Best Prestige 2007

[ldc]

I know the Is250 won it last year but just saw a guide in drive.com and what seem to be for 2007, the Is250 is again best prestige. Resale value is equal first place.

ThE VERDICT

BMW’s once unassailable hold on the junior

executive express class has fallen prey to

complacency. It matters little what the sales

figures are because at Drive we’re not judging

a popularity contest. We’re here to find the best

real-world prestige sedan around $55,000.

The BMW 320i leads in just one area, interior

space, though when you take

into account the impractical nature of the cabin

even that win must be followed by a disclaimer.

It has the least equipment of our quintet, is the

slowest in real-world performance and has the

grumpiest ride at no tangible handling benefit. It

finishes fifth.

From here, the choice gets tricky but the Audi

A4’s fidgety ride, cramped interior and middling

equipment levels drop it below the Mercedes,

whose blissful ride, high levels of safety,

roominess and sky-high resale values make it the

strongest of the Germans.

Which leaves silver and gold to go. For us,

the Alfa Romeo - with its unbelievably long

equipment list and sub-$50,000 price tag - is only

just pipped by the Lexus, the complete package.

Alfa Romeo has come a long way in a short

time, the 159 is proof of that. It now has classleading

value for money, is no slouch on safety

and comfort, drives beautifully and has that

intangible Italian essence which can turn a good

car into a great one.

The overwhelming competency of the Lexus

IS250 cannot be denied. It has a sublime sixspeed

automatic transmission compared with the

Alfa’s manual, almost matches the Alfa for value

and spaciousness, and outpoints the front-drive

Italian in all areas of real-world performance -

ride, handling and acceleration.

The Lexus costs $6500 more than the Alfa

Romeo and that made the decision even harder.

However, when you consider Lexus’s

unblemished record for reliability and world-class

build quality, it should come as no shock that, in

Drive’s opinion, the Lexus IS250 is Australia’s best

prestige sedan.

1 Drive.com.au

[Bluey]

Yeah, didn't we already know that..... :P

[ldc]

So it's 2006 data?

[Bluey]

Hard to tell. The report you mention has Audi and BMW. The 2006 data had Holden Calais and VW Passat along with the Alfa as the top 4.

Your report looks to be 2007.