10 of the Best Certified Pre-Owned Luxury Sedans

2018 Genesis G90 ・ Photo by Genesis

As tempting as it is to buy a new luxury car, buying used also has its advantages. You can still get an exquisite automobile, but with a significant discount off the sticker price. Plus, most luxury automakers have generous certified pre-owned programs. These CPO programs offer used cars that have been carefully inspected to meet the automaker's exacting quality standards and come backed by a factory warranty. You can also typically get better financing deals than from an ordinary used car, or sometimes even arrange a lease.

If that sounds like a tempting option, we've chosen 10 of the best certified pre-owned luxury sedans from a variety of size classes. We’ve focused on the 2018 model year and listed our choices alphabetically.

1. 2018 Audi A3

We’ll start off with a small and relatively affordable CPO luxury car: the 2018 Audi A3. This is a subcompact sedan that shares its crisp styling and lively handling with pricier Audis, just in a smaller package. You might feel a luxury sedan should be bigger and roomier than the A3, but for other people, it’s the perfect size. We’d pick Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system over the base front-wheel-drive model for more horsepower (220 hp instead of 186 hp); we also love the higher-performance S3 and RS 3 variants with 292 hp and 400 hp, respectively. 

Audi's certified pre-owned program provides one year with unlimited miles of warranty coverage that begins either when you purchase the vehicle or after its original warranty expires; that warranty lasts for four years or 50,000 miles from the original purchase date as a brand-new car. 

Photo by Audi

2. 2018 Audi A6

The 2018 model year was the last for the previous-generation Audi A6 mid-size luxury sedan. By choosing the older generation, you lose out on the latest A6’s extra-snazzy touchscreens, but you get a great-looking, great-driving sedan with superlative driving manners and an agreeably roomy interior. 

Choose between an agreeable 252-horsepower four-cylinder engine or a zestier 340-horsepower V6. Alternatively, you can opt for the V8-powered S6, which has a sportier suspension tune along with a 450-horsepower V8. Whatever you choose, you get the same warranty coverage as other CPO Audis: one year with unlimited miles of warranty coverage beginning either when you purchase the vehicle or when the factory warranty expires. 

Photo by Audi

3. 2018 BMW 3 Series

The 2018 BMW 3 Series is another fine luxury sedan in the final year of its previous generation. By choosing the 2018 model year, you lose the latest technology you’ll find in a brand-new version of this iconic compact sports sedan. But this is still a car that you can drive fast with unflappable confidence, even if you stick with the base 180-horsepower 320i model.

Most people will choose the 248-horsepower 330i, and enthusiasts will pick the six-cylinder 320-horsepower 340i. BMW’s CPO warranty is the same as Audi’s: one year with unlimited miles of warranty coverage, starting either when you purchase the vehicle or after its original warranty expires; that warranty lasts for four years or 50,000 miles from the original new-car purchase date.

Photo by BMW

4. 2018 Cadillac CTS

German luxury sedans are known for world-class handling, but the 2018 Cadillac CTS delivers an even better balance of ride and handling than some Europeans. What’s more, because it lacks the brand recognition of an Audi or a BMW, the Cadillac is often available for a lower price — especially on the pre-owned market. As a CPO vehicle, the CTS has the same warranty coverage as BMW and Audi: one year with unlimited miles after the four-year, 50,000-mile original warranty expires (or from the date of purchase if it has already expired). 

The CTS isn’t perfect. In particular, its 268-horsepower four-cylinder and 335-horsepower V6 aren’t as refined as the very best luxury sedans’. But enthusiasts will love its 420-horsepower V6, and anyone can appreciate its value for the money. 

Photo by Cadillac

5. 2018 Genesis G90

For a classic luxury-car experience in a relatively new, relatively affordable CPO sedan, we present the 2018 Genesis G90. This is a full-size, cosseting, beautifully finished sedan with a hushed ride yet moderately composed handling. This Korean flagship lacks the high-speed poise of a German rival, but the tradeoff is a big sedan that puts comfort first and doesn’t threaten to torpedo your budget when the CPO warranty expires. 

Speaking of warranty, the G90 is covered for a long time: six years or 75,000 miles from the date of its original purchase. For a G90 purchased in 2018, that warranty can last for up to 2024. Choose between a smooth, strong 365-horsepower V6 or an even smoother, even stronger 420-horsepower V8. 

Photo by Genesis

6. 2018 Infiniti Q50

Another value-priced luxury sedan is the 2018 Infiniti Q50, a compact sports sedan. The Q50 never won great critical acclaim as a new car, but it has evolved into a great way to get a powerful engine and agile handling at a reasonable price. Even the base 208-horsepower four-cylinder is decently quick, but the heart of the lineup is a widely available 300-horsepower V6, and you can even get up to 400 horsepower. 

The Q50’s interior isn’t magnificent, and its steering could be sharper. Still, especially as a CPO vehicle, it’s a value winner. Infiniti backs the 2018 Q50 for six years and unlimited mileage from its original on-sale date. 

Photo by Infiniti

7. 2018 Lexus GS

Superb driving manners, beautiful interior materials, and spacious cabin, and a stellar reliability record make the 2018 Lexus GS a winner. A clunky infotainment system is a drawback, but this is otherwise a splendid mid-size luxury sedan whether you prioritize performance or coddling comfort. We also appreciate that Lexus made most safety features standard equipment, making it easier to find a used vehicle that includes them. 

The GS is so quiet, most buyers would be satisfied with even the base 241-horsepower four-cylinder engine, but the 311-horsepower V6 and the gas-electric 338-horsepower V6 hybrid are smoother and swifter. There’s also a mighty 467-horsepower V8. And if Lexus’s reliability reputation lets you down, the GS has two years with unlimited miles of warranty coverage upon expiration of its four-year, 50,000-mile original factory warranty. Lexus also provides two years or 20,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance. 

Photo by Lexus

8. 2018 Lincoln MKZ

The 2018 Lincoln MKZ isn’t a super-high-end luxury sedan. It’s a Ford Fusion family car with dressier styling and a nicer interior. Still, that’s not bad for the right buyer, especially considering that the Fusion made for a moderately upscale starting point. If you’re not looking for a mechanically sophisticated corner-carver, the MKZ might prove a better luxury sedan than sportier rivals — for less money, too. 

The MKZ comes standard with a 245-horsepower four-cylinder engine; a 188-horsepower gas-electric hybrid and, to the other extreme, 350-horsepower and 400-horsepower V6s were also available. Lincoln’s CPO warranty extends six years or 100,000 miles from the time the vehicle was purchased new. 

Photo by Lincoln

9. 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a well-rounded modern luxury sedan. It’s sporty yet comfortable, elegantly designed without being stodgy, and technologically up-to-date without being overwhelming. This mid-size sedan isn’t exactly affordable, even as a CPO vehicle, but it makes a compelling case for its price tag. And if you change your mind about a sedan, you can also get the E-Class as a station wagon, coupe, or convertible. 

The E-Class’s lineup of refined powertrains starts with the most common 241-horsepower four-cylinder but quickly surges to 329- and 396-horsepower V6s and even a 600-horsepower V8. CPO Benzes are covered for the duration of the original four-year, 50,000-mile factory warranty, plus an additional 12 months with unlimited extra mileage. 

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

10. 2018 Tesla Model S

Superb electric cars are getting easier and easier to find, but the Tesla Model S is the one that started it all — and remains one of the most appealing options even when it’s a pre-owned vehicle. Sleek, technologically advanced, spacious, fast, and eco-friendly, the Model S remains hard to beat even today. 

For 2018, the Model S was available with an all-electric range of between 259 and 335 miles, depending on the trim level. The vehicle also receives the balance of the factory warranty, which includes four years or 50,000 miles for most components and eight years or 150,000 miles on the electric battery; Tesla will replace a battery that loses more than 30% of its capacity during that period. Used Teslas bought through the manufacturer also get an extra year or 10,000 miles of non-battery warranty. 

Photo by Tesla