Best Midsize Performance Sedans

The Genesis G70 is the smallest and best-selling entry of three premium sedans offered by Hyundai's quickly growing luxury brand. It competes head-to-head with such long-standing entry-luxury sedan favorites as the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A5, and Lexus IS. It offers evocative design, a luxurious interior, and a long list of amenities that often cost extra in competing European-brand models. The G70 also leads the segment with advanced safety and driver-assistive technology.

The G70 delivers an engaging driving experience with nicely balanced ride and handling. Although the base G70 2.0T four-cylinder won't match the acceleration response and fuel economy of its 3 Series competitor, the small Genesis is fun to drive in both rear- and all-wheel-drive form. It also costs less than its European rivals, is comparably equipped, and comes with a much stronger warranty: 10 years or 100,000 miles on the powertrain and 5 years or 60,000 miles bumper to bumper, plus three years of free scheduled maintenance.

High-riding crossovers may dominate the market, but that hasn't stopped Cadillac from leaning into sedans. The luxury automaker followed up its out-of-production ATS and CTS sedans with Cadillac CT4 and Cadillac CT5 successors, respectively.

The 2021 CT5 is a midsize sedan that features significant performance and tech updates, including new engines and a 10-speed automatic. All CT5s have the latest in onboard technology, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Premium Luxury, Sport and V-Series models optioned with the Technology package get a new reconfigurable 12-inch high-definition (HD) gauge cluster. But by far, the most significant tech advancement available in the new CT5 is Super Cruise. In addition to providing hands-free driving capability on more than 200,000 miles of U.S. and Canadian highways, the latest iteration of Super Cruise changes lanes on demand.

Although the CT5 is roughly the size of midsize German sedans such as the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series, the Cadillac's price point aligns it more closely with the smaller Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series.

Combining a spacious interior, loads of technology, and solid performance, the BMW 5 Series is a midsize luxury sedan that does everything well. It's not quite as sporty as it used to be, but it's still an athletic car that can be driven quickly with little effort. A range of engines means you can choose from an efficient four-cylinder, plug-in hybrid, or a turbocharged V8. Rear-wheel drive is still the standard, but all-wheel drive is also an option for dealing with cold-weather climates.

Continual improvement to BMW's iDrive infotainment system has resulted in a system that's intuitive to use and more helpful than you might expect. Although Detroit got out of the luxury-sedan business a few years back, the 5 Series still has plenty of viable competition. Whether it's the luxury-meets-performance Mercedes-Benz E-Class, techno-filled Audi A6, racy and stylish [Jaguar XF](/jaguar/xf /), or the Scandinavian cool of the Volvo S90, there are plenty of choices in the premium midsize-sedan segment.