Luxury Car of the Year Nominees 2017
Recommended Luxury Car
When it first appeared on the luxury-car scene, the A7 was a knockout — it looked like nothing else on the market. Since then, half a dozen other automakers have started to ape the A7's fastback look, but none have been as successful as the original. There's just something about the flowing lines and low rear deck that make this thing look like it's going to be a future collectible. With a range of engines and an interior that still impresses mightily with its comfort and quality, the A7 remains one of our top picks for an outstanding luxury car.
Recommended Luxury Car
Here's the thing about BMW's smallest SUV: It drives like a much larger, more substantial model. Yes, this is one of the new front-wheel-drive BMWs — which to some is blasphemy — and it doesn't have the performance chops that its predecessor did. But look beyond which wheels are driven and realize that it features almost as much space inside as the larger X3, refinement and luxurious appointments that few others in the segment have, and a significant dose of actual utility. Then realize that it's a pretty good deal to boot: $35,795 (including destination) with standard all-wheel drive. That makes it our Best Deal for this luxury competition.
There’s so much you can point to about the 7 Series as standing out in its field that the list starts to get a little crazy. Start with the way it’s built: This is the first major series production luxury sedan to use a significant amount of carbon-fiber parts, bonded into place and mixed with other lightweight parts like aluminum and magnesium to create a car that’s as big as its predecessor but has dropped more than 100 pounds in weight. You can choose between a powerful turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, a plug-in hybrid with a turbocharged four-cylinder or a high-powered, twin-turbo V-8. But it’s the car’s new electronic systems that truly dazzle. How about a special key fob with an LCD screen that lets you park from outside the car and nobody behind the wheel, letting you pull it into tight spots that you otherwise wouldn’t have been able to get into? Or a gesture control system that can recognize preset hand movements to control the multimedia system? Perhaps you prefer to be a passenger and want to opt for the executive rear-seat system that features everything from a removable tablet to massaging, reclining rear seats. You can have all of it and more in the fantastically advanced BMW 7 Series, our Luxury Car of the Year.