As hopefully spring is around the corner I might be looking at options to replace my 2010 Lexus. So the cars I will be looking at will be a size step down because there are only 2 of us. I will be keeping the XKR for our cruising and weekend excursions. So here are my candidates. Jaguar XE , Lexus IS , Alfa Romeo Giulia and maybe the new KIA stinger. Would like AWD and even manual transmission. So for you gearheads what are some of your thoughts. Also any other candidates in this size range. Just fishin so far.

 

All are nice cars but I'm weak for Alfa Romeo and the Guilia is sooooo Beautiful. The new Kia Stinger is really nice looking but I expect it to be to "Asian". The Lexus is nice too but not as good looking as an Alfa Romeo!:-)
I will for the fun of it go to a Kia dealer and testdrive the Stinger for the fun of it cause it is a nice looking car.:-)

 

I can't imagine driving KIA, I know they addressed their reliability issues from 90s era, but this is all I can think of when looking at the brand. It is also very downmarket unless you are looking at Genesis. G80 Sport is really good value and not tarnished by KIA brand.

Alfa is a gorgeous car, but I expect it will be disastrously unreliable. Past Alfas (e.g. Spider) were always challenging to keep running.

Lexus is for people who don't like cars or driving. Uninspired drive, ultra-upscale interior. Really good reliability.

I personally really like BMW M2, Volvo S60 Polestar and Jaguar XF Sportbrake.

 

 

The Alfa is a great car. Used Maserati’s are great values (they tank
More than Jags) so a Ghibli is viable.

I go Alfa at that size.

The Alfa/Maser reliability issues are as outdated as Jags.

 

Are American cars off the table Jagtoes? I'd recommend looking into Cadillac

 

Nope , didn't think of them so I'll be looking at their mid size. The only ones off the table are the German cars.

 

 

Alright now no laughing, but the most comfortable car I've ever sat in was the 2017 Buick LaCrosse. Didn't test drive it because I wasn't in the market and I didn't want to get the Salesman's hopes up so I just sat in it. It was ridiculously comfortable.

 

I’ve been impressed with the newer Buick offerings. I generally select them fri the rental lot

 

Buick..................

.......... I told my Mom I'd say nothing at all...........

 

hehe - and yet you just did...

 

The wheels on the Giulia are too small. Like roller skate wheels.

 

I have a top spec XE and it's a great handling car, strong pull from the engine, and great safety features. Trunk is a little small, the brakes are nothing to write home about. If you could score a deal on Giulia Q would be my first pick, then XE, or if you want to lease a Ghibli has some strong offers. I wish the XE had the Ghibli brakes and transmission tuning.

 

I drove a Giulia recently: very precise, tight, and crisp steering. Build quality better than expected, certainly in terms of fit/finish.

 

When considering a replacement for the x308, I test drove the new LaCrosse and yes, there is a lot to like about it if you want a luxury cruiser, but its larger than the OP is looking for. One thing kept me from considering it any further tho was specifically the comfort. The seats are designed to accommodate very wide people. No spirited driving in the Buick as I would slide a long way across that leather and not much bolster on either side to catch me from sliding out the door. I don't think it had adjustable lumbar support either. Sadly the salesman explained there were no upgraded seat options. Jaguar seats seem to fit us narrower people much better, but you have to buy the higher trim levels to get lumbar support. But Buick did a fantastic job on the exterior styling. I think its a beautiful car and it does ride very nice. And I would have liked the Apple CarPlay.

I drove the Alfa Giulia too just out of curiosity to compare with the XE. Alfa is better looking but that's all its got. XE is hands down a much more comfortable and refined small sedan. I sure wouldn't want to drive an Alfa on a long road-trip as I found the seat squab way too short, no thigh support.

I've owned a Lexus LS400 (destroyed in accident, replaced with X308). It was the same thing as the Buick, with seats four inches wider than I am. But on the other hand, Lexus didn't inspire you to take a corner fast enough to slide across the leather either. I only bought it because I'd had Supras and Landcruisers before and so when I wanted a luxury sedan, a Lexus seemed logical. If it hadn't got wrecked, I probably wouldn't have kept it long anyway. The X308 turned out to be much more comfortable, much more fun to drive and probably nearly as reliable as I had no issues with it till it started getting really old.

I wound up buying a low mileage XF, sticking with the Jaguar brand. I love the interior and the seats in the Portfolio trim are very comfortable to me. I've finally gotten the Spires comfort suspension installed and looking for some wheels/tires with more sidewall. Buick came closer than anything to the x308 ride (altho nothing built in the last five years comes very close), but those Buick seats were a non-starter. Obviously, comfort is very subjective, but overall, probably one of the most important factors in car choice, particularly for a daily driver.

 

I had a Hertz Buick Encore earlier this year for a few days and I was relatively impressed. It is not like the Buicks of old. Why not take a look at the S60 Volvo? I've heard a lot of good things about it. Let us know what you decide to do.

 

We just finished a 3 lease on an S60. Not one mechanical issue during the lease term. I would buy another.

 

On a pedestrian car front, we have owned a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid since new. I think we have put $900 into the car outside scheduled maintenance in 8 years. Not a lot of cache, but plenty of creature comforts.

 

My wife also has a 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid she uses as her commuter. She absolutely loves the thing. She has had zero problems whatsoever with it, and it gets 40 mpg pretty much non-stop. PLUS, here in Utah if you drive a Hybrid you get free access to the HOV lanes regardless of number of occupants (permit required). That alone is a big plus.