, transmission, braking, front-seat comfort, fit and finish.
Lows: Snug interior, small trunk.
Our top-rated upscale sedan, the G35 is a quick, sporty, and pleasant car. The 2007 update has fixed the few flaws of the original. The 3.5-liter V6 is punchy and refined, and the automatic is exceptionally smooth and responsive. Handling is quite agile and much more predictable than in the past. The ride is taut yet comfortable. All-wheel drive is available on the G35X sedan, but returned one mpg less than the RWD model we tested, which got 19 mpg overall. The interior has been further revised with better materials and improved controls. The cabin, however, is a bit snug and the trunk is small. The coupe version has been freshened as well, and will be called G37.
Experts rating 8.0 Users 9.8 (of10)
Consumer Reports Car Ratings
Overall Test Score 92 (of100)
By theomdude on Jan 28, 2008 | Reply
If affordability is indeed your only criterion, then go to and check the life cycle cost of the various popular entry-level Luxury cars.
Since the biggest lifecycle expense by far is depreciation, you may be surprised.
I didn’t check, but I’d bet the Acura TSX is a good candidate, because it’s reliable, durable, and gets good mileage.
Infiniti G-models (G-35, G-37) are great cars, and pretty good values.
The Lexus IS250 is lovely, but a bit cramped inside.
But don’t count the BMW 3-series out. They have a subvented (factory subsidized) lease on the 328i, now, and all BMWs cost you nothing for covered repairs or scheduled maintenance. If you have an ounce of driving skill, you will never want to drive another car in that class once you’ve driven one.
I’d avoid Mercedes. Consumer reports lists them at the bottom of their frequency of repair records, along with Jaguar and Range Rover.