Best Luxury Sedans

The Lexus ES is a midsize sedan with seating for five people. Its latest redesign includes an aggressive front grille that helps it stand out in the crowd. The interior is spacious and comfortable with rich trims throughout. It looks and feels every bit like a proper luxury car. Two engines are available, as well as hybrid models that deliver excellent fuel economy. Whichever you choose, the ES provides a smooth, quiet ride. Luxury amenities include a choice of premium audio systems. The biggest drawback to the ES is its infotainment system. Rather than a touchscreen, it has a difficult-to-use touchpad controller.

Direct competitors to the Lexus ES include the Acura TLX and Genesis G80. The TLX doesn't offer a hybrid, but it has a lower starting price and is more performance-focused. The G80 comes in only two trim levels. Both offer top-notch luxury, but at higher costs.

Polestar, once Volvo's in-house performance arm, is now a stand-alone electric car company within the Volvo Car Group, which in turn is owned by China's Geely Auto. There's a temptation to slot the Polestar 2 into the luxury small-EV class with the likes of the Audi e-tron and Jaguar I-Pace, but it falls short of true luxury car status.

Instead, the all-electric Polestar 2 is a well-appointed, sporty hatchback sedan — Polestar calls it a fastback. It provides scorching acceleration; great handling; loads of high-tech safety; driver-assistance and infotainment features; a comfortable, pleasantly designed interior; and decent cargo capacity. Its safety and driver-assist systems and Google-powered onboard infotainment are top of class. And as a performance car, the Polestar 2 does well even against the most powerful versions of the Tesla Model 3 and Ford Mustang Mach-E. Its biggest drawbacks are its price and range. Even with a $7,500 federal tax credit, the Polestar 2 costs about $1,000 more than a Tesla Model Y Long Range. For that kind of money, it has an unimpressive range.

Are you interested in electric driving? The Tesla Model 3 is one of the best places to start. Under $40,000 before tax incentives, the likable small sedan offers style, an excellent driving range, and premium tech features. It runs on electricity, meaning you never have to go to a gas station again. Depending on which trim you choose, driving distance ranges from 263 to 353 miles. It gives the Model 3 enough mileage per charge to make it a viable daily driver. Its spacious cabin comes with an elegant design centered around a multipurpose 15-inch touchscreen.

The Model 3 is fun to drive, with quick acceleration and sharp handling. Its ride is about as absorbent as rivals, though some road noise comes through at high speeds. Overall, Tesla's Model 3 delivers next-generation propulsion and tech features in an affordable and practical package.

The Genesis G70 is the smallest and best-selling entry of three premium sedans offered by Hyundai's quickly growing luxury brand. It competes head-to-head with such long-standing entry-luxury sedan favorites as the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A5, and Lexus IS. It offers evocative design, a luxurious interior, and a long list of amenities that often cost extra in competing European-brand models. The G70 also leads the segment with advanced safety and driver-assistive technology.

The G70 delivers an engaging driving experience with nicely balanced ride and handling. Although the base G70 2.0T four-cylinder won't match the acceleration response and fuel economy of its 3 Series competitor, the small Genesis is fun to drive in both rear- and all-wheel-drive form. It also costs less than its European rivals, is comparably equipped, and comes with a much stronger warranty: 10 years or 100,000 miles on the powertrain and 5 years or 60,000 miles bumper to bumper, plus three years of free scheduled maintenance.

Pricier than the mechanically similar E-Class, you may be asking why the CLS is worth the extra money. It's a valid concern; the CLS has a smaller back seat and less practicality than its sibling. The answer is in how the CLS makes owners feel. Its swooping exterior style and pampering cabin luxury give it a touch of panache that is hard to find elsewhere on the road. One would need to step up to the flagship S-Class and its six-digit price to get a fancier Mercedes-Benz.

The CLS provides superb quietness and ride comfort on the road, and passengers are coddled in fantastic seats. Standard technology surpasses most rivals, though some driver-assistance systems are costly options. Overall, the CLS is a well-engineered luxury car with exceptional style that is as satisfying to drive as it is to admire.