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  • Need a New Ride? Top Affordable Compact Luxury Cars

    Need a New Ride? Top Affordable Compact Luxury Cars

    Everyone loves getting to drive a nice new car. There’s something about being behind the wheel of a luxury car that’s ineffable and hard to place. It’s like you become the master of your own little domain, able to zoom around corners and go where you want. Not everyone can swing the huge payments to own a nice new car though.

    So, how do you find a compromise between a nice ride but not having to take a long time to pay it off? Thankfully, you can check out our list of the top luxury cars that won’t break the bank! These are luxurious, compact and affordable, and will keep you riding in style even as you keep your car payments reasonable.

    2018 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

    Mercedes-Benz, a well-known name in the world of luxury cars, offers the CLA-Class as a more affordable entry option to their range of vehicles. While you’ll only pay $33,695 for base models of the 2018, you’ll get the full Mercedes-Benz luxury experience. Some of the base features are pretty high-tech and impressive. For instance, it comes stock with drowsy-driver sensors, forward collision mitigation and rain-sensing windshield wipers. If that’s not enough for you, it even sports dual-zone climate control and Bluetooth! Add-ons include LED headlights, heated seats and adaptive cruise control. You can even opt for blind spot monitoring if you’re like me and forget to check those every time!

    2018 Acura ILX

    The ILX is a great choice for those who want a luxury ride but still want to have a practical vehicle. This vehicle has some pretty sweet amenities for its low price tag. While base models cost about $29,000, they also have keyless entry and ignition and heated front seats. they also sport dual-zone climate control, for when the driver and passenger feel comfortable in two different temperatures, and automatic LED headlights to help cut through hazardous weather conditions. For those who want a bit more, they can also opt for some safety features like adaptive cruise control and front collision mitigation. The ILX can also be equipped with navigation, leather upholstery and satellite radio.

    2018 Audi A3

    The next car on our list, the elegant Audi A3, starts at around $33,000. And it does more than just look pretty: it has some stellar luxury features. The A3 comes standard with forward collision mitigation, helping make sure you keep your nice new luxury car out of trouble. It also ensures a comfortable ride, with heated front seats and leather upholstery, and even a panoramic sunroof! If you want even more, you can opt to add on blind spot monitoring to even further keep your A3 (and yourself) safe, and even parking sensors. To round it all out, you can even opt for Apple CarPlay mirroring, letting you use your phone as your car stereo!

    2018 Volvo S60

    An extremely elegant car, and a great buy for $35,095. The S60 is a looker and boasts an incredibly comfortable ride to boot. Base models have low-speed collision mitigation, which is great when driving around town. They also have xenon headlights, leather upholstery and sunroof equipped standard. Oh, and don’t forget the Wi-Fi connectivity. Pretty cool, right? You can also opt for rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control and navigation.

    2018 BMW 3 Series

    The 3 Series is the most affordable of BMW’s luxury cars, but it feels anything but “affordable.” This decadent ride is smooth, responsive and just plain fun to drive. You can grab a base model for $35,895, and that equips you with push-button start, dual-zone climate control and rain-sensing windshield wipers. You even get Bluetooth connectivity! If you want a more upgraded experience, you can also opt for a sunroof, among other awesome options.

    Tesla Model 3

    When it comes to brand recognition, few cars are in the same boat as Tesla. The astonishing range and acceleration on display in the Model 3 make its all-electric powertrain that much more impressive. The luxurious interior, with its minimalist design and simple center screen, feels like a car from the future.
    For the price of $35,000 you can get the Standard Range Tesla, though a few thousand more bucks gets you the Long Range. It’s a difference of about a hundred miles of range, as the Standard Range allows for an impressive 240 miles, while the Long Range sports 310 miles. The Long Range will run you a steeper $49,500.
    The Model 3 makes our list, however, due to the all-electric nature of the vehicle working in conjunction with its great drive and range. This is, for all intents and purposes, a totally normal car that also happen to need neither gas nor oil. You won’t need to fill it up, get oil changes or worry about most regular maintenance. That’s all behind you once you go fully electric.


  • 2020 Cadillac XT6: Better than the Escalade?

    2020 Cadillac XT6: Better than the Escalade?

    How long ago did Cadillac first roll out the Escalade? If you remember all the way back to 1998, that was the first year Cadillac put that monster of an SUV on the market, for the 1999 model year. It was the first time Cadillac had really dipped their toes into the SUV market, and the results were unpredictably successful for the luxury carmaker. However, the 2020 model year is packed with a number of luxury SUVs all competing for the same buyers. It’s time for something new.

    Enter the 2020 Cadillac XT6. The newest vehicle from Cadillac is expected to be a fierce competitor in the full-sized luxury SUV world. The enormous unibody design and the transverse-mounted engine are actually shared with the likes of the Buick Enclave. Today we’re breaking down the newest luxury SUV from Cadillac. Is the XT6 better than the Escalade?

    Design

    This sure is a full-sized luxury SUV. 21-inch tires, a huge footprint, a nearly 16-foot long body and a very high seating position make this a natural fit in the category. The narrow, nearly “squinting” headlights also add to the look of a giant vehicle trying to squeeze into a non-imposing profile despite its size. Soft curves along the back and sides of the SUV also help it to look “squeezed” down to a smaller appearance than its actual dimensions.

    If you’re a fan of Cadillacs, the trademark look is here in force. The large, black front grille with the iconic Cadillac emblem stand out on the front of the vehicle, as does the smoothly-sweeping design along the side of the vehicle. This is, visually, a fit successor to the Escalade.

    Under the Hood

    This isn’t a sports car by any measure, but it drives well for a huge SUV. Despite being three rows and sporting a massive footprint and huge wheels, the XT6 handles rather well around town and on the highway. It’s not going to be winning any races, of course but it’s nice to drive as a daily driver.

    The AWD present in some options is powered by the GKN twin-clutch system, which is also seen on the Audi TT-RS and Ford Focus RS. Essentially, this gives the vehicle a great deal of control over its yaw, allowing the torque to be actively moved from side to side in order to keep the body roll to a minimum. It makes for a great-feeling ride, along with the quiet cabin and smooth transmission.

    Infotainment

    This is, in every way, a luxury vehicle. The new rotary jog wheel allows for control of the infotainment system that doesn’t require you use a touch screen. It’s much safer to not take your eyes off the road when you’re driving, so an option for controlling a touch screen without touching it is stellar. Of course, if you’re at a stop or riding passenger, you can still use the touch screen as per normal.

    Pricing and Bottom Line

    The XT6 is available at two trim levels. The first is the Premium Luxury trim, which comes in at $52,695, and comes standard with front-wheel drive, forward-collision warning, blind spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and more. The Sport trim, on the other hand, which comes in at $57,095, which comes with AWD, a more aggressive suspension and tighter steering. Both have numerous options available across the vehicle’s numerous add-ons.

    This is a solid SUV, a good replacement for the Escalade and likely another big success for Cadillac. If you’re in the market for a huge SUV with a great ride, comfortable cabin and stylish design, then the 2020 XT6 is the car for you.


  • Full Cadillac Line and Other Luxury Car GM Brands to Incorporate Super Cruise

    Full Cadillac Line and Other Luxury Car GM Brands to Incorporate Super Cruise

    Self-driving tech is red hot at the moment. Cars equipped with self-driving functionality are in the news constantly. Many car makers seem convinced that the technology is on the brink of being ready to release to consumers. GM’s take on the driverless technology is called Super Cruise, and the auto maker plans to incorporate it in to their luxury car brands, name Cadillac, by 2020.  

    Super Cruise 

    The 2018 Cadillac CT6 was the first car to incorporate Super Cruise. Super Cruise is designed for divided highways and can operate as a mostly hands-free self-driving suite. GM’s technology uses advanced driver monitoring to make sure the driver is still paying attention to the road. For instance, if the technology senses the driver’s attention drifting, it can give visual and audio warnings to the driver.  

    In an emergency situation, Super Cruise can even pull the car over and call OnStar for assistance. All in all, GM’s driverless technology is rather advanced and works well for its niche. However, it’s hardly the “true” self-driving technology that many are anticipating in the coming years. While Super Cruise uses similar technology to Tesla, with lidar and advanced mapping, it encounters many of the same issues as that technology. 

    Which Luxury Car Lines are Getting Super Cruise? 

    GM has stated that they intend to incorporate Super Cruise into the full Cadillac line by 2020. Their other luxury car brand names, like Buick and GMC, are likely to see the technology next. GM has been investing heavily in driverless tech and has expressed plans to commercialize the technology by 2019. This would make the Detroit-based auto maker one of the first to market with the technology. 

    While driverless tech still has a number of kinks to work out, it is still a nice addition to otherwise luxurious rides. Specifically, GM’s luxury brands all feature quiet, peaceful cabins and high-tech amenities. Super Cruise is a welcome companion to other features, like parking assist and blind spot monitoring. GM has stated that we can expect to see driverless technology incorporated across all their cars by 2023.