Sports sedans
The Infiniti G25 and Buick Regal Turbo lead a fun-to-drive quartet
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Longtime enthusiasts of sports sedans might do a double take when they see a Buick successfully competing alongside proven marques such as Acura, BMW, Infiniti, and Mercedes-Benz. But as we found when we tested the redesigned Regal (available to subscribers) for the October 2010 issue, that sporty European import with a classic American badge delivers the type of agile handling, taut suspension, and solid feel that we expect of a bona fide sports sedan.
The turbocharged version that we tested for this issue provides an additional 38 hp for quicker acceleration and still gets the same overall fuel economy, 23 mpg, as the base four-cylinder engine. That helps it secure a midpack spot in a competitive category. Our turbo model cost about $3,000 more than the base Regal (available to subscribers), but it’s still a relative bargain compared with others in the class.
It’s probably no surprise, on the other hand, to see the Infiniti G25 near the top of our Ratings (both available to subscribers). Its sibling, the G37, was our sports sedan Top Pick in our April issue and is one of the highest-scoring sedans we’ve tested. The G25, which costs about $3,000 less than the G37, provides the same inviting balance of performance and luxury but has a smaller and more fuel-efficient 2.5-liter V6 engine. That results in notably better gas mileage (24 mpg compared with 21), but slower acceleration (8.5 seconds compared with 5.6 from 0 to 60 mph).
We also tested the redesigned Volvo S60 and the updated Audi A4 (both available to subscribers) for this issue.
With better ride comfort and more agile handling, the S60 is much improved over its mediocre and outdated predecessor, helping it earn a road-test score that’s almost 20 points higher.
The fun-to-drive A4 now uses a super-smooth eight-speed automatic transmission to help it get an impressive 25 mpg overall, among the best in this class. But our car’s braking and cornering performance weren’t as good as those of the last A4 we tested; its overall test score dropped from 82 to 76.
The as-tested prices of the group range from $32,135 for the Regal Turbo to $35,895 for the A4. Only the G25 and A4 are recommended (available to subscribers). The Regal and S60 scored well enough, but they are too new for us to have reliability data. We expect the G25’s reliability to be better than average, based on the history of the G37. The A4 has had average reliability.
Other recommended models in this class are the Acura TSX, Lexus IS 250, Volkswagen CC, BMW 328i, and Mercedes-Benz C300. The four-cylinder TSX gets an impressive 25 mpg, and our test car rang in at about $30,000, making it one of the least expensive sports sedans we’ve tested. The IS 250 is plush, quiet, and refined but lacks the sporty feel of many competitors. The four-seat CC is nicely finished and gets good fuel economy, but its coupelike styling compromises practicality. The 328i and C300 are nimble and quick but pricier. Both will be updated soon.
