Premium cars priced below $30,000 are coming back. Last year Buick introduced the Verano, a smallish sedan that's based off the Chevrolet Cruze and starts under $23,000. Acura followed with the ILX, which shares underpinnings with the Honda Civic and will start "well below $30,000" when it hits dealerships this spring. Mercedes is still on track to roll out a family of compact cars stateside.
Toyota's Lexus division wants none of it. Lexus has just one car below the $30,000 mark, the pint-sized CT 200h hybrid, and it sells well enough. But the automaker wants none of the near-luxury pie, said Brian Smith, marketing vice president.
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