Best Medium Luxury Car
Prestige car buyers have typically flocked to the Big Three for their luxury car needs – but the segment is now more varied, and more competitive, than ever.
When looking a cut above the mainstream car brands, buyers expect a sense of occasion, a thoroughly comfortable and sorted driving experience, a plush cabin, and technological advancement.
Our luxurious battleground is made up of fighters from three nations: Germany, Sweden, and South Korea. It’s a group of familiar faces (in terms of generational changes), but 2021 updates and upgrades mean they’re all worthy of involvement this year.
BMW supplied Drive Car of the Year with our reigning Best Medium Luxury Car champion, the 3 Series sedan in 330i M Sport form. It impresses us every time we drive it and is currently the best-selling Medium Luxury passenger car.
Volvo’s updated S60 arrives at Drive Car of the Year in a new specification: B5 Inscription. The pared-back range is now down to just a single mild-hybrid, all-wheel-drive variant, offering buyers a left-field choice in a German-dominated segment, and is the only car of our three to feature some form of hybridisation.
Finally, our Best Medium Luxury category for 2022 is rounded out by the Genesis G70, here in svelte Shooting Brake form. It would be unfair to continue labelling the Genesis as an upstart, although compared to long-time premium players, the Genesis has only just arrived.
All three options represent varying takes on what Medium Luxury Cars should be. These finalists were selected for their respective performances in reviews and comparisons throughout 2021.
Winner: BMW 3 Series
- Sports sedan driving experience
- Excellent driver-centric cabin
- Tech-laden interior
- Firmer ride quality than most
- Short three-year warranty
- Limited storage
The 2022 Drive Car of the Year delivered back-to-back wins for the impressive BMW 3 Series. It is unquestionably a segment mainstay focused on the dynamic side of motoring, but still manages a high level of comfort for its occupants, and is adorned with quality materials and a high-tech cabin.
The BMW 3 Series is the kind of car that’ll impress drivers and neighbours alike thanks to its enjoyable drive experience and upmarket presentation. While the latter is considered more of a subjective aspect, the BMW’s driving dynamics are undoubtedly the benchmark of the segment.
Headlined by a strong and willing 2.0-litre power plant across the mainstream range, the 3 Series outputs a driving experience that wouldn’t feel out of place in more expensive performance variants such as the six-cylinder M340i xDrive.
It’s a beautifully tight and connected handling experience backed up by a powerful turbocharged engine and slick gearbox. It would humble some lighter and more nimble hot hatchbacks on a set of twisty roads.
In that same breath, the 3 Series’s duality of character means it can operate as a quiet and comfortable daily driver with an ergonomic and well-appointed cabin. The iDrive infotainment system is still one of the greats of all cars on sale.
It’s a 10.25-inch unit that utilises BMW’s iDrive software – one of our favourites in the industry. That said, you can connect to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto if you prefer those systems.
It’s also equipped with a large 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, digital radio, satellite navigation, and an array of safety features including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
BMW’s Connected telematics system makes it simple to stay in tune with the car when you’re away, while items such as keyless entry and push-button start make it easy to jump in and go.
There’s decent room for second-row passengers and ergonomics are typically well sorted. There’s even a good-size 480L boot with ski-chute access.
The BMW 3 Series is proof you don’t have to spend over $100,000 to get an engaging and luxurious sports sedan that will reward you every time you drive it.
Buying now? View new BMW 3 Series models in stock
Finalist: Volvo S60
- Modern, minimalist interior layout
- Roomy cabin
- High-quality materials used throughout
- Gear selector is a pain
- Picks up little road imperfections
- Mild-hybrid integration not the smoothest
Whereas the BMW is a driver-focused offering in the segment, the Volvo S60 trades on its luxurious nature and feature-packed cabin to score a finalist place in our 2022 Drive Car of the Year Best Medium Luxury Car award.
It’s unashamedly different from the rest of the segment, blending an enjoyable and refined drive experience with a classy and contemporary cabin.
Volvo has simplified its 2022 range down to a single variant in the B5 Inscription, which mixes a comfortable ride experience and a 2.0-litre mild-hybrid powertrain.
Though the price increased $1500 on its T5 Inscription predecessor, the B5 Inscription includes a great amount of kit including a portrait-mount 9.0-inch infotainment screen, wireless smartphone charging, four-zone climate control, heated/memory front seats, power boot release, and an Orrefors crystal gear selector.
It is also fitted with a strong list of active safety features such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Judges praised the S60’s quiet cabin ambience and slick transmission, and suggested it would make a fantastic intercontinental express. There is ample room in both rows of seating, and both sections are adorned with quality materials befitting of the car’s prestige positioning.
It might not be as sharp dynamically as a BMW or as luxurious as a Mercedes-Benz, but the Volvo blends both with a modern design language that’s guaranteed to impress. The space is not as new as the other two finalists but still feels refined and airy. Likewise, the big-screen infotainment system is minimalist and intuitive to use.
Sedans are a dying breed and Volvo could have killed off the S60 in Australia altogether, so thank you Volvo for keeping the sedan spirit alive with a sterling all-rounder that customers will cherish and enjoy for years to come.
Buying now? View new Volvo S60 models in stock
Finalist: Genesis G70
- Striking cabin presentation
- Serene ride quality and handling
- Quality buying experience
- Cramped second row
- Parts sharing with Hyundai
- Shooting Brake limited to meek engine
South Korea’s challenger to the segment truly deserves of a place on the Drive Car of the Year podium. It’s refreshing to see a newcomer’s take on what luxury should be, and it’s obvious the amount of effort that Hyundai’s luxury brand has put into engineering a genuine segment alternative – both in terms of driving experience and interior presentation.
The Genesis G70 Shooting Brake body style supplied to Drive Car of the Year is undeniably gorgeous, although surprisingly it may not be the most sensible choice for those with an extensive need for practicality. The rakish, sloping roof line makes back seat headroom a little tight, and the enclosed second row does feel less airy than its rivals. That said, the interior presentation is a highlight, with judges praising the G70’s Bentley-like design features and the amount of kit you get for the money.
Judges also found the G70 a sharp tool to wield on the road, whether in town or further afield. The fly in the ointment is the single-specification 179kW/343Nm 2.0-litre engine that feels underpowered compared to the G70’s sporting looks. The G70 Shooting Brake may put the ‘sport’ in sportwagon visually, but it is crying out for an engine to match.
Luckily for buyers, the G70 sedan offers a choice between the 2.0-litre turbo and a larger, more powerful 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6. There is plenty of sporty punch from that particular engine thanks to its strong 274kW and 510Nm outputs and slick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission.
The G70 rides like a luxury car should, and the low-slung driving position is comfortable and holds the driver nicely in place. The quick steering rack is wonderfully tight and connected, and should make owners happy about their purchase should they find themselves on a twisty back road.
Like the Volvo S60, the Genesis G70 is a stylish alternative in a segment dominated by German stalwarts.
More than the car, too, Genesis offers a luxurious brand experience that extends far beyond the initial purchase. Initiatives such as a concierge service, complimentary servicing, and an architecturally designed brand studio make for a high-end buying experience befitting of a prestige car manufacturer.
What’s more, a Genesis valet will come to your door to pick up your car for servicing and leave a complimentary loan vehicle to use in the interim. This is the kind of treatment you’d expect from a carmaker that prices its vehicles way above the $100K mark, not under it.
Buying now? View new Genesis G70 models in stock
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