Three decades ago, the upper echelon of the automotive industry was largely occupied by luxury cars, the preferred transportation for wealthy individuals. These days large SUVs have stolen that honor, but only a few of those behemoths can match the understated elegance, grace, and distinguished pedigree of the traditional luxury sedan.
After years of engineering and technological progress, luxury cars are more refined than ever, and many of them have performance levels that can give some of the best supercars available today a run for their money. This list explores the ten best luxury sedans that offer a perfect mix of beauty, build quality, advanced technology, comfort, safety, and performance.
10 2021 Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo
Since its introduction in the '60s, the Maserati Quattroporte has been one of the most popular Italian luxury sedans, loved by many for its elegant styling and powerful Ferrari-sourced engines. The latest Quattroporte has distinct styling, featuring sleek lines and an enormous trident on its grille, making it one of the best-looking cars today.
For 2021, Maserati added a new high-performance Quattroporte trim — the Trofeo. The souped-up Trofeo comes with a twin-turbocharged V8 cranking out 580 hp, making it super fast.
9 2021 Lexus LS
Over the last three decades, Toyota's luxury brand Lexus has given us many amazing vehicles that prove that the Japanese know how to make a proper luxury car. The largest Japanese sedan sold in the US is the LS, and what a fantastic car it is.
The large grille may take a bit of time to get used to, but everything else about the LS design screams luxury and opulence. The 2021 LS comes with several upgrades over the 2020 model, including revised LED headlights, thicker seat cushions and armrests, glossy black taillight accents, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen. Buyers who opt for the top trim will enjoy heated and cooled seats, 28-way power-adjustable massaging seats, 20-inch wheels, and a 360-degree camera system.
8 2021 Volvo S90
The Volvo S90 has everything one could dream of in a luxury sedan — modern good looks, a plug-in hybrid powertrain, and a smartly appointed interior with an easy-to-use 9-inch vertical infotainment touchscreen. The 2021 model has an updated design featuring a revised front grille, new taillights, and new wheel designs.
At the heart of the S90 is a 316-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The interior features a mix of high-quality materials like leather, brushed metal, and open-pore wood. The icing on the cake is the S90's safety ratings. Having received a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, the S90 is one of the safest cars available today.
7 2021 BMW 7-Series
Offering impressive size and unmatched comfort, the BMW 7-Series sets a really high bar for what a full-size luxury sedan should be like. The 7-Series has a gorgeous design showcasing elegant details, precise lines, and a dramatic exterior.
The base 2021 7-Series comes with a turbocharged inline-six engine cranking out 320 hp. For $9,100 more, eco-conscious buyers can opt for the plug-in hybrid variant to get a total of 389 hp and all-wheel-drive. The most expensive version is called the Alpina, and it comes with a twin-turbo V8 blurting out 600 hp.
6 2021 Bentley Flying Spur
The Bentley Flying Spur is a fantastic sedan that combines a sumptuous, pampering interior with over-the-top power and agile handling. The 2021 model brings only minor tweaks, including an optional four-seat configuration, new wood trim inserts for the rear door panels, rear-seat picnic tables, and a new steering wheel design.
The base Flying Spur comes with a 542-hp twin-turbo V8, but the best option is the one with the 626-hp twin-turbo 12-cylinder engine under the hood. The V12-powered Flying Spur takes just 3.5 seconds to reach 60 mph. The only thing we don’t like about the Flying Spur is the price — at an eye-watering $200,000, it’s one of the most expensive cars today.
5 2021 Genesis G90
No one would expect a Korean car to be featured on a list such as this, but the Genesis G90 is no ordinary Korean car. The G90 can't beat the Audi S8's top speed or the BMW 7-Series' advanced technologies, but its reasonable starting price gives it the best value for money in the segment.
The G90 has a fantastic design that almost looks European — which is understandable since ex-Audi designer Peter Schreyer oversaw its development. It's powered by either a 420-hp V8 or a 365-hp twin-turbo V6, both paired with an eight-speed automatic.
4 2021 Audi A8
We mentioned earlier that some of the Luxury sedans available today can beat some sports cars when it comes to performance. The Audi A8 is a perfect example of this. Powered by a 563-hp twin-turbo V8, the A8 can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds, which is very impressive for a car that weighs 5.256 pounds.
Inside, the A8 has all the elements of a true luxury car, including dual-pane acoustic glass, Nappa leather, a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, Audi's Matrix-design LED headlights, and OLED taillights.
3 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Ask any gearhead to name the best luxury sedan, and their answer will likely be the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. For decades, the S-Class has been the standard that other luxury sedans are measured against, and the 2021 model is no different.
The 2021 S-Class is an inch longer than the previous model and has a new design that looks as good as the motoring world would expect from Mercedes-Benz's flagship car. Sitting inside the S-Class is almost equivalent to a first-class flight, regardless of the seat. The S-Class is a class above the rest when it comes to technology. The highlights include a massive OLED touchscreen that controls almost everything, a 3D gauge cluster, an active air suspension, and rear-wheel steering for improved maneuverability.
2 2021 Rolls-Royce Phantom
If the S-Class is comparable to a first-class flight, then the Rolls-Royce Phantom can only be compared to a luxury private jet with a Michelin-starred chef and an onboard masseuse. The 2021 Ghost's imposing design combines many of the classic Rolls-Royce cues we all love with modern elements to create an awe-inspiring curb appeal that's second to none.
The handbuilt interior features the finest woods, leathers, metals, and fabrics — all carefully selected to deliver a palatial ambiance. The 2021 Ghost is not intended to go fast, but should the owner need to get to a meeting in a hurry, a 563-hp twin-turbo V12 will ensure they get there in good time.
1 2021 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class
The aforementioned Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a fantastic luxury sedan. However, the guys at Maybach were still not satisfied with the level of luxury it provides, so they built a more opulent version to compete against the Rolls-Royce Ghost and Bentley Flying Spur — the Maybach S-Class. Also known as the S580, this outstanding car offers a stretched wheelbase, a beautifully appointed cabin, and a potent twin-turbocharged V8 powertrain.
Everything is over-the-top in the Maybach S-Class. It comes with high-quality leather on almost every interior surface, heated and ventilated seats with massage, an air ionizing system with a custom fragrance, and a panoramic sunroof.