Cars With Luxury Comfort Without the Price Tag
Who says luxury needs to cost you an arm and a leg? While certain vehicles will always be out of reach for the average Joe like you or me, you may be surprised at what your money can buy if you know where to look.
Acura Integra
Essentially, the Honda Civic’s younger, more high-end cousin, the Acura Integra, is a premium sport compact car that offers luxury and comfort at a reasonable price. Second-hand models are even cheaper while still providing great fuel economy and fun dynamics.
Cadillac CT4
Cadillac is typically synonymous with high-end luxury, but you’d be surprised at just how affordable the CT4 is. In fact, it’s probably the most reasonably priced rear-wheel drive luxury sedan, offering sharp handling on a sporty, fashionable chassis.
Audi A3
Manufactured since 1996, the Audi A3 is one of Audi’s most popular nameplates. It’s not totally out of reach price-wise, nor is it completely inexpensive, but it still offers drivers a refined, comfortable interior with advanced technology readily available at your fingertips.
BMW 2 Series
The 2 Series is a line of compact cars manufactured by the good folks over at BMW. It includes both coupe and Gran Coupe options, both of which veer more towards practicality than outright premium luxury while still offering comfort, sporty handling, and a refined interior experience.
Infiniti Q50
The Q50 is one of Audi and BMW’s most noteworthy competitors, a refined compact sedan that offers affordable luxury with a premium feel. Its interior comes complete with several advanced features, including dual touchscreens and driver-assistance options, while the vehicle itself is powered by a powerful twin-turbocharged V6.
Lexus IS
Though Lexus was established as a luxury brand, it hasn’t made many of its cars completely out of reach for the average person. The IS, for example, can sometimes be found for a modest price of around $40,000 - not an insignificant amount, but not an insurmountable one, either. And depending on your preferences and sensibilities, it may be well worth it, since the IS offers great reliability, a lovely interior, and a smooth, quiet ride.
Lexus ES
While we’re on the topic of Lexus, we may as well mention the ES in the same breath. This model tends to be even cheaper than the IS, while still offering the same premium feel that you may be looking for. Its interior is spacious and made up of high-end materials, while under the hood, a smooth V6 simmers and hums along.
Genesis G70
If you’re looking for something a bit more on the aggressive side in both appearance and mechanics, the Genesis G70 may be the vehicle for you. It’s by no means cheap, but it’s not absurdly priced either, and offers sporty luxury in an athletic body.
Volvo S60
The S60 is Volvo’s premier luxury sedan, a fairly unremarkable vehicle on the outside that still offers supreme luxury on the inside thanks to its spacious interior and number of advanced features (such as its Android-powered infotainment system).
Audi A4
The A4 is one of Audi’s most well-rounded vehicles: it’s luxurious without being over-the-top; offers great performance without becoming totally uncontrollable at high speeds; practical, but still fun to drive and experience. Older A4s can be found for around $40,000.
Audi A5 Sportback
The A5 Sportback sits somewhere between a coupe and a sedan - it’s got the stylistic, fastback flair of the former, and the size and practicality of the latter. It’s also nowhere near as expensive as many people may believe, priced only slightly higher than the two previous Audis we’ve featured on our list already.
Acura TLX
The TLX is Acura’s entry-level model with a suitable price tag to match. Despite its affordability, it never sacrifices luxury or comfort. Far from it, in fact - the TLX features several advanced features in its spacious interior, bolstered by premium-feeling driving mechanics that feel smooth.
Lincoln MKZ
Though the MKZ is no longer being manufactured new (production stopped in 2020), you can find several second-hand models for some very reasonable prices. Most of them still hold up today in terms of luxury, technology, and driving mechanics, all of which you can enjoy for yourself for around $35,000.
Jaguar XE
Jaguar is Britain’s own premier luxury brand, famous for many classic models that command serious price tags. The XE, therefore, is surprisingly affordable (especially if you’re buying second-hand) while still offering all the luxury and the same premium experience as other Jag models.
Mercedes‑Benz CLA
Manufactured since 2013, Mercedes-Benz’s CLA line has always been geared towards tech-savvy drivers - if advanced infotainment systems and features excite you, then this is the vehicle for you. Despite the brand’s premium status, many older or second-hand CLA models are disarmingly affordable.
Genesis G80
Another one for the tech-heads out there, the Genesis G80 looks like your average luxury sedan on the outside, but inside it offers a number of advanced features, including a 27-inch integrated wide OLED display, a Lexicon sound system, and numerous driver assistance features - all for a pretty reasonable price, too.
Land Rover Discovery Sport
You may have noticed the abundance of sedans that have dominated the list so far - don’t worry, SUV fans, this one’s for you. Though it bears the Land Rover name, the Discovery Sport is not some battle-hardened 4x4 with a rugged visage; it is, in fact, a very sporty, family-friendly luxury SUV with a very compelling price tag.
Hyundai Sonata Premium
Compared to almost every brand that has come up so far, Hyundai isn’t a name that is immediately associated with luxury. Don’t be so quick to dismiss this one, though. The Sonata Premium is the, well, premium-level trim of the Sonata, offering more advanced features and luxuries that its base model couldn’t, all for an unexpectedly low price.
Kia K5 GT‑Line
Like Hyundai, Kia isn’t normally associated with “premium luxury”, which makes it all the more striking that the K5 GT-Line stands out as much as it does. It’s sleek and stylish on the outside while offering a spacious, comfortable inside experience complemented by the addition of several advanced features and technologies.
Toyota Camry XSE Tech Plus
The XSE Tech Plus is the premium-level trim of the Toyota Camry, and is more or less the same as that car with a few key additions that set it apart, not least of which includes heated front seats, a JBL premium audio system, and even a moonroof.
Mazda3 Grand Touring
The Mazda3’s own premium trim-level, the Grand Touring keeps things interesting visually with enhanced LED lights, a rear spoiler (for extra speed, of course), and sleek side skirts. Its interior is also much more luxurious than the base model’s, but none of this jacks up the price too far out of reach.
Volkswagen Arteon SE
Offering more space and more style than its base-level trim, the Arteon SE from Volkswagen is a premium package that doesn’t break the bank. Leather seats, an adaptive chassis, and tons of space ensure an executive-level experience.
Nissan Altima Platinum
The Altima Platinum is - you guessed it - the premium-level trim of the Altima, offering more advanced features and luxuries such as leather upholstery, a 360-degree camera, and Nissan's own patented ProPilot Assist driver-assistance technology.
Honda Accord Touring
The Honda Accord Touring is the ultimate road-trip sedan. It’s got space, space, and more space thanks to its wide trunk and roomy interior that you could probably kick your feet up in if you didn’t have to, you know, keep your eyes on the road.
Subaru Legacy Limited XT
For a car in this price range and at this level, the Limited XT trim of the Subaru Legacy is quite the performer. It’s powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged SUBARU BOXER engine capable of producing up to 260 hp. It’s also very affordable and luxurious to drive.
Chevrolet Malibu Premier
Although the Premier trim level was discontinued in 2023, there are still plenty of second-hand Chevrolet Malibu Premier’s to go around, each offering the same luxury feel and premium features like heated seats, leather upholstery, and numerous driver assist technologies.
Chrysler 300 Touring L
The 300 Touring L is the advanced trim level of the advanced trim level. It offers a greater balance between performance and luxury, while also featuring larger wheels and chrome accents that help it to stand out even more.
Hyundai Sonata
Although we’ve already covered the Sonata Premium, it’s worth noting that the base Sonata is just as luxurious as its more expensive trim level. Newer models are especially stylish, with advanced features and technologies that make them feel classy and elegant.
Mazda6
Though still offering all the practicality that you’d expect of a sedan, the Mazda6 is also more stylish than many of its counterparts while also emphasizing driving mechanics even more. It’s sleek, minimalistic in design, and oh-so lovely to drive.
Nissan Altima
Sure, the Platinum’s got all the added bells and whistles that come with a premium-level trim, but the standard Altima still offers a fantastic, comfortable driving experience for those who don’t see the need to shell out even more money for what is ultimately an aesthetic upgrade.
Volkswagen Passat
The Passat has been in production in some form or another for over 50 years. It’s one of VW’s most popular nameplates, perhaps one of the only on this list that isn’t considered “premium”, but still offers supreme comfort while driving.
Acura ILX
Though it’s no longer in production, you can still find a second-hand ILX from as recent as 2022. Sharing a platform with the Civic, the ILX is a great compact executive car with great features such as AcuraWatch safety technology and an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Jaguar XF
A true premium sedan in every sense of the word, the Jaguar XF offers consummate British style and compelling driving mechanics. The best part is that second-hand options often go for as little as £8,000.
Audi A8
Audi’s classic flagship option, the A8, offers a blend of performance, luxury, and advanced technology, all in one neat package that won’t break the bank.
Tesla Model X
The only fully-electric vehicle on this list, the Tesla Model X, may seem like it should be expensive as heck. But here’s the catch: these EVs actually have pretty steep depreciation curves, meaning you can enjoy all the advanced features they have to offer for a low second-hand price.
