In The Leather-Lined Trenches Of The Midluxury Wars - Road Test - Cars

For instance, if you like to mix in an occasional spirited romp through a back-country road, the BMW 325i, Mazda Millenia S, and Mercedes C280 deserve your attention. If you want to wrap yourself in a plush, quiet mobile cocoon, the Acura 3.2TL, Infiniti I30 t, and Lexus ES 300 should be on your test-drive list. If roominess is a high priority, the I30 t, 3.2TL, and Millenia S deliver the most. Get the picture?

Most buyers, though, want a balance of all of these attributes, and that's where you get into subjective hairsplitting. To answer this question, we asked our six testers to rate each car in two ways. First they graded each entry-A through F-in 11 individual categories so you can compare the vehicles in specific areas. The averages of these grades are included in the accompanying Report Cards chart. Next, we asked each driver to list the cars in the order in which they would recommend them to a potential buyer. Then a simple point system was used to tally the results. There was a wide range to the personal voting, but certain patterns emerged with the six entries sifting out in the following order.

Fifth and sixth: The 325i and ES 300, despite their many strengths, simply suffer from being the oldest members of the six and slightly behind the recent curve toward greater roominess. However, since new variants are expected for both in the near future, you may find BMW and Lexus dealers offering attractive packages on current stock in the coming months.

Fourth: The 3.2TL is a fully competent midluxury sedan with which it's hard to find serious fault. It's extra roomy and high on comfort and convenience, with impeccable driving manners and satisfying performance. That such a high-caliber car can be rated fourth testifies to the strength of this field.

Third: The C280 has few chinks in its considerable luxury armor. Despite its higher pricetag, many people may well find it worth every penny. Much of its appeal can be felt only from behind the wheel, in areas that don't show up on paper. Objective factors, however, need to be weighted accordingly, and our testers felt that other cars in this group came out stronger in key areas, at a more appealing price.

Second: Who can argue against the I30 t, except on highly subjective points like styling? It topped the field in several strategic areas, including interior roominess, acceleration, cornering grip, and fuel economy, without sacrificing one whit of livability. Plus, it comes in at the second-lowest as-tested price.

First: The Millenia S has that special blend of enthusiastic spirit, good looks, high livability, and an ample well of performance potential from which to draw. It's the kind of balance that earns athletes lucrative commercial endorsements. Everywhere you look, this Mazda delivers-not on merely satisfactory levels, but with a feeling that continually reassures you that you made the right choice, a feeling enhanced by its group-low bottom line. Everything considered, the only people we can think of who wouldn't like the Millenia S are those who need the prestige and curb appeal of a recognized luxury marque.