The Best Luxury Cars Under $30K

Luxury cars are a class apart from mainstream models. They are designed to pamper you from the moment you set foot inside, offer a more comfortable and satisfying driving experience, provide a more enjoyable cabin with exotic wood trim and fine leather seats, and come loaded with advanced safety and entertainment features. In many cases, innovations in comfort, performance and technology first show up on upscale models and then filter down to the mass market. Luxury brands typically also offer a longer warranty and often include concierge services for maintenance and repairs.

Luxury car shoppers have a wide range of options on the marketplace, from compact luxury hatchbacks to full-size, four-door sedans that can serve as cosseting luxury barges or surprisingly engaging not-quite sport sedans. The best luxury cars offer the latest or near-latest technological and safety innovations, with some brands putting a premium on performance.

A luxury car doesn’t have to be a sports car, but it usually needs to offer a high-performance engine with excellent fuel economy. It’s also important to offer a smooth ride and a richly appointed interior, which is where the real magic happens. It’s the sort of stuff that’s not always easy to quantify, but it translates into feelings that make people feel rich and pampered.

For example, the Mercedes S-class remains a benchmark in the full-size luxury sedan segment, delivering an exceptionally quiet and pleasant ride and offering a choice of superbly capable V8 or 6-cylinder engines. It’s no wonder that it recently topped Consumer Reports’ comparison test of new full-size luxury sedans, beating out the Genesis G90 and Lexus LS500.

But not all cars are considered luxury if you have a budget of less than $30,000, so we created the below list for those who want to stretch their wallets. These models have been vetted by Consumer Reports for their high levels of quality, comfort, and prestige and are worthy additions to any driveway.

Aside from the fact that they’re luxurious, these vehicles aren’t necessarily better to drive than mainstream cars. But they are fun to own, and the owners’ satisfaction with them goes beyond what their wallets can buy. Valets rush to park them, bouncers let them into clubs without question, and even the most skeptical car buyer can’t help but feel a little special behind the wheel of one of these machines.

The luxury car landscape is constantly changing, but we’ve curated this list of top-rated models from our 2019 Car of the Year Awards and other recent reviews. We’ve sorted them by price, from the least expensive to the most. We’ve also included information about the technologies that help these models earn their luxury status, which includes high-end sound systems, advanced safety features, and optional all-wheel drive. This way, you’ll be able to choose the model that fits your budget and driving needs. So whether you’re shopping for a luxurious SUV or a refined two-door coupe, here are the top 10 luxury cars to consider today.