Cheap luxury cars 2022
By their nature, luxury cars tend to cost a fortune. Rolls-Royce, for example, doesn’t even publicly quote prices, because a) they’re what you’d spend on a nice house in the country and b) they’re irrelevant to the super-rich people who will buy one, no matter what it costs.
For many people, the upper echelons of luxury cars are out of bounds, just as the enthusiastic sports car buyer knows they will never be able to own a hypercar.
However, just as there are brilliant sports cars available for a good price, so too are there luxury cars that won’t necessarily cost you a fortune. Indeed, as some of them boast top-notch retained values, you might actually find the extra monthly cost is more than manageable – even when compared to something more mundane.
To get you thinking about going up in the world, here are 10 of the best cheap luxury cars on sale right now.
Jaguar XF
Right now, the Jaguar XF is an absolute bargain. If you’re looking for a well-priced luxury car, look no further: prices start from less than £34,000, which is the sort of money you can spend on a well-specified new Ford Focus. The Jaguar offers large saloon car presence and, following an extensive facelift, a super-luxurious interior that has the feel of a Bentley in places – yes, it really is that good. The Pivi Pro infotainment system is excellent, too. You can’t get hybrid engine tech, but the mild hybrid petrol and diesel motors are OK, while active noise cancelling delivers serene refinement. The Jaguar still drives in a classy way, with plenty of driver-focused dynamism and a plush ride.
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Lexus ES
The Lexus ES is the slightly smaller alternative to the legendary Lexus LS, the car that put the fear into Mercedes-Benz when it was first launched back in the late 1980s. It’s still a big car, though, so comes with plenty of status, along with a particularly bold and eye-catching ‘spindle’ front grille. Inside, build quality is impeccable and the luxury feel is abundant. Under the bonnet, the ES 300h has a hybrid engine, which gives 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds, plus tax-friendly CO2 emissions from 119g/km and 53mpg fuel economy. It will even roll along in pure EV mode in town. All this for prices starting from less than £39,000.
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BMW 5 Series
The BMW 5 Series has grown with every generation, and the latest one really packs a visual punch out on the road – particularly since its well-judged facelift a little while back. It has eye-catching LED headlights and, typical of most modern BMWs, an enlarged kidney grille. Inside, it’s really tactile, with precision-feel controls and the latest iteration of BMW’s excellent iDrive infotainment system. There’s plenty of room in the rear, although most will prefer to be behind the wheel, so immaculately does the 5 Series drive. You can get super-fast versions and plug-in hybrids, but it’s the 2.0-litre turbo petrol and diesels that are most affordable. Even the entry-level 520i has 184hp for 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds and 45mpg.
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Mercedes-Benz E-Class
If you order the luxury car choice from a well-known taxi app, chances are a Mercedes-Benz E-Class will turn up. The world over, it’s the everyday luxury car people put to work – and in its latest iteration, easily the best it has ever been. These days, the E-Class interior is sheer indulgence, with a widescreen infotainment display for the feature-packed MBUX media system. The rear is roomy and all the seats are firmly supportive in that famous Mercedes-Benz way. The entry-level E 220 d puts out 197hp and emits 127g/km CO2. Don’t dismiss the diesel: the E 200 petrol alternative is less powerful and emits 162g/km of CO2.
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Maybe you want an electric car and are wowed by the sensational new Mercedes-Benz EQS: ‘the S-Class of EVs’. However, few of us can stretch to a price tag that starts at £102,000. Fortunately, the new EQE is coming soon, with prices from £76,000. It looks just like the EQS, and has a staggering range of over 390 miles (take that, Tesla!), plus you can rapid-charge it in just over 30 minutes. Inside, it’s a masterpiece of modern luxury art, with breathtaking touchscreens and brilliant ambient lighting, while the driving experience is exceedingly quiet, refined and cosseting. High class indeed – and by electric car standards, reasonably cheap luxury as well.
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Range Rover Velar
It might surprise you just how cheap the Range Rover Velar can be. It looks like a thoroughly authentic Range Rover, with beautiful styling that still makes those in the know turn their heads. It’s also wonderfully minimalist inside, with plenty of luxury materials and the excellent Pivi Pro infotainment system. Yet this high-rise luxury SUV starts from less than £46,000. The D200 engine isn’t bad – it’s a lot more refined than it used to be – and you still get a decent specification and 19-inch alloys. Given how expensive modern cars are getting, this strikes us as a super-value machine. Simply de-badge it and nobody will know you’ve picked the cheapest in the range.
Audi A6
We think the latest Audi A6 is more stylish and avant-garde looking than the A8 pinnacle of the range. Its lines are more expressive, and we like the gentle flared wheelarches that oh-so-discreetly reference the iconic Audi Quattro. It’s more interesting inside too, with a digital-first dashboard set within materials that, unlike some other recent Audis, still live up to the brand’s fine reputation for quality. The entry-level car has a 40 TFSI engine: a 2.0-litre petrol that puts out 204hp and does 0-62mph in a brisk 7.3 seconds. Do you really need more? It is priced from less than £41,000, although you may start yearning for the £44,500 S-line once you see its bigger wheels and sportier styling features.
Genesis G80
The Genesis G80 is a new upmarket saloon that was first launched in America and has found quite a following over there. Now it’s over here, drawing immediate appeal thanks to prices starting from just over £37,000. That gets you a brilliantly well-equipped car that looks not unlike a Bentley, plus a quiet-running drive that’s in keeping with its premium ethos. It’s in buying and owning that Genesis really delivers the luxury overload, though. You don’t deal with a salesperson, you work with your own personal concierge, who remains with you throughout the time you own the car. It’s a cheap luxury car delivering the complete luxury experience.
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DS 9
DS Automobiles is an offshoot of Citroen that aims to assert itself in the premium car world by offering a uniquely French style of luxury – think Yves Saint Laurent or Chanel, but for cars. The DS 9 is a leftfield large saloon with styling cues that draw from classic French cars of the 1970s, and an interior that delivers plenty of French fancy. We love the BRM timepiece in the dash, and the ‘watchstrap’ Nappa leather seats, while there’s loads of space for lounging in the rear. The most interesting version is the plug-in hybrid, with an EV range of around 35 miles. Prices for the DS 9 start from around £40,000.
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Porsche Taycan
We’re including the Porsche Taycan here because it’s becoming a bit of an electric car icon. A high-performance saloon with thrilling acceleration and exceptional handling, it’s already outselling most other Porsches in the line-up. Dare we suggest it’s become the envy of Tesla owners, too? The Taycan needn’t cost a three-figure sum, though, because Porsche has introduced an entry-level model with a £72,000 price tag (that’s £15,000 less than the cheapest 911). It boasts an EV range of almost 270 miles, and 408hp gives 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds. Most importantly of all, it has the striking style and futuristic, 911-inspired interior of all other Taycans, while exceptional retained values mean it may not cost as much per month on PCP finance as you might think.
Do cheap luxury cars look the part?
The cheap luxury cars we’ve chosen here prove that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a striking car on your driveway. You’ll be surprised at how many confuse a Genesis G80 for a Bentley, for example. The Lexus ES also looks every inch the range-topping model, while the Jaguar XF is a particularly standout bargain – at prices more akin to entry-level hot hatches. Even the entry-level Porsche Taycan has all the sporty status of far more expensive models.
Are cheap luxury cars expensive to run?
Cheap luxury cars generally come with the most fuel-efficient engines. You’ll be looking at (whisper it) 2.0-litre diesels, or turbocharged petrol alternatives, and some offer an impressive blend of punchy performance and 45mpg-plus fuel economy. Because they’re not the range-topping models, servicing should be more affordable, while the focus on company car drivers means service intervals themselves should be extended. Sensible power outputs lead to more sensibly priced car insurance, too.
Which is the safest cheap luxury car?
Despite their good-value price tags, the cars here are large and very safe in a crash. This is proven by some glowing Euro NCAP results. Take the Genesis G80: it has a full five-star crash safety score, plus a brilliant set of results across all four assessment areas. It’s rated at 91 percent for adult occupant protection, 87 percent for child safety, 77 percent for pedestrian protection and 91 percent for safety assist. Other models have similarly exceptional results, meaning that if you want a super-safe and secure car, choosing an entry-level luxury model is a great way to protect yourself and your family.
