Entry-Level Luxury: Truth or fiction?

When I talk about entry-level, I don’t mean vehicles like the Hyundai Sonata or Mitsubishi Outlander Sport that put luxury features in at a lower price point. I am talking about luxury brands: Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. Can luxury really be entry-level?

Our contestants are the 2014 Lexus IS and the 2013 BMW X1. The IS represents our sports sedan and has an all–new design from Lexus for the 2014 model year. The X1 represents our CUV offering, with 2013 models still being hard to find in Denver.

The 2014 Lexus IS is the most inexpensive offering for those looking to get into the luxury brand. The redsigned 2014 IS250 costs less than the outgoing model and is equipped with the 2.5-liter 204-hp V6 and starts at an MSRP of $35,950 for the Rear-Wheel Drive. Coloradans might want to pay the extra coin for the All-Wheel Drive (AWD) starting at $38,485. Not too shabby, right? So, why am I questioning entry-level luxury?

Food for thought: you can get a fully loaded, full-size and HEMI powered Dodge Charger R/T Max for just over $40K MSRP.

So then what about the 2013 BMW X1? The X1 represents the smallest CUV offering from BMW, but still starts at a MSRP $30,800 for the sDrive2.8i. Our test vehicle with all the goodies you expect in a BMW and the larger 3.5-liter V6 TwinTurbo with AWD (xDrive3.5i) stickered at $48,395. This is actually comparable to the Lexus IS350 AWD that starts at $41,700.

These vehicles have all the options you can imagine, from navigation to memory and heated seats. All are available in All-Wheel Drive and in the V6 and both get an EPA fuel rating of 21-mpg combined.

The 2014 Lexus IS family is one of the best–handling compact sports sedans we’ve driven, plus with a new, more aggressive look with spindle grille treatment. However, the interior still feels less spacious than the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class, closer to the 2013 Cadillac ATS. The real win for Lexus is the refined interior and superb handling.

On the BMW X1 front, we have to say that this CUV is more flexible than you might give it credit for, with a three–way divided rear seat structure that can be reclined for passengers or laid down for cargo. The 3.5-liter has rocketlike power, but without the same level of technology as the high-end 3, 5 or 6 Series. The quality is there, though, and the look is completely BMW. If we had one gripe it is that the suspension is a little loose and unpredictable for the persona of a BMW – The Ultimate Driving Machine.

So is “entry-level” luxury truth or fiction? The fiction is that it is really cheaper than other well-optioned cars on the market. The truth is that there is no way to get around the desire many have for the luxury brand, the service that comes with it and the attention to detail we have come to expect.