One good turn deserves another-Who makes the BEST premium mid-sized sedan?

Out of all of these I like

Infiniti M45 the most. Followed by the Lexus, MB, BMW, and Audi.

1. Infiniti
2. Lexus
3. MB
4. BMW
5. Audi

I don't care for the rest.

The MB is a close third and the BMW gets marked down because of the tail lights. To be fair I don't like the tail lights on the Lexus either.

I vote for the E550.

Great new styling aand performance.

Nothing beats a sport package equipped BMW 550i with a 6-speed manual gearbox

Add a Head Up Display (HUD) and im in heaven.

The BMW is by far the best in class because of its stellar in class performance and sporty curves. The BMW will anhilalate any cheaply constructed Jap crap.

audi
merc
bmw
lexus
acura
cadillac
infiniti
jag.
sorry for the infiniti mark down, but i hgave no idea what this car is or how infiniti is regarded as a brand. the bmw and lexus are kinda tied, but overall i prefer the bmw, mainly because of the handling issue, but i like the e and the a6 more for the e's class and nice interior and the a6 for the great interior and nice looks. the acura RL is another car i've never heard of, but it appears to be a honda legend. don't like it too much.

Rupert pretty much sums it up. I would vote the same. Audi's A6 is far superior to the other cars listed above in all aspects.

1 thing will "The Lexus is yet again the most luxury-oriented, which is what consumers obviously look for the most in this segment"
not always true.

I voted for the BMW 5.

Other candidates are good cars with great comforts.

BMW builds cars around the purpose of cars: driving.

i agree i think the 5 series is the best car here, but i think in this crowd though, it kinda depends more on your idea of a luxury car, they all are good cars except maybe the jag, so any of them would be good choices, just which fits your idea of a luxury sedan,,,,for me thats the 5 series i guess if i did an order 1.5 series, 2. sts 3. e class. 4. audi a6

forgot about the m....1. 5 series 2. m45,3. sts 4. e class 5. a6

The Lexus being more luxury oriented is only an opionion not a fact. It still uses cheap dyes in its leather. It uses cheap plastics for dash and buttons. That's right, there from the Camry. Lexus owners, please take your brainwashing somewhere else.

You attempt to discredit Lexus by stating that it shares the same plastic quality of a Camry?

The quality of plastics used on a 1991 Camry are still better than those used by a lot of today's current cars.

And you know this how? I seem to recall that one of the things that Lexus touted when they first entered the market was their extensive use of anti-aging materials with the leather dyes and all interior components to make them last very long. Seems to be true if you look at a ten-year-old or even 15-year-old Lexus today. I find it funny when people try to convince others about certain things when they are ignorant themselves. But, I don't know your age, you could have been in diapers when they arrived, or maybe you're just senile and forgot.

Neverfollow above sums it up for us all.

1- Infiniti M =just looks good and performs well

2- Mercedes E =classic Benz looks, good use of space

3- Jaguar S Type =it's cramped + unreliable, but still has something special in "R" form

4- Lexus GS =I love Lexus, but this is nothing special in looks nor features (1st gen still my favorite)

5- Audi A6 =competant with a nice interior, but stil not a fan of the exterior design

6- BMW 5 =the worst in BMW's current lineup, ugly exterior and boring interior

Infiniti M
MB E-Class
BMW 5
Audi A6
Jaguar S Type no thanks

but if you keep the traction/stability control on, thats stops both understeer and oversteer.

I love driving and the BMW 5 stick shift is the only car you can actually "drive". Cruising in an automatic is a wholly different experience.

I voted the BMW 5 to drive, by "stick". Only the 5 series allows drivers to enjoy the flexibility and fun of a manual. As long as the radio works, BMW's smooth shifting manual puts me in heaven as I race through the gears after every stop. Need that hand action people.

But to "cruise" with an automatic, I want to look "good", and that would have to be a jet black Benz. Sure the Lexus is probably more reliable, and the Infinity more feature filled, but the cache of "cruising" around West L.A. requires at least a Benz. The Acura makes me feel "cheap" and the S-Type is too "old fogey".

Forgot the Audi. Never been a big Audi fan because their exterior styling does not grab me. I do love their interior, and would readily grade the interior best in class, but for me, the exterior is a little more important. As long as the seats are comfortable and the radio works, I'm fine with the interior. The exterior however needs to inspire me to get into the car in the first place. Audi is simply too bland on the outside.

First of all thank God that the A6 is not a RWD. The Quattro is far superior to RWD. The statement that Lexus and MB are the only luxury car manufactures just goes to show you that they have sucessfully brainwashing the majority of American people.

I find RWD PLUS snow tires to be pretty solid in the northeast. My car is also 50/50 balanced which I'm sure helps as well. This winter will be my first winter with an SUV in many many years. I'm looking forward to seeing how all-seasons on 20"ers and AWD performs against 17" snow tires on RWD.

This one is a little tougher than the compact-sized sedans, where the clear cut winner is the ever-great 3-series.

If it wasn’t for the styling, then the 5-series would also be the clear winner here. That’s based on the fact that it is still the best-handling, and most well-rounded vehicle of this bunch…performance-wise. I guess if you put the M5 cladding (M sport package) on a 550i it won’t look half as bad.

The Lexus and Acura have bullet-proof reliability, but are probably not as entertaining to drive as the 5-series, and even much less entertaining to look at. If they put the new 4.6L engine on the GS...then maybe.

If it wasn’t for Consumer Reports, I’d take the E-class. It’s the best looking car, with acceptable performance for a luxury-biased car. But, Mercedes has serious reliability issues that scares me.

In the end If I had to write the cheque then I’d rank the top 3 as:

1. BMW 550i
2. Lexus GS
3. Acura RL

Thanks for the comments. Your posts are one reason to come back to Autospies.

I second your opinion. When I was looking for a midsize sedan it was between the 545i and the E500, I really liked the BMW for its handling, but the MB had in my opinion a better outer design, and the E500 Sport that I got, the handling wasn't too bad either, but yes steering feel you can't beat the BMW.

This will all change once the GS 460 arrives with 380 horsepower.

001, did you see that the BMW 3series coupe was voted as the second most gay car after the peugot 206 and the AUDI RS4 the straightest! Check it out on www.wheels24.co.za

001, did you see that the BMW 3series coupe was voted as the second most gay car after the peugot 206 and the AUDI RS4 the straightest! Check it out on www.wheels24.co.za

MB-E550 SPORT BY FAR

In this class, my vote goes to the Audi A6, Lexus GS and Mercedes E-Class. All of them focus on luxury and do a good job in that aspect.

The BMW and Infiniti are too sports biased, and not everyone in this class looks for sport. That said, I think the Infiniti M is better value, better equipped and better-looking than the BMW 5 series.

The Jaguar S type is a car for the individual who wants to be different. Personally, I think rather lowly of it.

I've driven them all. Among V6 models, despite being the most unattractive, the RL is the best driving and probably the best choice. But when you include a V8 choice nothing stirrs emotion like the 550i paired with the 6 speed manual.

That's why I voted for the BMW. I just love the design. I think it has the most road presence and the best driving feel.

No SAAB 9-5 or Volvo S80? ok

001, why don't we have a "Best Midsized Sedan"? Why do we need the "premium". Just because it's a premium, does it mean it's better? Not necessarily. Why are we avoiding those??

i did wonder where the s80 was...i would have put it quite high with the v8.

The Audi A6 is the best overall combination. The design is timeless. An outstanding Walter DeSilva masterpiece that I seem to never tire of, especially the S-line and S version.

The technology that comes in cars like these is so easy to use in the Audi. Why pay to have it in the car if you can't figure out how to use it while you're driving? So, by far the best execution between "man" and "machine" interface.

Very useful trunk space. This is a working person's car. Whether you are hauling golf clubs, samples, clients or picking up the boss at the airport, the A6 can do it all without missing a step. For the occasional trip to Home Depot, the fold down rear seats are a nice feature as well.

Class leading interior fit and finish: It's an Audi, what more needs to be said?

Now, down to the nitty gritty: Performance. This is were everyone seems to pick a corner to stand in. The A6 isn't the fastest car, but it's also not slow. It's not the absolute best handler, but still excites when pushed. The absolute stability, and quietness at speed is amazing. You can be doing insane speeds with one hand on the wheel and not feel like you're doing anything dangerous.

It's reasonably priced compared to the "other" German players in this catagory. The Asian cars are good to a point, but since you are paying over $50K to gain entry into the sector anyway, why not just pay the extra $5K or so to get the heritage, engineering, and prestige of a German brand? I'm sorry, but every time I see someone in a Lexus, Infinity, Acura, Jaguar, or Cadillac, I feel they sort of cheated themselves out of getting the car they could or should have had. It also gives a clue as to how others might percieve them in life: struggling to acheive success but never quite getting there. It's like going shopping for a new suit and coming home with a good brand, but not the Armani they really wanted because it was just a little too much money.

In a nut shell, the A6 is the best buy for the smart money. It makes the the working person's day easier and still delivers pleasure in the way it drives.

The BMW 5'er is second based on performance only, but that's an important catagory in this group of players.

The Benz is he most expensive of the bunch and offers that most important of attributes; cache', but falls way short of the others as a usable and workable "car" considering the price. It's like buying one of those really expensive sofas, you know the kind you only see in Architectural Digest, only to get it home and find it uncomfortible to sit in. It looks great though.

The rest is just transportation.

1. Mercedes E-Class
Classy looks (esp. with Sport Package), powerful and refined engines, polished and luxurious interior, all the technology you'd ever need in the various options and packages. It charges prestige pricing for a reason.

2. Audi A6
Although certainly not the sportiest car in the bunch, I think it's the second-best mix of sportiness and luxury. An interior that even bests the E-Class's and a 4.2L engine worth springing for. Its only downfalls are the boring standard wheels and the boring standard engine.

3. BMW 5 Series
Obviously the sportiest car in this bunch. The 550i Sport offers eye-catching looks (and rims), a supremely comfortable interior (although not particularly luxurious), and a silky-smooth engine. And so does the 530i/535i. Its drawback is that there's a 525i available- that car is just plain pathetic.

4. Lexus GS
You have to get the right rims, but this car can be a looker. It also offers a third-best in class interior, and it's very close to the E-Class and A6 in there so you could pretty much call it a tie. The hybrid version is interesting. The problem is, it's too boring- Lexus badges it as a sports sedan, but it pales in comparison with the Infiniti, BMW, Audi and Mercedes.

5. Infiniti M
I love the looks of the M45 Sport- very "unique". It offers a good combination of sportiness (sportiest of the Asian sedans), style and luxury- but luxury is where it's lacking compared to the others. Dare I say, the interior isn't as well-built as the 5 Series's?

Agree with you. Very good Looking car the E500. When I first saw the movie MIB II, It really got my attention. The 5 spoke wheels look beautiful on the car.

525 pathetic? its got 215 bhp and does 0-62 in 7.3 seconds! thats not pathetic at all, same as an auto 330 convertible! even the 520d does it in 8.3, which is fairly rapid.

The old 525i was a 184hp, the new one is actually pretty good, but 0-62mph is 7.3 seconds? is that for the manual transmission model?

yes. auto 7.6. thats why i don't understand why americans don't get the smaller engines, they're fast enough. and in a car like that, you don't need it faster than 8 seconds really.

i should add that the 520d gets 39 US mpg.

S4cabriofoxone
In my opinion the M interior is far better than the 5-series. Trully have you been in an M45? It has a beautiful interior and layout.

WAYTO SNUB THE ACURA RL U LOSER. Holler!

"In my opinion the M interior is far better than the 5-series. Trully have you been in an M45? It has a beautiful interior and layout."

It's nice to look at, yes (yes I have sat in one), but the materials suck. They use plastic for the aluminum trim on the dash- you won't find that in the Audi, BMW or Mercedes. The layout is also horrible. Too many buttons on the top of the dash.

"525 pathetic? its got 215 bhp and does 0-62 in 7.3 seconds! thats not pathetic at all, same as an auto 330 convertible! even the 520d does it in 8.3, which is fairly rapid."

In America, it's not, I'm sorry to tell you. I feel like screaming at 525i drivers, "GET A 530I, DAMMIT!!!"

"WAYTO SNUB THE ACURA RL U LOSER."

Remember, I've owned two Acuras myself. The new ones continue to disappoint me. They don't have a clear styling direction (the RL is comparatively bland), their interiors are ugly, if well-built, and they're just not exciting cars. Why you like them instead of Infiniti, BMW, Mercedes, Lexus or Audi is beyond me. You probably own one, and have never owned any of the others.

Thank you for bringing that up, i used to work at an acura dealer a year ago. Mechanically the RL is fine, the exterior styling is a bit bland but the inside is just ugly. I couldn't stand the interior door pulls, ugh, it gives me shivers, every time i got in i wanted to rip them off. The acuras were ok but pretty soulless.

Who won the previous one.

I'm only going to rank the ones that I have actually driven:

1. Infiniti M45 (This is truly the definition of luxury sports sedan, above this you'll have to go M5, AMG)

2. MBZ E550 (excellent car, somehow the E series looks pretty good to me but not to most, I like the low stands of it, lacks handling compared to M45)

3. BMW 550 (again excellent car, the BMW firmness that no one can object to, But have never been the fan of the looks 'other than the M5'... also the interior has no kick to it.)

4. Lexus GS430 (Probably the best when it comes to luxury aspect, but to me the ride lacked the punch)

Once again this is my opinion and base on my taste. I basically decided to go test-drive all above mentioned cars after the Car and Driver comparison.
Driver comparasent.

"Who won the previous one"

MIGHTY INFINITI

Infiniti is taking on BMW
and Lexus is taking on MB
its all good for customers tooo

It's amazing how many voters chose the GS. Are they choosing the Lexus brand benefits or the car itself? The GS seems a little light in the benefits category. But if you want Lexus tech, dealer service, it is that.

audiot,

I'm not surpised it's not ranked higher. I have a GS450h after having owned a 2001 BMW 740i Sport and I can tell you that getting 30.5 average MPG along with 0-60 in 5.2 seconds is a HUGE benefit. All this nonesence of the numb steering/brakes/CVT you read in magazines is pure bias and phobia to all things new. The GS450h just drives a little different from a typical car but it's nothing that one can't become comfortable with after a few minutes behind the wheel.

1. Audi A6: It may be just a midsize car, but this Audi has more style and luxury than vehicles twice its size, along with an exceptionally refined driving demeanor.

2. BMW 5 Series: The sportiest of personal luxury cars, the 550i is a driver's car that doesn't compromise a bit on luxury.

3. Mercedes-Benz E-Class: The E-Class is the priciest of all premium midsize sedans, but one look at the car and you'll know why: It's sleek, sexy and overflowing with curbside prestige. The high-performance yet still docile E55 would be our choice.

4. Cadillac STS: A domestic car on a list of premier luxury cars? That's right. Cadillac has finally built a sedan that meets the Germans on their terms when it comes to driving dynamics and luxury accoutrements.


The rest are bring up the rear.

Love the post.

Yes, the E-Class really does look expensive. I've seen more of the refreshed versions lately- beautiful.

We dont get the Infinit, acura or cadillac over here.

I voted for the 5.

We dont get the Infinit, acura or cadillac over here.

I voted for the 5.

shows how bmw still makes the best of both, although some might say it isn't as luxo as the others, its still very comfortable inside while also being the best in terms of sportiness

Wow!

It's a very close race between the 5 Series and the A6, with the A6 in the lead at this time.

I'm surprised the E-Class is so far behind. Personally, I'd say it's the best mix of style, luxury/comfort, handling and features. Perhaps its exorbitant (in this company) price is its Achilles' heel?

how are the a6 and 5 so close to each other?last i checked the 5 was way ahead and had more than double the votes of the a6.

1st The Acura RL, because of value and reliability. 2nd would be Audi A6 interior. 3rd M because of tech and rare.

The E-class is way over priced at $10,000 over its competitors. And i see way to many of them.