2009 Car of the Year: Luxury Car Under $50,000

Oct 30, 2008

Special to the Star

Five cars go head to head in the under-$50,000 luxury category: the Audi A3, Acura TL, Hyundai Genesis, Infiniti G37x Sedan and Saab 9-3.

Four are makeovers of existing vehicles, while Genesis is new to the market. The models also represent auto plants from around the globe, hailing from Germany, Japan, Korea, Sweden and, in the case of the Acura, Marysville, Ohio.

All models tested are AWD except for Genesis, which is RWD. Engine choices are varied: a four-cylinder turbo in the Audi, V6 engines in the Acura and Infiniti, a turbocharged V6 in the Saab and a V8 in the Hyundai.

All were tested with automatic transmissions, a standard feature on all but the Saab 9-3, in which it's an option (the Audi A3 only offers a manual gearbox when it's FWD). Alone among the sedans is the A3, which comes only as a hatchback wagon.

While all contenders in the class come with the expected creature comforts, such as heated leather seats and xenon headlamps, the Acura TL and Infiniti G37x are more sports sedans than luxury liners.

While none of the competitors have marshmallow rides, suspensions range from tranquil (the Hyundai and Saab) to tooth-rattling (the Acura).

All models also come with premium stereos, but while the TL, Genesis and G37x have navigation systems included in their tested prices, you'll need to buy a map for the Audi A3.

The Saab 9-3 doesn't have a nav screen, but an OnStar operator will download driving directions into the radio via the Turn By Turn Navigation feature, provided you renew your subscription once the included year's worth is up.

When tested for performance, the Infiniti G37x was the quickest of the group, taking only 5.6 seconds to get from zero to 100 km/h; the Audi A3 took the longest, at 7.0 seconds.

From 80 to 120 km/h – which is where you make your decisions on the highway – Genesis was the sharpest at 5.0 seconds, the 9-3 the slowest at 6.6 seconds. When braking from 100 km/h, Saab stopped the soonest, in 36.7 metres; Acura needed the most room, at 38.8 metres, although it was only 0.2 metres more than Hyundai.

The Audi A3 is the fuel-sipper of the bunch, rated at 9.6 and 7.5 L/100 km for city and highway, respectively; the TL comes in at 12.3/8.1, the Genesis at 12.6/8.1, the Infiniti at 12.6/8.7 and the Saab tops the list at 13.8/8.3. The Acura and Audi require premium fuel, while it's recommended (but not required) for all others.

Acura TL

Completely redesigned in its fourth generation, the TL comes in FWD or, as in the tested model, the company's SH-AWD, or Super Handling All-Wheel Drive. They're not kidding, either: the system is awesome, distributing torque from front to back and from left to right, maintaining grip and stability on even the tightest cornering. Steering is razor-sharp but the ride is very harsh; this is a car for the driving enthusiast. The 3.7 L V6 produces 305 hp and 273 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The interior is of excellent quality, but far too complicated with its myriad buttons and controls; the sharp-edged origami styling is an acquired taste.

Price as tested: $47,990

Winner: Hyundai Genesis

Hyundai's first V8-powered RWD model in North America lives up to the hype: at 375 hp and 333 lb.-ft. torque out of the 4.6 L engine, mated to a six-speed automatic, it's fast and smooth, and the burble out the back tells you this isn't the base V6 model. Stolen design cues abound, including a BMW iDrive-style controller and Mercedes-inspired dash with leather pad. Its stereo is by Lexicon, a company whose only other auto client is Rolls-Royce, and it's probably the best I heard all week. Hyundai considered but rejected spinning off a separate luxury nameplate; time will tell if an entry-level brand can sell a high-end model.

Price as tested: $48,995

Audi A3

For 2009, the A3's previous FWD-only 2.0 L four-cylinder turbo can also be had with the tester's quattro AWD. Making 200 hp and 207 lb.-ft. of torque, the responsive 2.0T uses a six-speed direct shift gearbox, a super-smooth dual-clutch automatic that changes gears instantly with no loss of power, helping the A3 achieve the best fuel figures in the class. The price includes an optional sport package including 18-inch wheels, performance tires, sport seats and Magnetic Ride, an adaptive suspension damping system that reacts to road conditions much faster than a conventional system. Inside, the A3 is nicely finished and controls are generally easy to use, but I was annoyed by a spring-loaded heater control that requires you to click and hold it to change the temperature.

Price as tested: $44,300

Infiniti G37x

Infiniti's G35 sedan becomes the G37 with the adoption of the 3.7 L V6 first seen in the 2008 G37 coupe, making 328 hp and 269 torque. The $12,500 bump from base to as-tested is actually the difference between the entry RWD model and the fully loaded all-wheel that was tested; base AWD starts at $40,400. Handsomely styled, the G37x is a tight package around sharp turns; the seven-speed automatic shifts unobtrusively. Its new paint is "self-healing," but don't expect gouges to disappear; it's meant to gradually fix light scratches, such as fingernail marks around the door handles.

Price as tested: $49,590

Saab 9-3

For 2009, V6-powered 9-3 models use a turbocharged 2.8 L engine, making 280 hp and 295 torque, that was introduced in the limited-edition 2008 9-3 Turbo X.

The "cross-wheel-drive" system, a $2,975 option, runs primarily in FWD until the system determines that power is needed at the back tires, and includes an electronic limited-slip differential to vary torque between the rear wheels. Some drivers may want heavier steering, but I like its lighter, nimble feel.

The interior is plain, though, and the switchgear feels far too cheap for a car this expensive.

Price as tested: $49,165

Toronto Star