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Comparative test of premium sports sedan

In our last comparative tests, the BMW 335i won just like Chuck Iisman Liddell would defeat Paul Pi-Vi Herman Rubens on battles without rules. It is cooler than analogues from Infiniti, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, which was documented on this site, as well as the rapid ascent of the iceman to glory was shown on cable television.
But every great achievement will sooner or later be beaten.
And that is why we have gathered such a group of sports sedans. That is, in order to find out whether Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G35 Sport, Lexus IS350 or Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport can defeat the Bavarian champion BMW 335i. Each tested model is equipped with sports attributes (a stiffer suspension, larger diameter wheels and wider rubber) and an automatic gearbox.
Nevertheless, each machine has its own personality, and each manufacturer’s ideas about sports, luxury and effectiveness are different. The price of each tested machine is also different. However, prices, the maximum difference between which is $ 11,000, are practically proportional to the differences in each applicant regarding its characteristics and luxury level.
We calculated the number of points according to the preferences of buyers of sports sedans, equally evaluating both the level of price and operational data, and also compared the characteristics and assessment on our own scale of 31 points.
 
Fifth place: Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport
 
The fact that the new C-class model in this competition came the last was the result of rigid competition in this segment and a tiny difference in characteristics. This is a machine that costs less than the average in the class ($ 41,935 the price of the tested sample), received points for handling at the same level with the best machines in this testing, and, in addition, it looks gorgeous, with magnificent audio and navigation systems. Plus, it is collected, well, just like a premium car.
However, it is quite easy to understand what is missing in it. She was not the best in any place in any place in any of the categories. Perhaps the most expensive miss is how a transmission behaves. The engine from Benz with a volume of 3.5 liters of V6 has 268 horses and 350 nm of torque, which makes this machine the lowest of all participating in the tests. A seven -speed gearbox gives a large winning in the strength of lever gear, but acceleration still suffers from this. The car accelerates to 60 miles per hour for lazy (for this group of cars) 5.9 seconds and a quarter of a mile passes at a speed of 157.2 km/h of all, this car is the second from the end along accelerated dynamics. It only saves that this is the most economical car of all on average in the city and on the highway 11.4 liters per 100 km.
The car is not very spacious, 2.497 cubic meters in the passenger compartment, although in the back seat the space increased slightly: to 85 centimeters in the legs and 94 centimeters of the inner height. The standard set of functions is also a weak C-class. Mercedes either forces the buyer to pay more, or simply does not provide many functions that are present in competing machines. For example, the speed switch on the C-class steering wheel will appear only next year, complete with increased maneuverability. And let's look in the face of the facts, this car clearly lacks 50 hp, so nothing will make Mercedes C-class as dynamic as its rivals. The system of turning headlights, a self -locking differential and launch without a key are also absent.
An extraordinary appearance seems to be a consequence of the good quality of the assembly of the C350 Sport car (the reaction to the amazingly low assembly quality of this previous generation car?) And the famous set of multimedia tools (option, $ 2,950), which combines the premium audio system with a hard disk And a beautiful navigation system with an impressively convenient interface.
Bottom line: with the Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport model, everything is in order. This is a somewhat restrained high -quality sports sedan. The car is boring and disleaned in terms of quality indicators, and it is extremely lacking in the brightness of Infiniti and BMW. And this is the whole problem. The car goes well, but there is no something in it that would make us want to drive us in anticipation of more.
 

Fourth place: Lexus IS350
 
The Lexus IS350 is the car because of which we paint all the technical data on the power, the torque and the acceleration dynamics of other machines. It is high-speed thanks to the 3.5-liter V6 engine, it has 306 hp. Power and 375 Nm of torque, six -speed automatic gearbox. The car accelerates to 60 miles per hour in 5.3 seconds, passes a quarter of a mile in 13.8 seconds at a speed of 162 km/h, and its quality indicators are such that the hand is to the best in this test. Do not you think that with such characteristics, the car should not stand in 4th place? We will have to explain in words and with the help of your own impressions to explain what is wrong with him.
None of the editors who calculated the glasses in this test could find anything like personal attachment to this Lexus model, which they felt while driving cars that received higher points. Her awkward, unnatural control, soft brake pedal and a slowly reacting gearbox did not allow us to give the maximum assessment to the men's interface of this machine. It was practically impossible to combine the capabilities of the IS350 with the own approach of each of the testing, and the car deserved less trust in its capabilities than any other. And this is not because the model is not so, it is not at all so, inertia from acceleration of IS can tear your head off, but it does not provoke driving to the limit, which, in our opinion, should be part of the capabilities of each real sports sedan. If it doesn’t matter to you, you can appreciate it higher.
At a price of $ 47 815, Lexus IS350 The most expensive car in this test. This price is mainly explained by a long list of design features and excellent comfort. The standard package includes launching without a key and petal gear switches, which turn along with the steering wheel. In the machine we experienced, an optional equipment worth $ 11,145 was installed, including a parking device, a proprietary collision prevention system and cruise control, sports equipment, a navigation system for $ 3,990 and a premium audio system.
The driver’s position in the IS model, as well as comfort in the back and front seats, lose compared to other tested models. The volume of the passenger compartment is 2.500 cubic meters. meters, but a place for the legs in the back seat is only 78 centimeters, and the inner height (from the seat pillow to the ceiling) is 93 centimeters. The interface of the navigation system and audio systems, as well as the additional governing bodies are not as intuitively convenient as that of competitors. For the quality of the assembly, the car received high marks, taking the second place after Mercedes.
In just three model years, Lexus has become an old man in the class of sports sedan. This is partly explained by the rapid progress of competitors both in Cadillac and in Benz navigation and audio systems are more perfect (and are less), as well as a combination of luxury and sports, which does not allow the driver to merge with the machine as competitors. Simply put, Lexus is a speedy, good assembly of a sedan, which lacks the sensation of the significance and dignity of its more attractive analogues.
 

Third place: Cadillac CTS
 
Cadillac CTS, perhaps the best car in the General Motors stable. In fact, remove the insane model of the Z06 Corvette from the equation, and no GM cars will be so close to achieving the optimal design that attracts maximum attention to the target audience to the car. This is good. But the question remains: how will Caddy feel on the world stage? Good. Very well.
The V6 V6 engine with a direct injection sets 1,810-kilogram CTS. This is the most difficult, long, wide and high machine among the subjects, which is both good and bad at the same time. As for the general internal space, it is only in Infiniti. The volume of the passenger compartment is 2.775 cubic meters, the space for the legs in the rear seat is 91 centimeters, the inner height is 94 centimeters. But, in the presence of approximately the same with other power, these excesses make the machine more slow. The car reaches 6.3 seconds to the mark of 60 miles, and a quarter mile crawls in 14.8 seconds at a speed of 153 km/h.
But when it comes to turning and stopping, the big Caddy is about the same energetic as its smaller and lighter rivals. He showed the shortest of the entire group of the braking distance 33.2 meters at a speed of 60 miles per hour and divided the first place from Infiniti for the largest acceleration in 0.89G with the detour of chips. This is the only machine that did not exceed a speed of 110 km/h on slalom, but its passage for 108 km/h did not look awkward.
Inside the CTS, the most equipped car of all subjects. Not only the quality of its decoration and materials exceed the C-class and G35, but also the design as a whole is both extraordinary and functional. Starting from the details covered with skin, to incredibly advanced and convenient to use navigation and audio systems, it is just a pretty machine that is nice to be.
And she is also good in management. Our test machine in the FE-3 configuration not only demonstrates good indicators, but also proves that it is simply created for driving. Slightly reset the speed before entering CTS into the turn, and the speed will go down at each transmission. And when you enter the turn, the combination of adhesion and stability puts CTS much higher than Lexus and Benz on the scale of driving. This is a combination of stability on the road, the inner room and the options for navigation and world -class entertainment put this machine in third place. Its price is $ 44,715, as well as its decoration, cost just in the middle of the group.
 

 
Second place: BMW 335i
 
Known for its unsurpassed ability to combine sports characteristics with the luxury and comfort of the BMW 335i is a complete compromise of speed and comfort in the segment of sports sedans. But it costs money. At a cost of $ 38 900, the 335i model has the highest price for the basic configuration in this test. Add here a gorgeous finish and sports equipment, an automatic checkpoint and several other options, and the price of our test machine will be $ 46,650, which puts it in second place after Lexus too stuffed with options.
As usual, the acceleration of the 335i model is staggering, and although 5 seconds up to 60 miles per hour are not as fast as we noted in past tests, it is still 0.3 seconds faster than Lexus. This advantage is reduced to 0.2 seconds only by the end of the distance of a quarter mile and is 13.6 seconds at a speed of 166 km/h. The car enters the car with an acceleration of 0.86G on the site for testing the car for skidding and side lead, it passes with slalom at a speed of 111 km/h and stops 60 miles per hour after 34.1 meters. All together gives the best in the tests dynamic characteristics.
The reason for the high speed of Bimmer is under his hood. A 3.0-liter in-line 6-cylinder engine with a double turbocharger with a capacity of 300 hp. And with 407 Nm torque. This car has the most successful engine from the point of view of work in various conditions. In combination with a remarkably obedient six -speed automatic transmission, which feels confident both on the racing track and on the rodeo drive, this transmission wins in all indicators.
Model 335i is also at the top of the rating of the most recommended, which means that we would recommend it to our friend more than any other machine that took part in this test. She even won in our long scale from the 31st point, which evaluates everything from the sensation of controls to the design of the stand under the mug. It is quite spacious with 2.633 cubic meters. meters in the passenger compartment, and on the back of 88 centimeters for the legs and 95 centimeters of the internal height.
But still there are a number of obvious omissions in the car. As the fastest acceleration of the car in this group, the 335i model should be the most winning in the presence of a self-blocked differential but there is no one, despite the high price of the machine. And for that kind of money there should be a navigation system in it. But if you mark this item in the order form, the price of BMW rishes risen almost to the level of $ 50,000.
But in terms of driving, model 335i is the most convenient and easy to drive a car of all that was here, not to mention the fact that it is the fastest. And also the most comfortable. And such a combination is not easy.
 

 
First place: Infiniti G35 Sport
 
Simply put, the Infiniti G35 model wins the test because it stands out in terms of driving, and for your money gives you the maximum of what you want from the car. The price of the tested model of $ 36 800 is the lowest in these tests. But its main advantage is what it gives you, since the G35 has the greatest set of standard characteristics from all machines in this test and combines these advantages with universal quality, which is second only to 335i models.
All G35 sports models include in standard setting the speeds on the steering wheel, a self -locking differential and launching without a key. For an additional amount of $ 2,650, our test sample had a satellite radio HM and a premium equipment, which included parts such as an electric drive, an audio system of premium bose and memory settings for a driver’s seat, steering wheel and lateral mirrors, and There are also many other pleasant little things. This machine is the most spacious of all in this test, it has 2.803 cubic meters. meters in the passenger compartment, a place for the legs behind 88 centimeters and the inner height in the rear seat of 96 centimeters.
The power plant of the G35 model is the same 3.5-liter V-shaped six used on almost every second Nissan and Infiniti model, but under the hood of this magnificent sedan it is most appropriate. On the G35 model, the VQ35 engine produces 306 hp. and 363 Nm of torque using the best transmission in this class. The five -speed box of models G is not only faster to reacts to the gas pedal, but also has the most sharp and most aggressive switching of speeds (with revolutions corresponding to gear shifts to lowered) from all cars on the automatic box on which we drove. Programs they switch to full gas as comfortable and with energetic accuracy as in the pendulum movement of the city cycle.
The suspension of the G35 is the hardest of all. As a result, the car breaks forward and reacts to the pedals so that only a thin line separates a quick ride from simply nervous. But if you go intentionally quickly, then Infiniti is the best car in terms of management from all participating in the tests. Our track indicators confirm this, the car showed the best results on the site for testing the car for skids and side lead, with a mark of 0.89G, and on a slalom of 111.7 km/h.
When it comes to the road, the G35 model has a good combination of characteristics. A mark of 60 miles/hour is reached in 5.5 seconds, and a quarter of a mile is overcome in 13.9 seconds at a speed of 164 km/h. The machine slows down at a speed of 60 miles per hour for 33.8 meters, yielding only CTS with its sticky Michelin tires.
If there is a weak place in the armor of the model G, then it is inside the salon, where the design and materials are not always as elegant as that of others in this segment. Our test car passed a lot of miles, and its gear shift handle and overlays on the door thresholds were rubbed. Nevertheless, in general, these are trifles when choosing a car that lives up to expectations in all other respects, and it is several thousand dollars cheaper.
 

Final opinion
With slight exceptions, the indicators of these five sports sedans are distinguished by tenth shares of a second or several miles per hour. BMW acceleration, as usual, is amazing, and Cadillac is significantly lags behind. However, the points for management among all participants in the competition are quite smooth.
The decision -making in any case depends on more subjective things and personal tastes, which, in the end, is what customers repel from. The fact is that all these five sedans are beautiful cars. And to find the reason for the purchase of any of them is not difficult.
We simply believe that in Infiniti a combination of a pleasant nature of driving, high quality characteristics and low price is most attractive. In addition, all great achievements will sooner or later be beaten.
 

Source: Insideline