I Need An AWD Executive Sedan For About Forty Grand! What Car Should I Buy?

Felipe is relocating from the sunbelt to northern Ohio. He is looking for a luxury-type sedan with all-wheel drive to handle his commute between several offices. He has a budget of around $40,000. What car should he buy?

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Here is the scenario.

After two,decades in the sunbelt I’ve accepted a job in the Midwest. The job will involve daily commutes to one of 7 different offices located between 20 to 60 minutes drive in northern Ohio. The commutes will be mostly easy highway and suburban miles. I need a cool, comfortable, reliable, executive-level, year around but specifically winter-ready car for a budget of 40K. This would be primarily my work car. I also own a small SUV and a sports car.

Any thoughts?

Quick Facts:

Budget: up to $40,000

Location: Northern, Ohio

Daily Driver: Yes

Wants: AWD, comfort, reliability

Doesn’t want: Something too big

Expert 1: Tom McParand – What Is a “Luxury” Car?

Image: Autotrader.com

Twenty years ago if you hopped into a Toyota and then a Lexus it would be fairly obvious which car was from a luxury brand. Nowadays those lines have blurred and it would be difficult for the average person to really articulate what makes a “luxury” car over a mainstream brand aside from the badge on the hood. While you want a reliable “luxury” car what you need is a Toyota Crown. The Crown could easily carry a Lexus badge and is a mid-size hybrid sedan/hatchback with AWD.

It’s comfortable for cruising, has the low running costs you expect from a Toyota, and will return about 40 mpg combined. It’s also one of the few Toyotas that actually makes sense to buy used. Since it’s a bit of an odd-duck you can take advantage of someone else’s depreciation. Here is a 2023 Crown Limited with less than 4,000 miles for under $40,000, original retail price on this car could be upwards of $50,000.

Expert 2: Owen Bellwood – This Is A ‘Luxury’ Car

Photo: Genesis

Felipe, it’s exciting to hear about your move across the country and fresh start in Ohio, good luck with it all! A new start definitely means it’s time for a new set of wheels, and I think I have the correct option for you.

Sure, I thought about suggesting a V8 Chrysler 300, which would be fun, but I think there’s a better choice out there, one that hits your luxury ambitions without breaking the bank. Felipe, I think the perfect car for you is a Genesis G70.

There are quite a few of these in your area well under budget, or if you have a spare $150 you could get a 2024 one instead. But sticking under the $40,000 mark, this 2023 G70 is perfect. It’s done just a handful of miles, looks sharp as a pin with its lush blue finish and is packed with the kind of flourishes you’d get on much more expensive cars. On top of that, it’s got the all-wheel drive you want, has slick red details to contrast the black leather interior and comes with the kind of comfortable ride that will make your hour-long drives to the office fly by. Felipe, it’s time to join the Genesis Gang.

Expert 3: Amber DaSilva – Who Says Your Commute Can’t Be Fun?

Photo: Pure Honda Ferndale

You’re clearly a person of taste. You’ve got your sports car that you don’t want to coat in road salt, and you’ve asked your good friends at Jalopnik for help — both signs that you don’t want just any all-wheel-drive sedan. My coworkers are interpreting “executive-level” to mean luxury, but does that have to be the only priority? Don’t you deserve performance too?

I introduce you, my friend, to the Acura TLX Type S. A 3.0-liter, turbocharged V6 putting out 355 horsepower, double wishbones up front, Brembo brakes — this is an executive sedan for enthusiasts, not just the folks who want to sit in a leather-trimmed interior between point A and point B.

Not only does the TLX Type S have all-wheel drive, it has Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive. What does that mean? Well, mostly, it means that you can follow up your snowy parking lot drifts with the line “Damn, SH-AWDy, okay,” which is always a hit.

Here’s a lightly-used Type S for just $500 over your budget, and I trust your ability to talk them down that half a grand. Don’t settle for any old comfortable car. Get one that has the power and handling to move when you want it.

Expert 4: Collin Woodard – Generational Trickery

Photo: Infiniti of Columbus

As usual, Felipe, you can’t really go wrong with the previous suggestions. Personally, I’d probably go with the TLX Type S or the G70, but I suspect you may want something that carries a little more prestige. Not necessarily because you personally need it but because if you have the kind of job I think you do, other people may care what kind of car you drive. It’s stupid, but sometimes you have to play the game if you want to get ahead.

I’m also reminded of a story an old pastor once told me about the time his church gave him a modest budget to replace his dying car. After shopping around, he found a fantastic deal on a Cadillac that was under budget. According to this pastor, he never got another raise because other leaders in the church didn’t like the idea of him driving such a car with such a fancy badge. I worry that if you get something too nice, you risk upstaging one of your superiors and facing some kind of professional backlash.

If my reading of this suggestion is correct, then you may want to consider a Lexus LS 500. It’ll be incredibly quiet and comfortable as you drive all over Ohio, still looks new enough that few people will recognize it’s not the refreshed version and has a badge that’s respected but not necessarily prestigious in a way that would look like you’re trying to upstage anyone. For example, here’s one nearby that’s listed for just under $35,000, which would leave you plenty of room in your budget to grab a set of good winter tires.

On the other hand, if I’m completely off base here (and it certainly wouldn’t be the first time that was the case), fuck it, we ball. Buy this Alpina B7 or one just like it instead.