Despite diminishing in popularity over the last few decades, the sedan is still what most people picture when they hear the word "car." A hatchback may be more affordable to own and maintain, and an SUV or a truck will be more spacious, more comfortable in most cases, and also more practical; but sedans have long offered the ideal balance of luxury, space, and performance.
SUVs and Trucks are getting more and more popular every year. Today, six out of eight best-selling cars in the US are SUVs or Trucks. But decreasing the number of sedans in many manufacturers' lineups also means they're forced to keep the best ones. Therefore, enthusiasts still have a plethora of great sedans to choose from depending on needs and budget, from supercar-beating sports sedans to opulent land yachts.
In the last few years, auto manufacturers have bridged the gap between luxury and performance in their sedans. But like with any other category ever, there are some bad ones too, especially for the price they sell for. The 2022 market has a lot of sedans, but you should probably avoid these if you want your money’s worth.
10 Cadillac CT4 V
Cadillac introduced the first CT4 generation in 2020, and its spec sheet was captivating at the very least. A test drive through curvy roads or a circuit lap time would further pique the interest of the person watching the result. But the driver would have some bittersweet things to say. The ride quality is too firm for anything that's not a racetrack and the driver feedback feels lackluster.
Cadillac's inline-4 engine sounds coarse when it's powering the car with the might of 325 horses. The rear seat is too small even for a compact sedan (that too in a Cadillac!) and not enough soft-touch surfaces or high-quality interior for its price.
9 Toyota Mirai
Toyota Mirai, getting its power from hydrogen, is an important step in the right direction for the automobile industry. But much like when Tesla entered the auto industry, there is very limited reach of fuel stations outside of California and Hawaii. Even if you live in these states, you are much better off getting something like a BMW i4 M50.
It’s a far better deal for the same price as a top-end Mirai. If you don’t mind getting a Tesla, then the Model 3 is better than the Mirai in almost every area. These FCEVs may become successful and popular. But that’s a matter of the future, and we have better options in the present.
8 Tesla Model S
Just hear us out, okay? Tesla Model S Plaid is one of the fastest electric vehicles you can buy. If you’re heading to a drag strip, the Model S is one of the best bang-for-the-buck cars. But other than that, it has a lot less to offer for the price. EVs with similar price tags are better handling, have better build quality, and are more luxurious than the Model S.
If you don’t really like using the center touchscreen infotainment system, that’s a deal-breaker because you’ll have to use it for everything. The Model S is not a terrible car and if you want a Tesla, then you’ll probably be fine with it. But if you want an EV for a similar budget, there are better options.
7 Mercedes Maybach S
The S-Class is about as luxurious as a Mercedes can get, or so we thought. The Maybach S takes comfort and luxury to the next level. But it also brings its asking price up a few levels. You can have a Maybach S for a little less than $200,000!
But the thing is, for about $40,000 less, you can have another German luxury flagship and that’s the prestigious BMW ALPINA B7. Or, if you are willing to spend around $200,000 on a sedan with the ultimate status you might as well get a Bentley Flying Spur.
6 Alfa Romeo Giulia
These days, buying an Alfa Romeo requires much more willpower and stubbornness than before. Either that or having a strong desire to own something that stands out from the rest. Other than that, we think that you’ll get much more from an Audi A4 or a BMW 3 Series.
The top ‘Quadrifoglio’ trim is one heck of a car. But you can get a BMW 5 Series or a Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman for the same price or even less. And the base Giulia doesn’t have comfortable seats or enough space for the rear passengers.
5 Audi A8
The 2022 Audi A8 faces very tough competition from the likes of the BMW 7 Series, Genesis G90, and the Porsche Panamera. The A8 boasts a lot of Audi’s cutting-edge technologies and a comfortable ride. It’s a great sedan, but it doesn’t seem to have anything special against the competition.
The Genesis is more luxurious and the BMW’s engine is more refined. Buying a Panamera is a simple decision in this budget. Or better yet, if you are in no hurry to buy a car, then wait for a while, save some more money, and get a freakin’ S-Class!
4 Subaru Legacy
Much like the A8 above, this Subie faces an uphill battle against other midsize sedans. The more affordable trims (Base, Premium, and Sport) have to compete against the popular ones like Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Both these cars are more reliable, safer, and more accomplished than the Legacy.
The upper-level trims of the Subaru (Limited XT and Touring XT) are harder to choose when they’re the same price as an Audi A3 and a Mercedes A-Class. The Audi looks way better after the 2022 redesign, and the Mercedes has a near-perfect blend of performance and luxury.
3 Audi RS e-tron GT
Audi has nailed it in the exterior and interior design department. We can say the same for the handling as well. But under the performance and luxury departments, the RS e-tron GT has to play catch-up against rivals from Mercedes and Porsche. Audi’s RS models usually crank things up to 11. But the RS e-tron GT comes out as relatively less distinct.
Value-for-money cars like the Porsche Taycan 4S and the Mercedes-Benz EQS dominate the Super Luxury Electric Cars market. One of them is a supercar in a luxury electric sedan’s guise, and the other is an S-Class that runs on electricity. Now that’s some tough cars to beat.
2 Cadillac CT5 V
Much like the CT4 V, its bigger sibling comes up short against German rivals Audi A6, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and BMW 5 Series. A regular non-V trim of either Caddy will be a sensible choice if power isn’t a priority. The V costs as much as those German competitors.
But it fails to match fit and finish levels, or refinement, or interior space, or luxury, the list could go on. If we’re shopping for large luxury SUVs, then we should definitely head towards a Cadillac dealer to have a look. But for performance sedans, we’d probably skip it.
1 Maserati Ghibli Trofeo
Now take the CT5 V, add Italian styling and a characterful engine to it, and you end up with a Ghibli Trofeo. The build quality is questionable here as well, and so is the rear seat space and interior room. But the main issue is the $113,000 price tag. For that price, we can have an exotic sedan such as the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT or a large BMW M850i xDrive, or even an M8 Gran Coupe for some extra cash.
The point is, if a sedan costs more than $100,000, and you have to worry about build quality and refinement, then the performance won’t overshadow it, and it’s probably not worth the massive payment.