Beneath an unassuming exterior beats the heart of a heroic entry-luxury sports sedan. The Audi A4 is perhaps the most well-rounded car in the entry-luxury sedan segment, thanks to its compelling combination of athletic performance, a comfortable and well-built interior, high-tech features, and handsome exterior design. It excels in almost all areas of our testing, outaccelerates its rivals while sipping fuel, and cocoons its occupants in a quiet, spacious, and well-appointed cabin. The suspension admirably walks the thin line between sport and comfort, providing valiant cornering confidence when pushed hard and a relaxed experience when cruising long distances.

Throw in a smattering of cutting-edge technology by way of the optional digital gauge cluster, onboard Wi-Fi, and advanced active safety tech, and the A4’s myriad qualities elevate it to near the top of its class. Its appearance may be unassuming, but make no mistake: in the entry-luxury class, the A4 is a superhero in street clothes. What’s New for 2018,

A handful of changes to its offerings mark the A4’s second model year since its major redesign. What Was New for 2017, The A4 was redesigned for 2017 and received a new chassis, an updated turbocharged inline-four engine, and all sorts of new features. A fuel-economy-focused version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, known as the Ultra, joined the lineup. The midrange Premium Plus trim strikes the best chord for those seeking access to tech features. We’d also advocate for all-wheel drive to avoid the detuned engine and the six-speed manual transmission for its added dose of driver engagement versus the no-cost-option seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. 275 bump in price over last year’s model.

The Honda Accord has never been a sporty car and a recent redesign hasn’t converted it into one. Yet, both of the Accord’s petrol engines are more efficient than Toyota’s mills, and the car feels more comfortable and better equipped overall. All things considered, this is arguably one of the best sedans 2018 has to offer, and Kelley Blue Book recently concurred on the matter. Although technically a full-size sedan, the Nissan Maxima competes with both its flagship rivals and their smaller mid-size counterparts. In fact, it’s only an inch or so longer than the in-house mid-size counterpart Altima.

33,000 poses a serious obstacle for prospective mid-size sedan buyers, but the Maxima does offer a lot of features its smaller entry-level counterparts don’t possess. For starters, there’s the powerful 300-horsepower 3.5L V6 engine tied to a CVT gearbox. It successfully negates most full-size cars’ weight problems making the Maxima one of the most fun to drive flagships around. However, it’s still far from being a sports sedan.

However, the Nissan Maxima pays a hefty price for being one of the quirkiest flagships around. A smaller frame severely impacts both the rear passenger and cargo room where its rivals traditionally thrive. In other words, the Maxima probably isn’t the best choice for buyers that emphasize on utility and rear passenger comfort. Then again, Nissan’s largest sedan offers a well-appointed, borderline luxury interior stacked with a plethora of standard features.

And its safety ratings are almost impeccable. Especially since it sports standard automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, and a rearview camera. Speaking of flagship sedans that traditionally offer lots of cargo and rear passenger space, none do it better than the Chevy Impala. One of the best sedans 2018 has to offer comes with precious few notable shortcomings. The underpowered base engine is arguably its largest downside. The 2.5L in-line four makes only 196 horsepower which could prove bothersome to those in need of sharper acceleration.

Then again, they’ll likely opt for the available 305-horsepower 3.6L V6 which suffers from no such ailments. 6-speed auto is something both types of buyers will end up with if they choose to go with the Impala. Although it’s fairly efficient, the 4-cylinder’s 30 mpg on the highway and mid-twenties combined figure aren’t exactly class leading.

Needless to say, the V6’s ratings dive even deeper. The 2018 Chevrolet Impala, however, does offer a quality and comfortable ride. A feat that’s further complemented by an abundance of standard features like an 8-inch touchscreen display, active noise cancellation, and cloth/leatherette trim in base models. As a true full-sizer, the Impala proves you don’t need an SUV in order to fit five adults.



Tesla Model S might be an atypical sedan, but it’s a sedan nonetheless - and one of the best ones, at that. Aside from legendary fuel efficiency estimates rated from 89 to 104 MPGe combined by the EPA, the Tesla Model S now offers ludicrous performance to boot. The P100D with aptly named “Ludicrous” mode reaches 60 mph in under 3 seconds. That’s hypercar acceleration in a family sedan, in case you weren’t aware. Of course, don’t expect your Model S to deliver a full 219 to 337 miles of range with that kind of driving.