This 1 Italian Car Is Declared the Worst Full-Size Luxury Sedan By Car and Driver
Although SUVs and trucks reign supreme in the car market, full-size luxury sedans are still somewhat popular. These large four-door cars may not rule the automotive landscape, but they deserve some credit for being the posh land yachts that they are. After all, who wouldn’t want to cruise around in a 17-foot-long sedan that’s more fun to be driven in than drive around?
The editors at Car and Driver have an appreciation for the luxury full-size sedan segment. So much so that they ranked seven of them from best to worst. Surprisingly, there’s one Italian sedan that ended up at the bottom of the list.
This Italian luxury sedan is well-known but not super popular
The car that ended up as the “worst” on Car and Driver’s list is none other than the Maserati Quattroporte. According to the editors at the publication, “although the Quattroporte’s enormous trident emblem and distinct styling set it apart from others on this list, those features fail to give this full-size luxury sedan an edge over the competition.”
According to Car and Driver’s review, some of those features include cheap-looking plastic parts around the cabin that look like they came from a Chrysler parts catalog (Stellantis is the parent company to Maserati). Furthermore, the Quattroporte’s cabin space is “more snug” than those you find in competitors like the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
It’s not all bad news, though, as the Maserati Quattroporte does have its perks. There is an optional Executive Rear Seat package that includes reclining rear seats with heating and ventilation. A couple of stout engine choices, all-wheel drive, soft-close doors, and unique exterior styling cues set the Italian sedan apart from the rest.
Additionally, the Quattroporte’s engine choices, which include two different twin-turbo V6s and a twin-turbo V8, have received high praise from other prestigious publications. MotorTrend noted, “Even if you forgo dropping nearly $150,000 on the V-8 Quattroporte Trofeo, Maserati delivers a powertrain that never fades into the background like those of some German competitors.”
That sounds pretty enticing, and we hope we can experience these glorious-sounding powertrains — and the other luxury features — that the Quattroporte has to offer in the future.
The 2023 Genesis G90 was the best of the bottom three luxury sedans
Out of the seven sedans on the list, the 2023 Genesis G90 surprisingly came in fifth place. We say “surprisingly” because the revised sedan completely impressed us during the time we had it. Its superb interior quality and luxurious features, which included auto-closing doors, reclining rear seats, and seat massager for all of the passengers, utterly blew us away.
We’re not alone in our praise, as the editors at MotorTrend made the G90 the “Car of the Year for 2023.” However, the folks at Car and Driver gave it the ranking they did due to its need for “more polish,” a “more compelling drivetrain,” and wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto. We agree with that last part, but we think it should have been ranked a little higher on the list.
The 2023 Audi S8 made the middle of the list in the No. 4 spot. The editors pointed out that although it provides plenty of power and comfort, certain options still need to be added. Those additional features tack more weight to the already hefty price of nearly $120,000.
The big three luxury automakers rounded out the top three luxury sedans
As for the top three luxury sedans on the list, the BMW 7 Series came in third, the Audi A8 came in second place, and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class took home the top honors. Car and Driver liked the 7 Series’ ample room but wish it had sharper steering and more interior buttons.
They also liked the Audi A8’s comfortable and quiet cabin, but ultimately, the S-Class came in first for its opulent features. They said that although the steering-wheel buttons weren’t easy-to-use and it too needed more buttons, every seat that you occupy in the S-Class will leave you satisfied.
Here is the list of entrants from worst to best:
7. Maserati Quattroporte
6. Lexus LS
5. Genesis G90
4. Audi S8
3. BMW 7 Series
2. Audi A8
1. Mercedes-Benz S-Class
