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Motor Trend takes five of the most sought after 2013/2014 Luxury Sport Sedans to “The Big Test” to test which one will set your hair on fire the fastest as you whip down a canyon road. The participants are the BMW 335i xDrive, Audi S4, Cadillac ATS4 3.6, Lexus IS 350 AWD and the Volvo S60 T6. The BMW ends up winning the highest rank, without a doubt. They describe it as “featuring the best combination of everything, the latest 3 Series just doesn’t have any glaring flaws. It’s still the master of the segment it created.” Here is an excerpt of their comparison:
This was a remarkably difficult decision to make, as all the contenders are good cars. Somehow, and I’m not totally sure how, the Volvo sank like a rock to the bottom. Is it bad? Not at all, but aside from safety it stood out in no single area.
The Cadillac outshone everyone else in one single category: Ride and handling. In terms of smiles produced and fun to drive, no other car was even close. But as right as Cadillac got the ATS’ chassis, it dropped the ball elsewhere, especially in CUE.
The Audi, while faster than it needs to be, is starting to feel a bit long in the tooth. We’ve seen the interior; we’re getting bored with the styling; and we’re totally indifferent at this point to its numb steering and FWD bias. As Angus MacKenzie often states, RWD is the proper way to build a car.
Despite how bone-deep ugly it is on the outside, the little Lexus surprised us all. From its handsome and comfortable interior to its better-than-expected handling to its value and low cost of ownership, the IS 350 was full of surprises. All that said, bring on the F Sport.
This leaves the BMW and its combination of luxury, comfort, and curb appeal. There’s a reason every other car in the segment is measured against the 3 Series. Even with AWD, it remains the benchmark.
