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Ultimate AWD Sports Sedans

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  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Nope.
  • getoutthewaygetouttheway Member Posts: 5
    I am now looking at new awd sports sedans. My husband has a 2011 335 x drive sedan and this is my gold standard. It is a fantastic driver's car with regard to handling, precision, power. The problem is that I dont want to spend 50k plus on my car.
    So far I drove a 328 x drive and I didnt love it. It felt different on the road with less power than the 335. It felt tinny and skittish and like it strained going up hill when I floored it.
    I drove the G37x and I like that they come loaded for less money with tons of hp and torque. I have read on forums that people dont like the way the transmission performs when going from deceleration to acceleration. It had a lot less road feel than the bmw as well.
    Anyone have this model and have anything to add?
    I was surprised at how much I liked the Ford Fusion V6 sport awd. Not a luxury car, but for the money it was very nice. I am concerned that it might not age well, since I like to keep my cars as long as possible. The leather is definitely a negative, very cheap.
    I am going to check the Audi A4 and the Mercedes Benz C300 awd.
    I would appreciate any help with this decision. I am looking to spend 40,000 or as close to that maximum as possible.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 236,789
    My wife has had her 2011 G37X for a week.... No transmission issues.

    The newer six, seven and eight speed automatics take a little getting used to... Plus, the enthusiast brands have built a lot of downshifting into the programs under deceleration that is disconcerting.. We had an X3 that was terrible (6-speed auto). But, no issues with the Infiniti. Pretty smooth..

    If you think a 328 is slow, then I doubt you'll like the A4 20.T or the Mercedes.. I'm not sure why you felt the 328 was tinny or skittish... it's virtually the same car as your husband's 335, except for the turbo.

    I'll agree that the G37X doesn't have the road feel or handling of the BMW... But, it's a nice, easy drive.. and, as you noted... gobs of power..

    Just my $0.02
    kyfdx

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  • getoutthewaygetouttheway Member Posts: 5
    Thanks for your 2 cents!
    If you drive a 335i it ruins you for the 328i. It is not only during acceleration that it feels different, the handling feels different at lower speeds as well.
    I was surprised at how much I hated the C300 4matic sport. Cushy yet bouncing in directions the car wasn't going. Nice turn radius but not a drivers car, unless you happen to be a limo driver.
    I was also surprised at how much I liked the A4 quattro. It is a softer ride and the acceleration is less than the 335xi but better than the 328xi. Its hard not to like the luxurious interior.
    I am now deciding between a preowned 2011 335xi with 11,000 miles on it and a new audi A4 quattro. Tough decision!
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Another thing to keep in mind is that your husband's 335i might have the Sport Package with the uprated suspension while the 328i you drove might have the base suspension. I highly recommend you drive a 328i with the Sport Package; I suspect you'll notice a huge difference.
  • getoutthewaygetouttheway Member Posts: 5
    That is a good thought but he has the 2010 335 xdrive and he was told he couldnt get the sports suspension on that car or that is how he remembers it.
    I LOVE his car.
    The preowned 2011 335 xdrive that I am looking at does not feel exactly like his car either, maybe due to the engine change in 2011.
    The used one I saw also has a grey interior, not my favorite, a big obvious scratch on the wood above the glove, 11000 miles on it.
    It is pretty loaded, but for the 43,400 price tag I can get a new 2012 A4, loaded in the colors of my choice and pristine condition inside and out.
    I could go back to bmw to test a new 2011 328x drive with a sport susp before I decide.
    If I didnt care about the extra money, I would wait for the 2012 335 xdrive.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    If I recall correctly, you are correct in that the 2010 335xi wasn't available with the true Sport Package, however, there were some wheel and tire options available which would markedly change how the car felt when being put through its paces.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If you were willing to check out the Fusion, also consider the Subaru Legacy, which falls in the same price range. You can get a turbo or H6.
  • getoutthewaygetouttheway Member Posts: 5
    Reporting back. I have had my 2012 a4 quattro since late November. I am loving this car! It is light and agile. Plenty of acceleration for me, getting on a highway, short ramps, no prob!
    The luxury of this car is impressive. Fun to drive, great handling. Quattro is great on ice and snow.
  • dbledmndk2dbledmndk2 Member Posts: 16
    I'm currently torn between the A4 Quattro and the G37x. The A4 felt much smoother as the auto tranny shifted between gears and despite having less horsepower the turbo engine had some great initial pickup. The G37x had more features for the money, but the ride just wasn't as nice despite having the extra horsepower at your disposal.

    Any thoughts between these two cars? What made you choose the Audi? Did you lease or buy? I've never leased before, but the reliability/repaid costs of the Audi beyond 4 years scares me.
  • getoutthewaygetouttheway Member Posts: 5
    I didn't like my test drive of the G37x. I didn't feel in control of the car. It was powerful without the requisite handling for that power, in my opinion. It was too soft and bouncy of a ride. The salesman told me that I might like the handling better if I got the wider wheels that usually come on the Sport package. I didn't try it with those wheels. I decided not to retest the G37X because I looked up the true cost to own numbers on all of the sedans I was looking at and the Infiniti was the most expensive to own over 5 years, even next to the BMW. It must not hold its value as well as the other cars.
    Another thing that dissuaded me about the G37X was the lack of fold down back seats. The passthrough for skis or a fishing rod doesn't cut it for me. I need more flexibility than that with the cargo space.
    I was very surprised how much I loved driving the Audi on the test drive. I never liked Audi's and I only drove it because a friend of my told me I should check it out.
    I am an aggressive driver, but I am not a drag racing, rude, weaving, dangerous driver. I am not taking my car to a race track. The A4 has plenty of power for me. It feels fantastic on the road. I live in an area with extremely short entrance ramps onto highways and this car accelerates from 0-60 in 6.5 seconds which is plenty fast.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You sure? ALG gives the G25 and G37 a perfect 5 stars for residual value.
  • knr5knr5 Member Posts: 85

    Here is a brief update on my situation, since I started this thread many moons ago.:)

    I traded in my 2003 Infiniti G35 Sport for a 2006 G35 Sport in May 2006, both RWD MT sedans. Last year I was planning on replacing my 2006 model with a new one from Infiniti. I saw that it would now be called the Q50 and would be more technologically enabled (not necessarily a huge plus for me). However, I was put off by the news that MT would not be an option. At the time there was no news about continuing the G37 for one more year alongside (presumably with all the configurations). So I started looking around for alternatives. I wanted MT, and would prefer AWD, in an upscale, sporty sedan. I bought a 2013 Acura TL SH-AWD MT (the only configuration with MT) in March 2013. While it is not a sport sedan in the mold of the G, its charms have grown on me. It is a very capable touring sedan with hidden reserves of handling prowess. It comes with a lot of technology and luxury touches. I am very, very, happy with my choice. In my book it is a unique car (try to find AWD MT cars in the midsize sedan category with sufficient power and creature comforts). Moreover, it is a compelling value in its class -- comparable cars from BMW or Audi cost at least 10k more.

    So, that is my current ride which happens to be, for me , the ultimate AWD MT sedan!:)

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    A reporter is hoping to find BMW owners who might have models with recalled airbags (mostly '00-'06 3 Series.) Please email PR@edmunds.com if you are able to have a quick conversation with the reporter today.
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