10 Best Luxury Sport Sedans

2017 Cadillac ATS sedan on road ・ Photo by General Motors

When you’ve scraped and saved for an automotive treat, you’re faced with one big decision: do you want a luxury car, or a sports car? The answer, of course, depends on whether you value comfort or performance. But what if you could have both? Enter the luxury sport sedan.

Take a premium sedan, add a dash of driving excitement, and voila! The best part is that adaptive suspension systems mean your sport sedan can still ride like a luxury car. The same convenience features, plush seats, high quality interior materials, and elegant styling from traditional luxury vehicles are combined with a more powerful engine, sharper handling, and more responsive brakes.

Though German automakers have carved out a niche in this market for decades, the U.S., U.K., and Japan won’t sit idly by. Here are the 10 best luxury sport sedans for sale in 2017.

BMW 5 Series

It would be blasphemy to create a list of 10 best luxury sport sedans without including the BMW 5 Series. After all, this vehicle created the segment in 1972. 35 years later, BMW has introduced its seventh generation model. With styling inspired by the larger 7 Series, the all-new 5 Series doesn’t just look better than the previous generation, it drives better. BMW melded aluminum, magnesium, and high-strength steel into a work of rigid, lightweight art. Layered upon this fine blueprint is your choice of powertrains: entry-level 530i models use a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 248 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque while mid-range 540i variants employ a 3.0-liter turbocharged 6-cylinder engine producing 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. Later this year, a 530e iPerformance plug-in hybrid and V8-powered M550i will become available. Whichever your preferred motivator, all 5 Series models are equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission and come available with xDrive all-wheel drive.

Photo by BMW

BMW 3 Series

Just three years after BMW introduced its 5 Series, the smaller, more nimble 3 Series hit the market. As the 5 Series has grown, the 3 Series has become more associated with the brand’s sporting luxury persona. Today’s 3 Series is a mix of handsome styling, a comfortable cabin, superb build quality, and smile-inducing driving dynamics. The 320i base model uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder to send 180 hp to the rear wheels. In addition to a punchy and efficient engine, BMW’s latest iDrive infotainment unit, Harmon Kardon sound system, and adjustable drive modes are among the latest and greatest convenience features. For more performance, the 330i, 340i, and M3 offer between 248 and 425 hp in addition to sportier suspensions and better brakes.

Photo by BMW

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Sitting opposite BMW’s 3 Series on dealership row is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. BMW may brand itself the “ultimate driving machine,” but the latest Mercedes-Benz sedans can compete with BMW in performance as well as luxury. Entry-level models employ a turbocharged 4-cylinder good for 248 hp, but a V6 is also available with 362 hp. For truly bonkers levels of speed, try the Mercedes-AMG C63 S and its 503-hp twin-turbo V8. Apart from the wide performance range, the C-Class has one of the most stylish and comfortable cabins in the compact luxury car segment. The S-Class lends its artful aesthetic to the C-Class for a premium look that starts at just $38,950.

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz has more than one horse in this race. Finding its way onto our list of 10 best luxury sport sedans is the all-new E-Class. Mercedes-Benz calls its new midsize sedan the most intelligent car in the world – and that may not be a bluff. Advanced interior features and semi-autonomous technology cement the luxury side of the equation, and a refined chassis assures great handling. For now, the E-Class is only available with a turbocharged 4-cylinder, rated at 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, but a spicier E43 AMG and monstrous E63 AMG are on the way (the latter boasting 600 hp). Still, the base E300 bundles premium design and athletic moves for $52,150.

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

Audi A4

Audi draws upon its rally racing history to power its models with quattro all-wheel drive goodness, but the latest Audi design language may ultimately be what wins over most customers. The redesigned Audi A4 is the best representation of Audi’s sharp styling in an affordable package. The A4’s new look also comes with weight savings. Extensive use of aluminum has helped the sport sedan shed 100 pounds while growing longer and wider. Inside, Audi’s virtual cockpit treats the driver to a 12.3-inch full digital display with navigation, music, vehicle info, and drive mode functions all built into the steering wheel controls. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder churning up 252 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Starting at just $34,900, the 2017 A4 may be the ultimate value among our roundup of 10 best luxury sport sedans.

Photo by Audi

Porsche Panamera

On the other end of the pricing spectrum is Porsche’s Panamera. Like many of the vehicles on this list of 10 best luxury sport sedans, the Panamera is fresh off a redesign for the 2017 model year… and boy, did it need one. Though no one will debate the Panamera is fast, its humpback wasn’t the most beautiful design cue. Some will debate whether the Panamera is really a 4-door coupe instead of a sedan, but we’ll look the other way this time. Though much of the Panamera’s shape was left intact from the previous generation, the car’s front and rear bumpers, headlights, taillights, and cabin design have been updated for a more contemporary look. For now, the Panamera comes in two flavors of tune: 440 hp and 550 hp. Expect a Panamera Turbo S to arrive soon, with about 600 horsepower and a 0-60 sprint of around 3.0 seconds. Pricing for the Panamera starts at $79,150.

Photo by Porsche

Cadillac ATS

Who will answer the Germans in this contest of luxury sport sedans? In America’s corner, Cadillac has two contenders. First up is the Cadillac ATS sedan. An elegant exterior, comfortable-yet-minimalist interior, and one of the best chassis of any modern vehicle make this a brilliant, premium performer. The ATS is available with two powertrains: a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder making 272 hp and a 3.6-liter V6 making 335 hp. If neither of those outputs excites you, try the ATS-V and its twin-turbo V6, rated at 464 hp. A 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic channels power to the rear wheels for blistering acceleration.

Photo by General Motors

Cadillac CTS

The latest generation CTS has elevated Cadillac’s luxury position considerably. Beautiful inside and out, the sport sedan can transform from premium cruiser to canyon carver at the press of a button, thanks to GM’s adaptive suspension. Magnetic Ride Control is certainly impressive, but what should really worry BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz is the Caddy’s value proposition. Starting at $45,560, the CTS undercuts its main rivals by thousands without sacrificing any performance or quality. If you do have a bit more to spend, the CTS-V bests the Germans in a different way: outright speed. With 640 hp on tap, even supercars will struggle to keep up.

Photo by Cadillac

Jaguar XE

Great Britain has its own promising luxury sport sedan. The new Jaguar XE faces off against BMW’s 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class, Cadillac’s ATS, and Audi’s A4 with a svelte design and potent engine options. An aluminum-intensive figure helps keep the XE’s weight down and improve performance. Combined with a sport-tuned suspension and responsive steering, the XE is an excellent alternative to more established models. Three powertrains are available here in the U.S.: a turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel engine making 180 hp, a turbo 4-cylinder gas engine making 240 hp, and a supercharged V6 making 340 hp. All engines are mated to an 8-speed automatic, and every variant can be had with all-wheel drive.

Photo by Jaguar Land Rover

Infiniti Q50

Not to be left out of the fray, Japan makes the list of 10 best luxury sport sedans with the Infiniti Q50. A striking exterior design, supple interior, and powerful engine puts the Q50 on even ground with the 3 Series, A4, C-Class, XE, and ATS. Though the Infiniti’s drive-by-wire steering system needs some work, it still hauls in a straight line and rips through winding roads. For even more fun, the Red Sport 400 offers (you guessed it) 400 hp from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6. If you don’t need that much grunt, 208 hp and 300 hp gas-powered models still offer plenty of poke. All versions of the Infiniti Q50 get a 7-speed automatic transmission with Adaptive Shift Control and a manual shift mode with Downshift Matching (when you use the paddles on the steering column). The Q50 comes in RWD and AWD flavors.

Photo by Infiniti