Luxury car reviews
Find more reviews in the Cars.com Luxury Cars Buying Guide
7:28 PM PDT, July 25, 2012
2013 Acura ILX light on power, driver enthusiasm
With summer barreling through the calendar faster than you can say "water wings," it's likely you have a family reunion looming on the horizon.
4:50 PM PDT, July 4, 2012
Cars.com Expert Reviews
Smooth 8-speed gives Chrysler 300 V-6 an automatic boost
As Kelsey Mays detailed in an earlier review, Chrysler redesigned its 300 full-size sedan for the 2011 model year, bringing the car up to date in all ways except one: Its automatic transmission continued as a five-speed. Now for 2012, the V-6-powered 300 offers a new eight-speed automatic. (See other specs compared.) I'll devote this review to our impressions of the new transmission and the line's new top trim level, called S, and to clarifying the baffling combination of available drivetrains and trim levels.
June 15, 2012
Mercedes SLK350 finally cleans up its act
I don't feel particularly poetic when I test-drive a car.
4:50 PM PDT, June 5, 2012
Cars.com Expert Reviews
Larger, lighter 2013 Acura RDX crossover packs more power
The redesigned 2013 Acura RDX is better armed to win over shoppers — it's larger, lighter and more efficient — while offering an attractive value proposition.
4:50 PM PDT, June 1, 2012
Cars.com Expert Reviews
2013 Lexus ES 350
The 2013 Lexus ES trades some substance for gimmicks with its all-new design, but it should draw interest for adventurous styling and a first-ever ES hybrid version.
4:50 PM PDT, June 6, 2012
Cars.com Expert Reviews
Infiniti G37 sets high bar for performance coupe
With Infiniti's G lineup, there's something for everyone. The brand's best-selling car is offered in sedan, coupe and convertible body styles and in several performance levels, from the base G25 sedan (reviewed separately) to the high-performance IPL version of the G37 coupe, which is covered in this review. See them all compared here.
4:50 PM PDT, May 22, 2012
Cars.com Expert Reviews
2013 Acura ILX
With its new 2013 ILX sedan, Acura creates a new point of entry for the brand. The ILX is slightly smaller than the TSX sedan, which costs $30,905 (including a destination charge of $895). The ILX starts at $26,795; as of this writing, complete pricing information is available only here.
April 11, 2012
Value drives sporty Jaguar XF
Jaguar made just a few changes to its XF sport sedan for 2012: nips and tucks to the front end, flashier taillight treatment and an updated navigation system. It doesn't sound like much to rave about, but added to what's already one of the better-driving cars in the segment, it's a winning formula.
6:23 PM PDT, March 21, 2012
Buick Verano isn't up to running with a younger crowd
The Verano is a new compact sedan from that near-luxury nameplate, Buick. It's an impressive, competitively priced car; a stellar cut from the quiet and comfortable motoring cloth.
12:05 AM PST, November 14, 2011
Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG is a soccer mom thrill
Soccer moms in the country's more exclusive neighborhoods will rejoice at the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, making its world debut at the L.A. Auto Show this week. Upgraded with the usual improvements to justify the R&D money, the third generation of the German manufacturer's pioneering high-performance SUV ups the fuel economy, drops some weight and significantly improves horsepower and torque -- emboldening parents of means to floor it out of schools' valet drop-offs with less guilt.
October 14, 2011
Steven Cole Smith: Lincoln MKT a loaded, likable luxury crossover SUV
There was a time when Lincoln and Cadillac were considered relatively even in the battle for the American luxury-car consumer. But General Motors gave Cadillac a shot of adrenalin about 10 years ago to update its model portfolio, and Ford has been pushing Lincoln to catch up ever since.
October 13, 2011
2012 Mercedes ML350 offers a lot of finery, a la carte
If a mid-size luxury SUV is in your fall wardrobe, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 may be the cable-knit sweater.
September 16, 2011
Mercedes ML350 BlueTEC does right by diesel
If you haven't driven one in a decade or so, forget what you thought you knew about Rudolf Diesel's 1883 invention: that diesel engines are noisy, smoky, heavy, substantially more expensive to build and slow. Though light-duty diesels haven't caught on in the U.S., there's a reason why they dominate European markets where fuel costs are about double what we pay.
August 20, 2011
Rolls-Royce test drive: 2011 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe & Ghost
It's unlike any other car on the planet.
August 4, 2011
2011 Lexus CT200h: Lexus for less
Americans love hybrid hatchbacks, but mostly for the hybrid part; overall, we're still lukewarm on traditional hatchbacks. Lexus added a third ingredient -- budget luxury -- to create the CT 200h. With a starting price just over $29,000, it's the least expensive Lexus in nearly two decades, and it shows.
July 7, 2011
2012 BMW 650i convertible: Muscular yet flexible
Flex. To you and me, it's just a harmless word. To the engineering team charged with producing a convertible, the very mention of flex, flexible or flexibility can cause apoplectic fits and an enraged lawn-toss of their CAD monitors.
July 14, 2011
Infiniti combines fuel economy and luxury in M Hybrid
Shuddering in anticipation of increasing federal fuel economy standards, luxury car manufacturers that traditionally paid little attention to gas consumption are finally paying heed. Take Nissan's up-market marque, Infiniti, which for 2012 introduced its first-ever hybrid, the M.
June 30, 2011
2012 Acura TL improves with makeover
In its prior incarnation, the grille was hideously toy-like. And the car, as a whole, lacked the sort of styling panache buyers of luxury sport sedans demand when they lay down $40,000-plus.
June 23, 2011
More refined Chrysler 300 is still a knockout
Five years ago, Chrysler's then-new 300 sedan walked into the ring and delivered a knockout blow to the rest of the full-size car market. Like any boxer with a chip on his shoulder, this nascent Chrysler carried itself with an air of brash cockiness that consumers flocked to in droves and critics lauded for its design.
4:50 PM PDT, June 6, 2011
Kicking Tires
2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist: First Drive
The 2012 Buick LaCrosse will be the first model to receive GM's eAssist mild-hybrid system, a new take on a design used in past cars like the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid and Green Line versions of the Saturn Aura and Vue. Regrettably, those cars delivered maximum public-relations pain for their mileage gain: They failed to provide the efficiency of the day's full hybrids, and critics thought GM was disingenuous to use the hybrid term. The newly named eAssist boasts up to 25% better mileage than the current four-cylinder LaCrosse, and it drives well, too.
8:29 PM PDT, May 25, 2011
2012 Audi A7 has power, tech and a style that draws double takes
A businesswoman in the parking garage was the first. The next day it was a landscaper at the gas station. Then the balding guy in the convertible, top down. Over the weekend it was four older women coming from brunch.
May 12, 2011
Bentley Continental GT geared toward wide-open spaces, including parking spots
Saying it became a chore to drive a particular car probably wouldn't catch your attention. Telling you that car was the 2011 Bentley Continental GT with a $215,675 price tag might.
March 31, 2011
Lexus CT 200h is a multifaceted hybrid
Lexus recently introduced an all-new car, the CT 200h, and it's a hybrid in more ways than one.
1:40 PM PDT, March 17, 2011
Steven Cole Smith: 2011 Chrysler 300: Sequels can be a success
Making a sequel to a big hit is tough, as anyone who paid to watch Airplane II, Blues Brother 2000 or Grease 2 can testify.
2:22 PM PST, January 27, 2011
Test Drive: 2011 Lincoln MKX AWD
Bells, whistles and bliss
Lincoln is well on its way to sowing confusion with its vehicular alphabet soup of models consisting of the MKS, MKT, MKZ and MKX.
January 27, 2011
2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG: Efficiency and performance in a breathtaking package
When it comes to luxury sport cars, efficiency and performance have been terminally at odds. Twinning the two ideas is akin to pulling together the polarized ends of a magnet. But with its CLS 63 AMG for 2012, Mercedes-Benz has, mein gott, done it.
September 23, 2010
Hyundai enters luxury-car category with 2011 Equus
There's something wrong about a pair of 7-year-olds lounging like sultans in the back of a $60,000 luxury vehicle, downing Go-Gurt from an armrest mini fridge, watching Godzilla on a private screen enhanced with 17-speaker surround sound, and bicker-battling over a remote control that commands a rear-seat massage feature.
4:40 PM PDT, September 16, 2010
Cadillac CTS-V coupe: What planet is this car from?
We're cruising down Florida's Turnpike in the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V coupe when a teenager in a thoroughly hot-rodded, custom-painted Honda pulls alongside, gives the CTS-V coupe a long, hard look, then speeds away, a "thumb's up" emerging from the Honda's sunroof.
September 9, 2010
CAR REVIEW
2011 Bentley Mulsanne exudes exclusivity
"I love that car," sighed the rookie valet at the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica.
September 16, 2010
2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe: Unmistakably American
It appears Cadillac's design studio has finally found a remedy to U.S. automakers' inferiority complex. For decades, the neurosis has afflicted the studios of Detroit, causing them to turn out bland, awkward or copycat designs, while their German and Japanese counterparts created strong visual identities unique to their brands.
4:13 PM PDT, August 19, 2010
BMW 750Li xDrive: Money does buy happiness
For a driving enthusiast the classic problem with luxury cars has been that while the passengers may be delighted with their coddling the driver risks death by ennui, a lingering and horrible way to go. But luxury cars are becoming more entertaining to drive and one of the best examples is the 2010 BMW 750Li xDrive.
4:15 PM PDT, September 7, 2010
Test Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse review
New Buick LaCrosse satisfies, even with smaller engine
The Buick LaCrosse, which was new last year, is now confronting competitors such as the Lexus ES 350 and Acura TL with a new and unconventional weapon: a smaller engine.
April 1, 2010
2011 Regal has what it takes to be a contender
" Buick Is Back!" shouts the cover of Motor Trend magazine, the first time since 1982 the enthusiast publication has featured a Buick on the cover.
June 24, 2010
More than $60,000 for a Ford Mustang?
Let's address this and get past it quickly. There have been more expensive Mustangs, but they were all race track-ready cars. Truthfully, this one is pretty close to being a racer. And since it's the best Mustang I've ever driven, and that includes all those race track-only models, the price seems -- well, still expensive. But justifiable.
July 1, 2010
Test Drive: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E350 Wagon review
Mercedes E350: Last large wagon standing
It is not often one gets to drive a species that — at least in the U.S. — is endangered. But I am. It is a station wagon, a segment that is being virtually wiped out by sport-utility vehicles and crossover car-like SUVs.
4:33 PM PDT, June 9, 2010
Auto review: Aston Martin Rapide
Albert Einstein once described his theory of relativity by saying: "When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it's longer than any hour."
May 25, 2010
BMW makes driver feel like one hot mama
At first glance, I was the most impractical choice for test driving the 2010 BMW 335i coupe. The four-seater is sporty, small and only has two doors with a small back seat. I'm slow and large (I'm nine months pregnant as I write this) with two small children in large convertible child-safety seats. But having me test drive this car was a genius move on the MotherProof.com's Chief Mama Kristin Varela's part. I got to have one last sports-car "hurrah" before my third child comes and I can no longer fit my family into a car this small, and if I can make this car work for me, you know it would be a dream for someone without all of my accoutrements.
May 13, 2010
HS250h a little less Lexus, a lot less Prius
It's revealing that for a few days in early May, the top item on Lexus' media Web site was a report touting the progress Lexus and Toyota have made in handling product recalls. "Remedies," as Toyota calls them, have been performed on more than 3 million vehicles for sticking accelerators and floor mats that can trap accelerator pedals, plus some modifications to anti-lock brake systems.
December 17, 2009
Test Drive: Bentley offers it all, for a lot
Once in a while, life serves up one of those little disconnects that reminds you of an old dubbed-into-English Japanese horror movie, where the actors' lips seem to be saying one thing, their voices something entirely different.
12:53 PM PST, February 18, 2010
Test Drive
2010 Ferrari 458 Italia: Dashing through the snow in a wicked red sleigh
MARANELLO, Italy — Snow is a beautiful thing.
December 27, 2009
From Dec. 27, 2009
Jim Mateja: 4-door Panamera is still all Porsche
Many years ago, a novelty was hidden in the bowels of the original McCormick Place for Chicago Auto Show visitors to find: a weird four-door Chevrolet Corvette. Even weirder is why anyone would do such a thing.
February 25, 2010
Test Drive: 2010 BMW 550i Gran Turismo
Jim Mateja: BMW 550i Gran Turismo blends attitude with luxury
It's called a "refined, elegant SAV," which in BMW speak means a sports-activity vehicle with an attitude toward luxury and performance.
March 18, 2010
Test Drive: $2.2 million gets you this — a 2010 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport
The toll booth attendant leaned out of her cage, looked the car over, and said, "The guy in front of you told me your car costs a million dollars."
February 11, 2010
Test Drive: 2010 Cadillac SRX
Jim Mateja: Raft of upgrades paired with lower cost give Cadillac SRX a major boost
Cadillac's chances of deposing the king of luxury crossovers is a lot better now that consumers, the media and even the government have taken to labeling Toyota as a villain, the role those same consumers, media and government bestowed on General Motors the last few years.
January 28, 2010
Jim Mateja: Acura ZDX loaded with luxury
Acura waved the magic wand and turned a sport ute into a sedan.
November 15, 2009
Test Drive: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 coupe
Jim Mateja: E coupe a near coup for Mercedes
With the auto industry undergoing an overhaul, it is a good time to freshen product lines.
November 8, 2009
Test Drive: 2010 Audi A5 quattro cabriolet
Jim Mateja: Audi A5 cabriolet turns up the heat
It will warm back or butt like many others, but what sets the Audi A5 cabriolet apart is that it will warm your melon as well.
November 1, 2009
Test Drive: 2010 Lexus IS250C
Jim Mateja: Entry-level Lexus IS carries hefty fee
The Lexus IS sedan gets a sib for 2010, a retractable hardtop version that gives the luxury automaker an entry-level coupe and convertible for the first time.
October 25, 2009
Test Drive: 2010 Jaguar XFR sedan
Jim Mateja: Jaguar XFR: An $80,000, high-performance missile
Piloting a machine powered by a supercharged 5-liter, 510-horsepower V-8 able to burst from a standing stop to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph, won't win over many, if any, environmentalists.
September 27, 2009
Test Drive: 2010 Lexus HS250h
Jim Mateja: Lexus HS250h saves gas costs for those who can easily afford to buy it
In its quest to "minimize emissions and maximize mileage," Lexus is offering its first 4-cylinder econocar for the well-heeled, the 2010 HS250h.
September 20, 2009
Test Drive: 2010 Lexus LX570
Jim Mateja: Lexus LX570 has it all, for a price
It can pilot the family on the open road or climb a hill and ford a stream, while cooling a couple cans of pop and a sub sandwich for either.
June 21, 2009
Jim Mateja: Aston Martin or Rolls? It's Dad's choice
What better once-a-year salute to dads than a pair of once-in-a-lifetime machines: the Aston Martin DB9 Volante and the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
May 24, 2009
Test Drive: 2010 Bentley GTC Speed
Bentley GTC Speed lives up to name
Tears welled up in our eyes after slipping behind the wheel of the Bentley GTC Speed.
April 12, 2009
Test Drive: 2009 BMW 335d
Jim Mateja: BMW 335 diesel delivers power, range without raising a stink
When putting fuel-efficient vehicles on a shopping list, most wouldn't mark down any BMWs, which are better known for 0-to-60-m.p.h. performance than for sipping liquid energy.
April 5, 2009
Test Drive: 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet
Jim Mateja: Porsche 911 Carrera a guilty pleasure
Tired of all the dreary news?
March 15, 2009
Test Drive: 2009 BMW 535i xDrive wagon
Jim Mateja: BMW wagon's power, perks come at a price
Most automakers turned to SUVs and crossovers to carry a load of people and their possessions because most people want a machine far more stylish than a station wagon.
6:29 AM PST, March 5, 2010
Test Drive: You can’t copy BMW’s ride
You'd think it would be easy for other manufacturers to copy – just buy a BMW, dismantle the suspension and duplicate it, and you could match the ride and handling. But for reasons I can't explain, BMWs still feel like BMWs, unmatched for road feel and the ability to offer both a comfortable ride on the highway, but still make you feel like you last name is Andretti on winding backroads.
March 8, 2009
Test Drive: 2009 Audi A4
Jim Mateja: Bigger A4 not better in every way
Audi followed the accepted formula in redesigning its compact A4 sedan.
February 8, 2009
Jim Mateja: Neither mud nor gravel nor snow will stop LR2
Before turning to Washington, Ford turned to India for help.
January 18, 2009
Jim Mateja: Arguments for H3T piling up
It wasn't until the snow topped 14 inches that Ma Nature took a nap and let mortals undo the damage.
January 11, 2009
Jim Mateja: TL joins Acura's AWD charge
The flagship Acura RL sedan now has an all-wheel-drive companion for 2009: the midsize TL sedan that adds AWD for security when roads are wet and snowy and sure-footedness when they're dry.
December 14, 2008
Jim Mateja: 6 degrees of zoom, zoom from top-of-the-line Mazda sedan
Within an hour of taking to the road in the 2009 Mazda6, we were stopped by a 20 something and then a 50 something, both asking whether it behaved as good as it looked.
December 7, 2008
Test Drive: 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320
Jim Mateja: Mercedes singing the BlueTEC with ML
Now that the petroleum industry has cleaned up its act, the auto industry has, too.
October 26, 2008
Test Drive: 2009 Acura TSX
Jim Mateja: Acura weds luxury and economy in TSX
The host of first-class amenities from power moonroof to leather heated seats to automatic climate control leaves no doubt that the Acura TSX is a luxury car.
August 31, 2008
Test Drive: 2009 Acura RL
Jim Mateja: Electronic wizardry comes standard on 2009 Acura RL
If you want to know what the weather will be three days from now or whether there's an accident three blocks from here, the 2009 Acura RL is at your service.
August 24, 2008
Test Drive: 2009 Hyundai Genesis
Jim Mateja: Genesis of a luxury car from Hyundai
Hyundai first made a name for itself in the U.S. in 1986 with a subcompact $4,995 Excel. After some fits and starts, Hyundai is ready to go upscale with a full-size $40,000 Genesis flagship for 2009.
July 13, 2008
Test Drive: 2009 Lincoln MKS
Jim Mateja: MKS gives luxury a voice at Lincoln
Lincoln has launched a new flagship: the 2009 MKS.
June 15, 2008
Test Drive: 2009 Jaguar XF
Jim Mateja: Ta-ta to Ford, hello winsome Jaguar
The time spent feeling sorry for Tata lasted only as long as it took to stroll around the 2009 Jaguar XF much less before slipping onto the sumptuous leather seats and watching the gearshift dial rise from the center console.
June 1, 2008
Test Drive: BMW X6 35i review
Jim Mateja: Strange BMW straight out of X-Files
The BMW X6 looks like a military weapon, with a front end that appears ready to take a chomp out of anything that gets in its way.
September 25, 2009
Dan Neil: Mercedes' 2010 E550 Coupe wins the E-class beauty contest
Is the 2010 Mercedes E550 Coupe pretty?
April 13, 2008
Test Drive: BMW 1-Series review
Jim Mateja: Oh, baby, 1-Series is (sm)all BMW
A baby Bimmer.
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