LUXURY GATEWAY
Want the badge on the hood without the hit on your wallet? Justin Mastine-Frost singles out five of the least expensive cars in the portfolios of several luxury brands.
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its latest A-Class sedan, destined for the Canadian market. It’s the entry gate into the tri-star brand, a way to get a bit of the luxury and cachet without going full-in on the higher prices.
It seems just about every luxury automaker in our market has been adding to the bottom end of their lineup, offering vehicles that are more approachable to those looking to finally break into the luxury segment.
Here are five new vehicles that provide a budget-friendly entry into some of the market’s top luxury auto brands.
BMW 230I COUPE
BMW’s standing as the Ultimate Driving Machine has been taking a bit of a hit lately, as a greater focus has been placed on comfort, however the 2 Series remains fairly in line with the brand’s roots. There’s something to be said for still being able to order a bare-bones Bimmer with a manual gearbox, especially as more and more manufacturers cut these transmissions from their North American offerings. Starting at $38,050 in manual transmission guise ($39,650 in eight-speed auto), the compact coupe delivers a respectable 248 horsepower to the rear wheels from its turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, launching the coupe from 0-to-100km/h in 5.6 seconds. Though BMW has been notorious for its option packages, the base model comes relatively well trimmed, including LED headlights, rear-view camera, heated front seats, USB/ Bluetooth integration, and the latest version of BMW’s iDrive infotainment system (navigation extra).
PORSCHE MACAN
It’ll take a fair bit more bank — $54,100 to be precise — to tap into the Porsche lineup, and though that figure won’t get you into the new Boxster or Cayman, it will get you into one of the more interesting compact crossover offerings on the market. The Macan is the sister car to Audi’s Q5, however its driving dynamics both on and off the pavement easily outweigh its Ingolstadt-developed sibling. In base trim it’s not the quickest thing on the road, and like the Bimmer it sources its power from a boosted four-cylinder engine. With 252 hp driving all four wheels, it’s a modest 6.1 second gallop to 100 km/ h, hindered by a little added heft but helped along by the quick gear changes of a Porsche PDK twin-clutch gearbox. Its interior is definitely a little on the spartan side when compared with vehicles further up the Porsche food chain, however if your priority is an engaging driving experience and the compact crossover segment is in your sights, the Macan will tick all the boxes for you.
MERCEDES-BENZ CLA FOUR-DOOR COUPE
Recently refreshed, this entry four-door coupe has been quite popular, as you’ll see in any of our country’s urban centres. The swooping roofline of the sedan/ coupe seems to have found a niche with everyone from the well-to-do Gucci-obsessed teens to the hard-working 20- and 30-somethings who’ve just nudged their way up the corporate ladder. Personally, I can’t help but see design cues of the gaudy 1996-1999 Ford Taurus when looking at the CLA’s bulbous curves, but clearly I’m in the minority on this one. Fact is, the Benz offers up a well crafted and eye-catching ride inside and out, but most importantly it allows an entry point to the brand at a very approachable $35,700. With only 205 hp in a larger body, it won’t keep up with the 230i around the corners, but in trade it’ll provide much more comfort when seating for four passengers is required.
JAGUAR E-PACE
If you’re in the market for something with similar curb appeal to the Porsche Macan but can’t quite justify cracking north of $50,000 on a compact crossover, Jaguar’s new E-Pace might be just right. While it’s slower from 0-100km/ h by nearly a second, the E-Pace was engineered with a focus on the driving experience from stem to stern. Balanced, responsive steering and a clever torque-vectoring system make the E-Pace more fun to drive than you’d expect when reading its spec sheet, and from the driver’s seat we can’t help but love the design cues that were carried over from the much-loved FType coupe. As expected, you’re looking at another 2.0-L turbo four-cylinder here, this time delivering 246 hp. Much like in the Macan, the interior finishing leaves a little to be desired given its $42,700 price tag, though balancing that against its upsides it’s still more than worthy of consideration. Its exterior styling also earns the E-Pace a few extra points, blending muscular curves with design cues that echo the esthetics of other beloved modern Jags. It’s nice to see that the brand isn’t falling into the same pitfalls of many others when it come to bland and homogeneous exterior design.
AUDI A3
At the lowest entry point of any of our contenders, the Audi A3 is in many ways the alter ego of the CLA in the sense that it tackles the entry-premium segment in truly understated fashion. Its exterior design is appealing yet devoid of frivolous detail, and its interior has a very form-follows-function feel. A paltry $32,800 will get you behind the wheel with a 186 hp (you guessed it) turbo four-cylinder engine, and a quick-shifting seven-speed S-Tronic automatic gearbox. Thankfully the A3 isn’t shy on standard features either, offering a panoramic sunroof, leather seats, satellite radio, and a smattering of other features without having to tick any of the option boxes. Given our ever-changing climate, many will opt to bump up to the Quattro version of the A3 for an additional $4,800. This higher price nudges the A3 just above the RWD version of the CLA, but it remains the most accessible all-wheel-drive offering out of our five budget-conscious luxury vehicles.