Although the Saab 9-3 is one of the older vehicles on our list. It still holds up well with the competition. There is something refreshingly unique about the driving experience of the Saab 9-3, something that lacks in many vehicles today. For lack of a better word, the Saab is a “fun” car to drive. The turbocharged engines and sharp performance give the Saab 9-3 a sporting edge compared with the soft, sensory deprived vehicles other automakers build. Still, with its delightfully comfortable seats and high list of luxury features, the Saab 9-3 carves a unique niche for itself on our list. Although General Motors is the parent company of Saab, they left much of the design and engineering to the Swedish giving the Saab 9-3 a distinctive European/Swedish flair. The FWD entry level power-plant is the scrappy turbocharged 210 horsepower (making 221 lbs feet of torque) 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine. The 4-cylinder gets an EPA estimated 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway (one of the best on our list) using the 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmissions.
Hyundai should be commended for the amount of work they accomplished to build a world class, entry level luxury vehicle from scratch. That is exactly what they did with the 2009 Hyundai Genesis. Every automaker is challenged by the Hyundai Genesis’ performance, specifications and economic performance. The most striking element of the Hyundai Genesis is the enormously comfortable interior. One of the largest vehicles on our list, the interior of the Hyundai Genesis is commodious, luxurious and intelligently well designed. The designers at Hyundai definitely took a few chapters from both German and Japanese luxury carmaker’s books. The looks are said to be a mix of Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti by some. Completing this magnificent achievement is the base model’s powerful 290 horsepower (264 lbs feet of torque) 3.8 liter V6. A smooth 6-speed automatic transmission feeds to the rear wheels as this is one of only three vehicles on this list to be rear drive.