Which ones am I missing (AWD Near Luxury Sedans)

[RTRD]

Ok...as mentioned a few times before, the lease is up on the V8 powered gas guzzling SUV that is drving me to poverty in about 40 days (thank gawd).

I've decided to replace it with a near Luxury / Sport Sedan with AWD.

Here is my list:


Audi A4 Quattro
BMW 3 series xi
Infiniti G35x
VM Passat VR6 4 Motion
Cadillac CTS 3.6 DI AWD
Lincoln MKZ AWD
Acura RL with Technology Pkg


(Jaguar X-Type no longer available, Volvo S60 AWD and Lexus IS 250 AWD are grossly under powered, so all three are omitted on purpose)

What vehicles in this class am I not thinking of?

 

[jan00b]

my pick is either the BMW 335xi or the Infinti G35x
i'm gonna guess Benz has some AWD...

 

[Mia.Colpa]

I'd take the Lexus GS 350 (AWD) over the above vehicles, plenty of power and best handling of the bunch. I've owned the Acura RL and the BMW, and Mercedes, Lexus over all of them, IMO.

 

[xarir]

If AWD is important to you, you'll be hard-pressed to beat Audi's quattro technology. Quite simply, AWD is good. Quattro is better.

After that, it comes down to personal preference with respect to the car itself.

I would add Mercedes C-Class 4matic to your list. I rather like the looks of the new C-Class but I haven't driven one yet so can't really comment on it.

 

[crystalpalace]

I have a W203 C350 4MATIC and it has been great in snow. The A4 is nice but I personally feel the interior is seriously outdated and the Quattro, well as far as that goes it felt inferior to the 4MATIC the 2 months I was driving it in winter of 06.

I think power is such an overrated term. How much power do you really need? If you really want to save at the pump while keeping a good balance of power go for a 3.0 engine. They put out between 220-240 horses and save you at least %10-%15 on the gas compared to a 3.5 engine not to mention the lower emissions and carbon footprint. That's what I will be doing with my next car purchase in Canada.

BTW, if you can live with the VW badge and troubles that come with it, it's probably the best deal out of all of them and you get a carbon copy of Audi's Quattro in it too without the premium.

 

[The Cunning Linguist]

FWIW, the Ford Edge AWD and the Lincoln are virtually the same car (CUV). The Ford Edge is built on the same platform as the Mazda RX7.

My Edge AWD SEL came with all the bells & whistles, and was several thousand cheaper than the Lincoln for the same vehicle.

Take both for a test drive.

 

[RTRD]

Actually...

my pick is either the BMW 335xi or the Infinti G35x
i'm gonna guess Benz has some AWD...

...you are right...I forgot the C Class AWD...in part because I drove one a while ago and was not impressed, but it was not a fair test (it was a media event, a very short drive, and there were two other people in the car).

 

[RTRD]

Beyond...

MB S-class

...my price range. Not really comparable with the other cars. I am trying to keep this under 60K ( or 50K U.S., which is where I'll probably go to buy the car)

Oh wait...I forgot...I am wealthy!!! I can buy any car I want...

 

[RTRD]

Err...actually...

FWIW, the Ford Edge AWD and the Lincoln are virtually the same car (CUV). The Ford Edge is built on the same platform as the Mazda RX7.

My Edge AWD SEL came with all the bells & whistles, and was several thousand cheaper than the Lincoln for the same vehicle.

Take both for a test drive.

...no.

Ford Edge shares a platform with the Mazda CX9.

The Lincoln MKZ and the Ford Taurus (current generation) are built on the same platform, but do not have similar content, nor are they "tuned" the same (suspension, sound deading, etc.). I've driven a Ford 500 (the current Taurus before it was renamed), and while it was not a bad car by any means, I can afford better.

Truth is, the Lincoln is not likely to win this fight, especially since it stickers for about the same as the Infiniti. But, I will drive it just for peace of mind...and to give the dealer a chance to sell me one for 7,000 off sticker...

 

[RTRD]

Actually...

I have a W203 C350 4MATIC and it has been great in snow. The A4 is nice but I personally feel the interior is seriously outdated and the Quattro, well as far as that goes it felt inferior to the 4MATIC the 2 months I was driving it in winter of 06.

I think power is such an overrated term. How much power do you really need? If you really want to save at the pump while keeping a good balance of power go for a 3.0 engine. They put out between 220-240 horses and save you at least %10-%15 on the gas compared to a 3.5 engine not to mention the lower emissions and carbon footprint. That's what I will be doing with my next car purchase in Canada.

BTW, if you can live with the VW badge and troubles that come with it, it's probably the best deal out of all of them and you get a carbon copy of Audi's Quattro in it too without the premium.

...the Passat stickers for more than the Infiniti when comparably equipped. I COULD live with the VW badge IF I get a good discount at the dealer, but dollar for dollar I am sure I'd prefer the Infiniti.

BTW...4 Motion and Quattro are not the same, as I mentioned in another thread. They really were engineered wholly separate and apart, and are similar in only the degree that all cars have some similarity.

To each their own of course, but power IS important to me...I am something of a "car guy" and performance is a big part of why I drive the cars I do, versus a far less expensive Corolla, for example.

 

[RTRD]

I...

I am in an AWD vehicle now and I'm not likely to bother in the future. Top notch snow tires on a BMW 3 series with all the traction and DSC controls really go a long way towards safety and performance.

Short of having to plow through an unplowed driveway in the country I'm not sure that many of us need AWD. Certainly the idiots who drive AWD's without winter tires can get going faster before they hit something or someone but the thinking man...

...totally get what you are saying. It is something of a personal preference / cultural thing.

I have never purchased snow tires before...never had to in Chicago, where the roads are regularly and properly plowed. Once I arrived here, I was stunned by the level of winter road maintenance (I expected it to be better, not worse), but came to understand that the "Canadian way" is to put snow tires on the car.

I rather save myself the hassle and keep all seasons on all year...and benefit from the AWD all year as well (AWD has tremendous benefits in rain, and actually also helps in the dry with vehicle dynamics and acceleration under all conditions save the race track).

Also, to be honest, I don't want to make the transition from the SUV (with its computer controlled AWD, traction control and limited slip) to a conventional ride too harsh and abrupt. I've been driving around for 3 years in a vehicle with certain capabilities...if the fall off is enormous I could end up in trouble.

I get what you are saying about "idiots" however...I am STUNNED sometimes by what I see people do in cars in the winter. Again, I expected the winter driving here to be BETTER...not worse....

 

[RTRD]

The 350...

I'd take the Lexus GS 350 (AWD) over the above vehicles, plenty of power and best handling of the bunch. I've owned the Acura RL and the BMW, and Mercedes, Lexus over all of them, IMO.

...MIGHT get some consideration if I close this deal I am working on...it would be a good gift to myself.

Right now though, that is a bit more than I want to spend....but it does look like a nice ride...kinda hard to justify it being 10 Grand more than the Infiniti...but...

 

[The Cunning Linguist]

No.

Ford edge shares a platform with the Mazada CX9.

Actually, I think we're both wrong, as mine was a typo. I meant to type CX7.

If this makes a difference, the CX9 in a nine seater, the CX7 is a 5 seater.

 

[Sargeant StiffCock]

The Infiniti is junk. I have a friend in the scrap metal business. You wouldn't believe the Engines he gets from the dealership with 30-40k on them replaced under warranty. Also the suspension is junk. I've owned my share of luxury cars (currently drive a benz). Best car i had was LS400 lexus. Another friend of mine just bought a S500 (a 2004), i took it for a ride and wasn't impressed. Waaay too stiff and noisy for the class of car.

I hate the c class with the skirt package, i think that look is going to get old very fast. Rremind me of the old 190s with all the spoilers and such they looked silly in a short time. The Benz emblem on the grill of the c class is a joke, way too big for the car but i guess first time benz buyers want to show the world what they drive

 

[chrispalen]

Lexus GS 350 AWD

I`d take the Lexus GS 350 (AWD) over the above vehicles, plenty of power and best handling of the bunch. I`ve owned the Acura RL and the BMW, and Mercedes, Lexus over all of them, IMO.

I was recently on the market for a new car and I looked into Lexus GS 350 AWD, 2009 Jaguar XF Premium Luxury model, Mercedes Benz E300 4Matic, and Audi A6 AWD.

After kicking the tires, test drives and research etc, I decided on the Lexus GS 350 AWD fully loaded and I have been very happy with it. I particularly like the parking-assist feature, with the rear-parking monitor. One can see what is behind when backing up and there is a beeper warning if one is about to hit something.

I have posted a survey on Lexus GS 350 AWD and the 2009 Jaguar XF.
The Lexus won by a wide margin.

Here is link to the survery.

https://terb.cc/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=184964


CP

 

[xarir]

I get what you are saying about "idiots" however...I am STUNNED sometime by what I see people do in cars int he winter. Again, I expected the winter driving her to be BETTER...not worse....

I find that in the True North (Strong & Free) people do drive much better in winter, probably because they still get a real winter up there as opposed to the slush we typically get here in Toronto.

In general I find that Toronto drivers are not very good especially when compared with European drivers or even those in California. The winter stupidity is a function of this general deficiency in proper driving skills.

 

[chrispalen]

Also take a look at this YouTube video on "which sports car you would buy. you decide". An interesting and exciting roster here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoazSaWxjh4&feature=related


CP

 

[Tower]

Go for the Subaru Tribeca

 

[RTRD]

Interesting...

...you are right...I forgot the C Class AWD...in part because I drove one a while ago and was not impressed, but it was not a fair test (it was a media event, a very short drive, and there were two other people in the car).

C350 4MATIC sold in Canada...but not the U.S. C300 4MATIC is, but that wouldn't really be competitive with the cars on my list.

Next purchase will more than likely be in the U.S., so that probably takes it off the list...

 

[RTRD]

Nope...

Actually, I think we're both wrong, as mine was a typo. I meant to type CX7.

If this makes a difference, the CX9 in a nine seater, the CX7 is a 5 seater.

...I am not mistaken. Ford Edge and Mazda CX9 are essentially the same vehicle, and share a platform, engine, etc.

CX7 is based on the Mazda 6 sedan...