Mid-Sized Luxury Sedan Shootout! Audi, BMW, Infiniti, And Acura - Who Walks Away The Winner?

the BMW, Audi, and Infiniti are mid size? Mine was so cramped it felt like the size of an economy car!

Just wait for the 335is. Also how come the car and driver comparo between the 328, a5, is250, and G37 was never posted? I believe the BMW won that one.

"S4 weighs in at over 2 tons, the portliest of the bunch. It’s not quite as fluid and lithe as the BMW in its handling balance. The shifter hangs up on the 2–3 change when really rushed. Golfers won’t like the narrow (yet deep) trunk because you can’t put your clubs in laterally. Rear seat room is tight. And then there’s that high price, with more than $12,000 in options alone."

eeek....I'll take the BMW since handling balance and shifting are important to me.

The huge price difference the Audi is over the other cars you would be better served just stepping up to the next class. At $58,000 which is rediculous you could buy an M45, RL, or even a 535i. Im sure the S4 is an improvement over the last but for $58,000, and not ot mention ironically every review complains about its handling im confused as to how it wins comparos its big wins always come out in subjective areas...very interesting...

It evidently is just how well it all works together. Too many people think that victories in static tests equal an overall triumph. In reality how well it all goes together often makes the victor.

Why is it that BMW fans cannot accept the fact that the S4 is the better all around car? These same fans used to say Audis are for people who can't afford a BMW. Now they're saying the Audi is too expensive. When test after test has placed the S4 ahead of the 335i, BMW fans keep bringing up some specific performance aspect where the 335i tested better than the S4. An then there is the RWD argument that keeps coming up even though the S4 chassis is clearly superior in most circumstances especially away from a perfectly smooth dry track.

The Car and Driver comparison, which had the BMW winning, was never posted because that comparison involved dull, heavy, convertibles, not lithe, four-door, sports sedans.

BmwDrvr: The Audi S4 wins because it combines excellent acceleration (faster or just as fast as the BMW 335i), unmatched grip, brilliant handling, and great style.

Why would buyers move up to a 535i or M45? The BMW 535i and Infiniti M45 are not sport-oriented cars. They are mid-sized cars that are focused mainly on luxury and then on sport.

Keep wondering BmwDrvr how the Audi S4 wins, because obviously all the major car magazines/publications such as Car and Driver, MotorTrend, Edmunds InsideLine, and Road and Track have all realized that the Audi S4 is indeed the best car in class, better than the BMW 335i Sport.

I am sure the new S4 is a great car, but for $58k if I wanted sport I'd just get an M3 sedan, and if I wanted luxury I'd get a 2011 535i. Audi has priced that car too high.

"unmatched grip, brilliant handling, and great style." if the audis is brilliant the Bmws must be sublime. Because the bmw scored higher in that area.

And yet a 335i with the same options as the S4 is actually.... MORE expensive than the S4.....
So much for that argument...

Germannut- The C&D cabrio article was posted just after this one. It actually came in yesterday, but it was saved for today.

@GermanNut...the last time I checked the 535 and M45 were VERY MUCH sport-oriented sedans. What the hell are you talking about?

At the end of the day it doesn't matter how great the BMW handles. The BMW 335i Sport may have sublime handling but the Audi S4 is the better overall car.

This outcome only validates the fact that Audi's S4 is obviously a better overall car than BMW's 335i. The Audi S4 has defeated the regular 335i, the 335xi, and the 335i Sport. Everyone from MotorTrend, to Car and Driver, Edmunds Insideline, Road and Track etc. has come to the same conclusion.

and it only took them three years to do it, at a price you could get an M3 sedan for. Kudos.

quit crying, also the S4 starts at $47k nicely equipped..it's a beast

Im not saying its a bad car I know its a good car Im just saying every review ive read for it including this one saids its handling isnt on par with the BMWs yet..... it isnt faster in a test if it is its by .1 or .2 and given the price difference/power difference why buy one. and the fact AS THE SO CALLED TOP SPORT SEDAN it should have great handling unmatched by anyone else I just think its a bunch of hoopla these wins. Not one review of the car doesnt knock its handling or say the BMW's is better not one ive read. For what is almost twice what you get a G37 sedan for im sorry but I just dont see why you would buy a 335i competitor for what is M3, ISF, or C63 money lol than brag about how it isnt faster doesnt handle better, yet it looks good and has a nice interior enough to give it a win....lol hoopla..

All are awesome, but my personal preference would have to be Audi, Infiniti, BMW, then Acura.

If the S4 doesnt have the Performance rear enhanced drive, does it still best the BMW 335i? Most likely not. It wouldnt be as fast nor handle as well. Kudos to Audi. 2011 BMW 335is comes to the table with a tweaked engine. They should test again and see how it works out.

WHY do you guys think performance cars HAVE to be rear wheel drive? Yes there are advantages, HOWEVER the whole object is to get around the track fastest and if an AWD car happens to be faster, then it is better car plain and simple.

Also, if AWD really is that bad, then why is it banned in so many racing series? Seems like the real solution is to let it compete and place back in the pack rather than ban it.

In fact they should test all these cars in AWD form, if so I believe G37 will do a lot better. RWD did have better feeling, but I hate to see it wins almost everytime, especially in comparison like that. It simply puts the other cars in serious disadvantage regarding steering feel.

agent 009. psst dont get your panties in a bunch. I wasnt commenting on Audi's AWD system. I was talking about the torque vectoring option that they have installed, which i believe is a $3900 option as part of a package. Without that system or option installed, the performance results would be different. Makes a huge difference in the handling and power capabilities for an AWD sedan.

That is all I made a comment about.

Just chek the numbers ...the clear winner is the Audi..all other concepts are subjective or personal opinions. Kudos to Audi.

Why isn't there a Lexus in the comparison?

It'll sell anyway, don't bother.

That said, I have high mark on it except that numb elec steering. Lexus should fix it in next generation.

Reason why a lexus isn't in there is because it will mop the floor with the other cars.

The Audi S4 DEFEATS the BMW 335i Sport (and all other competitors in its class, for that matter) yet AGAIN!

The Audi S4 with its Quattro AWD and Audi Drive Select along with Sport Differential is clearly a better overall car than BMW's 335i.

The teacher (BMW 335i) is a washed up thing past its prime. The student (Audi S4) has eclipsed the teacher so frequently and so recently (Car and Driver, MotorTrend, Edmunds InsideLine, Road and Track etc. all within the past 6-8 months) that the teacher is now going to have to learn from its student.

My 2009 Audi has about 9000 miles on it. It's been in the shop for the past week (I should get it back today) because the rear left floorboard keeps filling up with water. Turns out the seal for the wire harness in the door was crappy. It managed to disable my airbags and parking break. That combined with the other silly issues with the electronics in the Audi makes me anxious to trade it back in for a BMW. We also have a 2008 135 with 25K miles and haven't had any trouble with it.

Well, vladyxa, the Audi S4 is closer in BASE price to the BMW 335i than it is to the BMW M3. Also, the BMW 335i, when selected with the SAME options as the Audi S4, is actually MORE EXPENSIVE as the Audi S4.

Furthermore, Audi no longer sells the 3.2 liter V6. There are only two engine options for the A4, which are the 2.0 liter turbo 4 in the A4 2.0T and the 333 horsepower superchared V6 in the S4.

Therefore, the S4 should not be compared to the M3 because not only is there a big gap in price, but the S4 is Audi's middle-of-the-pack performance engine for its A4 lineup whereas the M3 is obviously the best engine in the 3-series lineup. The top-of-the-line engine for the A4 lineup will debut in the next RS4. The RS4 will obviously be the M3 competitor.

vladyxa - you conveniently chose to ignore GermanNut's comment that "the Audi S4 is closer in BASE price to the BMW 335i than it is to the BMW M3. Also, the BMW 335i, when selected with the SAME options as the Audi S4, is actually MORE EXPENSIVE as the Audi S4". It's either selective hearing or denial.

Why wasn't the regular A4 compared???

Because the 335 is compared to the S4 and the M3 is compared to the RS4. BMW doesn't have a mid line performance car nametag so to speak. So instead of there being a 3 series, then a S330, then an M3, they have the 335 which essentially is the mid between the 3 and the M3.

The TL for that matter is more a 5 series in terms of size, they should have thrown the TSX with a V6 in there just to show how far behind Acura is in comparison to these so called competitors. Acura would be more suited competing with Buick.