12) 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
$53,500 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.7/10
Value: The Mercedes-Benz E-Class kicks off our list of the runners-up for our 2019 Best Luxury Midsize Cars for the Money award. The E-Class has the highest average purchase price in this category, and combined with very high depreciation, this model has two major disadvantages right off the bat. Its fuel costs are high, and maintenance and repairs are also pricey. In short, the E-Class has the highest cost of ownership in the class by far.
Quality: However, that doesn’t mean the E-Class is a bad car. It’s a very good car and has the second-highest overall score in the class, with fantastic performance, the best interior in the segment, and an excellent safety score. You shouldn’t buy the E-Class if you want to get the most for your money, but if you aren’t concerned about value, you’ll be quite happy with your purchase.
11) 2019 Infiniti Q70
$50,300 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.7/10
Value: At first glance, the Infiniti Q70 might look attractive based on its average price, which is about in the middle of the class, but this vehicle suffers from high depreciation and generally high costs of ownership, presenting a poor overall value.
Quality: The Q70’s case isn’t helped at all by its relatively low overall score. Its performance is competent but lacks excitement. The interior falls short of expectations for this class. In our luxury midsize car rankings, the Q70 lands near the bottom.
10) 2019 Jaguar XF
$49,965 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.9/10
Value: With an average cost that's among the most expensive in the class and a high depreciation factor, it’s hard to suggest the Jaguar XF. Repair costs are on the high side as well, though maintenance costs come in on the low side, which may be a pleasant surprise for buyers.
Quality: Based on its overall score, the Jaguar XF lands in the bottom third of our rankings for this class. It has generally satisfying performance and some fun powertrain options, as well as an average predicted reliability rating. Most buyers will expect a better-quality interior in this category and at this price. The Jaguar XF is another case in which a high cost of ownership and so-so overall quality make it a distant runner-up for Best Luxury Midsize Car for the Money.
9) 2019 Cadillac CTS
$46,995 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10
Value: The Cadillac CTS is another good car that doesn’t provide an especially good value. Its average price might make it look like ideal, at least compared to its German rivals, but its total cost of ownership is on the high side. That means even if you’re happy with the price you pay up front, costs like fuel, maintenance, and depreciation will quickly end up costing you more.
Quality: A closer look at the CTS’ overall score shows that this Cadillac has the highest performance score in the class, and even though the interior quality can’t quite compete with higher-ranked rivals, it’s as good or better than many of the vehicles that ultimately offer a better value. There are redeeming features of the Cadillac CTS, but value isn’t among them.
8) 2019 Audi A6
$58,900 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
Value: In another example of a good car that isn’t necessarily a good value, the Audi A6 has a high average purchase price coupled with high depreciation and repair costs that make it one of the most expensive vehicles to own in the entire class.
Quality: The A6’s overall quality score is on the high side. Its performance and interior quality are strong suits. We’re getting closer to the top Best Luxury Midsize Cars for the Money contenders, but thanks to a very high cost of ownership, this Audi is not among them.
7) 2019 BMW 5 Series
$53,400 | U.S. News Overall Score: 9.2/10
Value: The 5 Series isn’t the most expensive model in the class, but it’s up there, and its value sinks like a rock over time. During that time, you’re also likely to shell out more for insurance, fuel, and repairs than you would if you looked elsewhere.
Quality: This BMW is a fantastic vehicle, with the highest overall score in our luxury midsize car rankings. It’s hard to say no to the 5 Series, which has a high ranking for a lot of reasons. Its safety and history of great predicted reliability are excellent, it has the second-best performance in the class, and the cabin is sure to please. If this luxury sedan had less depreciation and was less expensive to maintain, it would give the top contenders for this award a run for their money.
6) 2019 Lexus GS
$46,710 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
Value: The Lexus GS is one of the more affordable vehicles in this lineup. Its depreciation factor is better than many rivals, but its insurance and maintenance costs are still high. Also, its overall cost of ownership is one of the highest in the class. That’s why this car lands in the middle of the pack despite its good overall score.
Quality: The GS' overall score is the result of good but not exceptional performance, an above-average predicted reliability rating, and an interior that is comfortable but falls short of class leaders. The Lexus GS lineup includes a hybrid model, which we review separately (but aren’t ranking separately in this slideshow). The 2018 GS 450h hybrid has an overall score of 8.6, which is slightly higher than the gas-only GS' score.
5) 2019 Volvo S90
$47,350 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
Value: Here we have one of the more expensive vehicles to advance this far in our countdown. The Volvo S90 strikes a fine balance between affordable and expensive, and the cost of depreciation, insurance, fuel, and maintenance for this model are all reasonable.
Quality: The quality score is due largely to the S90's excellent safety ratings. Furthermore, most potential buyers will also be satisfied with this model's performance and interior quality. This isn’t the Best Car for the Money in this class, but it makes a good showing.
4) 2019 Genesis G80
$42,050 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.6/10
Value: From here, the contenders for the Best Luxury Midsize Car for the Money just get more affordable, and in the case of the Genesis G80, the quality gets better, too. The G80 is one of the most accessible cars in the class, with a low average price, one of the lowest depreciation factors, and low repair costs. That said, high fuel and maintenance costs may eat into some of your savings.
Quality: The Genesis G80 has perfect safety score, a posh interior, and a performance score that's better than some of its German rivals, which is a tough feat to accomplish. In fact, if the Genesis had a better-than-average predicted reliability rating, it would probably land even higher on this list.
3) 2019 Lincoln MKZ
$35,995 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.4/10
Value: The Lincoln MKZ earns its place in our Best Luxury Midsize Car for the Money award rankings with a combination of a low average price and surprisingly low depreciation. The MKZ is also affordable to fuel, insure, and maintain, which further boosts its value.
Quality: In terms of quality, that’s where some potential buyers might see a problem. The MKZ has the lowest overall score in the class, with below-average reliability, performance that falls far short of competitors, and a cabin that seems out of place for a vehicle in this class. If you want a luxury car that’s cheap to buy and affordable to own, the MKZ is a decent candidate, but if you also want satisfaction with your purchase, there are other options.
2) 2019 Acura TLX
Finalist l $33,000 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.8/10
Value: With the Acura TLX, we get closer to the ideal combination of value and quality that distinguish a Best Car for the Money award winner. The TLX isn’t the most glamorous model in this class, but it has one of the lowest total costs of ownership thanks to accessible pricing and low depreciation.
Quality: As for overall quality, the TLX is well-rounded but there still are some compromises. The TLX's safety scores are high, but its cabin betrays some cost-cutting measures, its performance doesn’t measure up to most competitors, and its predicted reliability score is just about average. Still, the TLX is a good car to buy if you want a luxury commuter as inexpensively as possible, and you’ll get a lot for your money.
1) 2019 Lexus ES
Winner l $49,018 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.3/10
Value: With the best combination of value and quality, the Lexus ES is the winner of our 2019 Best Luxury Midsize Car for the Money award. The ES has the lowest overall cost of ownership in the class, which indicates the best value. If you buy an ES, you can expect affordable pricing, very low depreciation, and reasonable maintenance and insurance costs.
Quality: In terms of quality, the Lexus ES goes to show how a great value can help offset some minor flaws. In this case, the ES' safety and reliability ratings are excellent, but you won’t get the performance of a sports car or the upscale cabin of one of the class leaders.
The Lexus ES lineup includes a hybrid model, which we review separately but aren’t listing separately in this slideshow. The ES 300h hybrid is also a finalist for the award. It’s similar in terms of quality, but actually beats the regular ES for value thanks mostly to its very low fuel costs.
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12 Best Luxury Midsize Cars for the Money in 2019
- 2019 Lexus ES l Winner
- 2019 Acura TLX l Finalist
- 2019 Lincoln MKZ
- 2019 Genesis G80
- 2019 Volvo S90
- 2019 Lexus GS
- 2019 BMW 5 Series
- 2019 Audi A6
- 2019 Cadillac CTS
- 2019 Jaguar XF
- 2019 Infiniti Q70
- 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
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Here's the Ranking for the U.S. News Best Luxury Midsize Sedan for the Money Award
If you want a vehicle that is practical yet upscale, a luxury midsize sedan is one of your best bets. Most models in this class are spacious, comfortable, loaded with features, and available with optional performance upgrades. That said, with so many choices, the process can get a little confusing. That’s where our Best Luxury Midsize Sedan for the Money award comes in.
At the beginning of every year, the U.S. News Best Cars for the Money awards highlight the models in each category that provide the best combination of value and quality. The winning vehicle in each category is the best way for you to spend your money.
To measure quality, we use the U.S. News overall scores from our rankings, which factor in expert reviews from the automotive press, as well as safety and predicted reliability data. To measure value, we use TrueCar average transaction prices and Vincentric five-year total cost of ownership data.
Keep in mind that the scores on our site are updated constantly as new expert reviews and data become available. Therefore, the scores mentioned in this slideshow may not match the scores in our reviews.
The models on the following slides are the runners-up for our 2019 Best Luxury Midsize Car for the Money award, and are the smartest buys in this category.