These are the best luxury cars for 2024 (2024)

They may seem irrelevant to budget buyers, but luxury cars aren’t just an indulgence for the lucky few.

Rather, they’re a showground for the future of automotive – as car makers work harder than ever to impress an increasingly discerning buyer.

Despite the substantial starting price, buyers in this category still want value as much as luxury. In particular, they crave that hard-to-measure feeling their money has gone a long way.

Even if you’re not shopping in this space, these cars will give you insight into what’s possible when comfort, grandeur, and performance can co-exist without compromise.

The 2023 Drive Car of the Year luxury car champion has proven victorious once again, with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class awarded the title of Best Luxury Car Under $100,000 for 2024.

Against undeniably high-quality, fully-electric competition like the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class lays down a marker as the most competent luxury car you can buy for less than six figures.

Boasting a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine and smooth nine-speed automatic transmission, the C-Class is smooth and quiet around town but can transition into sporty territory when touring.

The cabin is slick and upmarket, like a scaled-down version of the far more expensiveS-Class. A substantial boot allows for some practicality, while proactive safety – including 10 airbags and a 360-degree camera – provides confidence while on the road.

Despite the advanced technology on offer, Mercedes's infotainment system is also eminently easy to use, making it slightly more approachable than some of its high-tech rivals.

Ultimately, though, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is impressive for staying ahead of the game and consistently delivering modern luxury.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC received a new generation midway through 2023, which brought new styling, a multitude of technology updates, and more space in just about every dimension.

Only one specification grade might mean less choice for buyers, but undoubtedly more bang for your buck. And even with only one variant available, the GLC still managed to claim the crown of Drive's Best Luxury SUV Under $150,000 for 2024.

The GLC's 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine outputs 190kW and 400Nm, with all-wheel drive for varied conditions and 48-volt mild-hybrid technology for potential fuel-saving benefits and smoothness in stop-start driving.

Hopping into the cabin, a visually impressive 11.9-inch touchscreen delivers on functionality, while the cutting-edge MBUX interface even offers augmented reality functionality for the navigation system and a 15-speaker Burmester sound system is the ideal companion for touring.

The second row is roomy, the boot is well sized for families, and high-level materials are used on all key touchpoints throughout the cabin, like Mercedes's seriously convincing faux leather upholstery.

On the road, there's a buttery-smooth ride quality, with nimble handling, subdued road noise and swift delivery of power, while a long list of active and advanced safety technology keeps you on the right track.

Previously a bare-bones, utilitarian labourer, the new Defender has somehow made its way into the luxury space without sacrificing the capabilities that made it famous.

If you ask us, that’s an impressive balancing act and one seriously successful rebrand for a hallowed nameplate.

Tech-heads will appreciate the Defender's handy tricks, like the 360-degree camera with see-through bonnet view, digitally augmented rear-view mirror, and seamless app connectivity with the best-in-class (maybe even best-in-industry) infotainment system.

Meanwhile, luxury lovers will appreciate the endless customisation of the Defender range – allowing for individual design flair to be showcased on both the interior and exterior.

Finally, there are the Defender's famed off-road capabilities – all of which have been both maintained and built upon in the modern Defender.

Still, it's a surprisingly suitable companion around town, with a slick powertrain and agile handling that belies its size.

BMW took its time entering the luxury electric SUV fray, but when it did, it arrived with an imposing and unapologetically luxurious large SUV, well deserving of winning Drive's Best Luxury Electric Car Under $150,000 for 2024.

While electric vehicle design has typically erred on the side of minimalism, the iX is unabashedly maximalist – from its striking silhouette and eye-catching gold exterior accents to its sumptuous interior, appointed with leather and walnut.

BMW's infotainment system and driver technology are a cut above in terms of functionality and deliver the kind of assistance that makes an owner feel taken care of – a particularly important (and deceptively hard-to-measure) metric in this segment.

In fact, BMW claims the iX possesses the most extensive list of advanced driver assistance systems ever bundled into a single BMW model.

Despite weighing in at close to 2.5 tonnes, the iX can hustle from a standstill to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds, while its ride comfort is excellent and uncharacteristic of such a large, heavy car – a testament to BMW's engineering capabilities.

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