Final Rankings

There’s nothing worse than to read a comparison test only to find a wishy-washy conclusion at the end, but that’s exactly what we’re going to deliver here. Though we’ve ranked the cars according to our subjective judgments and scientifically unproven scoring system, the truth is that any one of these three Asian luxury sedans is worth consideration. The Acura RL is the most comfortable, the Lexus GS 300 AWD the most refined, and the Infiniti M35x the most fun to drive. Each has its strong and weak points, but we found that the Infiniti possesses more of the former and fewer of the latter. Your results may vary, and we encourage anyone shopping for a $50,000 Acura, Infiniti, or Lexus to try each on for size.

3rd Place – Acura RL (7.4 GPA)
Comfort, understatement, ride quality, steering, braking, and powertrain sophistication are the 2005 Acura RL’s strong points. Quality, handling, control design and layout, and styling are the deal breakers. It’s possible our test car’s assembly problems were unique, and appearance is a highly subjective evaluation point. If you think the Acura RL is a looker, value form over function, and don’t plan to pitch the car into curves with abandon, it’s tough to go wrong here.

2nd Place – Lexus GS 300 AWD (7.7 GPA)
Refinement, simplicity, and quality are long-standing tenets of Lexus design and engineering, and though the 2006 Lexus GS 300 AWD is sexier than ever, they’re still the main reasons for buying this capable luxury sedan. But note that the electronic braking system is frustrating to use, that the run-flat tires on the AWD model provide a rather harsh ride, and that the stability control cuts in to ruin the fun and cannot be turned off. The GS 300 AWD is not a car for enthusiasts. Rather, it is an excellent luxury sedan for the vast majority of Americans. And with gas prices averaging $2.50 per gallon, it helps that we got 20.5 mpg without even trying.

1st Place – Infiniti M35x (8.0 GPA)
Sure, it’s a blast to drive hard and fast, but the 2006 Infiniti M35x is more than a great sports sedan: It’s a great luxury sedan, too. Strong points include cabin materials, interior design, control placement and operation, visibility, and rear seat comfort. We downgraded the Infiniti for its uncomfortable driving environment, interior noise, and taut ride quality. Plus, it got the worst fuel economy of this trio. But once you press the Start button on the dash, select a gear, and hightail it down a favorite twisty road, none of that matters. The 2006 Infiniti M35x is a terrific luxury sports sedan, the best one from Japan.