What Makes a Luxury Car?
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When you buy a luxury car, you’re paying for a more refined experience. The best luxury cars have high-quality materials, premium comfort features and powerful engines that deliver serious performance. Some luxury models even have handmade components, such as seats and dashboards. And the interiors of luxury cars often feature technology that you won’t find in mainstream vehicles, such as large infotainment screens and high-end audio systems.
The list of features that make a car luxurious is always changing, but some factors remain consistent. For example, a luxury vehicle will usually offer more comfortable seats than a non-luxury model, with many of them featuring heated or massaging options. It’s also likely to have an expansive infotainment system with advanced navigation and satellite radio capabilities. Luxury models may also offer more advanced safety and driver assist features than their mainstream counterparts.
In terms of the driving experience, a luxury vehicle should offer a smoother ride with upgraded tires and suspensions. It should also be able to pamper passengers with plush, soft leather seating and ample legroom. You’ll also find that the cabin is quieter with additional layers of sound insulation and upgraded audio systems.
Many luxury cars are available with the option of adding a long-wheelbase variant, which offers even more room for rear passengers. The latest luxury models are also incorporating electric powertrains to create an all-new, more environmentally friendly driving experience.
While some mainstream brands push into luxury territory, the true mark of a luxury car is that it offers a premium experience that you won’t get in a more affordable model. To truly be considered a luxury vehicle, it needs to deliver five-star cosseting and cutting-edge technology.
Luxury cars are also a status symbol, with the best of them offering a seamless blend of style, performance and comfort that will turn heads at the valet stand and inspire envy in your fellow motorists on the road. They’re often more expensive than other cars, but they also tend to hold their value over time, which can offset the initial investment.
The history of luxury cars goes back a long way, with famous models like Duesenberg, Packard and Pierce-Arrow carving out niches for themselves before being forced to fold during the Great Depression. More recently, BMW’s flagship 7 Series has firmly staked its claim as a luxury icon with its focus on the ultimate driving experience.
The market for luxury cars is incredibly dynamic, with some manufacturers gaining ground while others lose traction. Overall, European brands remain strong in the segment, with BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz capturing the top three search interest spots. However, Toyota’s Lexus brand has made a big impact with its flagship LS sedan. Bringing a taste of luxury to the midsize sedan category, Lexus has become known for its spacious and refined interiors, as well as its long-term reliability baked in by parent company Toyota. Similarly, Jaguar and Land Rover have made a solid name for themselves by combining upscale design with capable off-roading capability.