We compare the premium sedans Audi A4 2.0 TDI, BMW 320d, 2.0D Jaguar XE, Lexus IS 300h and Mercedes C 220D, all automatic four diesel and a hybrid.

In the upper class is a tough fight to be the best. It is a war that we all benefit; It never was as good as saloons now. Audi A4 2.0 TDI, BMW 320d and Mercedes C already established 220D 2.0D Jaguar XE comes in and Lexus IS 300h brings a different solution. It’s true what they say that to be the best you need to have very strong rivals. In the end if you have just sobrado not evolve. This in the automotive world is the same, and as someone resting on its laurels another better than detracts from the top spot appears. In this comparison you start reading you have five models that would be fine parked in your garage. They all meet what you expect with excessive technology, good engines and space, to the point that, regardless of your personal taste or appreciation to a particular brand, you could be happy with any of them. However there are differences, some of hue and other insuperable, which ultimately will be decantarte you do one or the other; no bad car, but car that suits pretty much what everyone seeks. This time we add to comparative Three special safety tests and agility made by our Technical Center to help us solve some eternal question of what car to buy.

Comparative deals Diesel saloons with 170 to 190 hp, automatic transmission and drive a single axle, a hybrid more invited. He Audi A4 just released generation. This provides an interesting engine 2.0 TDI in version 190 horsepower. With respect to rivals test is the only one who has dual clutch automated transmission and front wheel drive. He BMW 320d is chosen, with 190 horsepower engine and also automatic transmission by torque converter 8 speed. Jaguar XE provides the novel, a model with a virtually entire structure aluminum. It comes equipped with propeller 2 liters of 180 horsepower and identical gearbox BMW, which manufactures ZF, but making own brand of each point. He Mercedes C Class is the less powerful and therefore not the slowest. This is the version 220d, four cylinders as the rest but with 2.14 liters instead of the 2.0 liter Diesel all rivals, and with 7G-Tronic Plus 7-speed torque converter. World Apart is the technology of Lexus IS. To start is hybrid and fuel, so it brings its own advantages and disadvantages, although the final result in terms of performance and fuel consumption is not so remote; It has a combined output of 223 horses.

BMW 320d front Audi A4 2.0 TDI, 2.0D Jaguar XE, Lexus IS 300h and Mercedes C 220D: features

The prestacional this comparative level is high. Cars and versions are in addition to belonging to a price and premium brand image, provide some sportsmanship both in its presentation and data offering. If you’re a fan of the best acceleration or velocity data you will always find in BMW, which is slightly faster than its rivals. Accelerates in less time than others and only succumbs to the Mercedes when recovering in D by a miserable tenth of a second; The reason is that having 8-speed measurement is in that a gear shift more than the C-Class, which has 7 relationships. Compared to other fast less will always be the Jaguar, which I honestly do not get hit in your prestacional level. I see no problem slowly, as their worst comparative data are really good. All well deliver power to the ground and there is little loss of traction, changes work quickly without abruptness, except the epicyclic the Lexus, which directly does not change gears, because it has. The relationship between weight and power is similar in the three Germans and worse in the Jaguar because it is heavier even being the only aluminum. The better your relationship is the Lexus, which is the most powerful.

These laboratory in real life are difficult to distinguish, unless you go down faster and you immediately mountains in the slowest. If the weight and how to distribute seen, something that will come out when talking about behavior. The mechanical touch is generally good. I really like the overall refinement of Audi, BMW and Mercedes, although the latter sounds somewhat cold. The Jaguar has a cold start less stimulating and is the most vibrations transmitted to the passenger compartment. The Lexus is able to move from a wonderful extreme silence an unusual sound engine acceleration, since the transmission emulates a drive and keeps the engine in its optimum point during acceleration, giving the feeling of going “butt ” all the time. To cover this Lexus simulate through the speakers the sound of a V8 engine when we mode Sport; It has its grace and fulfills its mission, although note that it is artificial and does not go rhythmically with what’s going on under the hood.

Very little, especially compared with the benefits they have. The least consumed in any situation is the Mercedes. The Lexus, if a city or very relaxed driving is done, can consume less, but when you are required by road spend more than their rivals. It is also extraordinary spending Audi is nothing wrong BMW. Both modes feature “green” driving that contribute to lower consumption, while efficiently Audi seems better tuned as their driving “sailing” acts for longer and occasions. If we make a link between performance and consumption we see A4, 3 Series and, especially, Class C dominate the situation, while the IS is defended with more than enough dignity, especially in town, and the XE fails to reach the level of its rivals less bright data. Start all carry system&Stop, implicit in the Lexus hybrid system which is wonderful, excellent in Audi, BMW and Mercedes, and less worker at Jaguar, acting too slowly and some abruptness.

BMW 320d front Audi A4 2.0 TDI, 2.0D Jaguar XE, Lexus IS 300h and Mercedes C 220D: Behavior

It is nice to see how even though electronic aids and the excellent quality of racks that have these five cars, they are able to express a personal and different character, so everyone will have their audience. Regarding comfort would not know what to stay. All are relatively comfortable in the rough bump, barely swaying their bodies and convey strength when required both on road and motorway without thereby has an excessively hard damping. If you are looking for the perfect ride comfort you have to look at the vibrations, sound or quality of the interior, because what behavior I can not fault any of them. Then the silence of the Lexus when he is not required is above the rest, Although all three Germans will not disappoint. Nothing bad is the dynamic comfort Jaguar engine feels even more than the rest. Electronic aids all have work safely. In BMW, Mercedes or Jaguar you virtually no whole that there are, as involved with discretion. In the Audi you feel more like short traction control its variable differential when there are excesses, partly because it is the only front-wheel drive and everything comes more hands. I do not see a negative since it only comes up in sporty driving, but remains something of pleasure. In the Lexus aid involved more than elsewhere, especially to secure the rear. Work is good, so I see no negative.

All go where you ask them. If I look natural stability, without help, I find five completely different cars. The BMW is the most rational, with a successful tuning looking for understeer to make it more stable in the limit, nothing to do with the “Derrapadora” philosophy of the old 3 Series. This tendency to drop the front rather than the back makes him extremely easy to drive, safe and effective. It may not be the paradigm of “Sheer Driving Pleasure” but eventually gets you faster and more easily than others. The Mercedes would be closer to the previous slogan BMW, with a driving sensations transmits more propulsion. Given the choice, with the heart I like the Mercedes, BMW head, which certainly shows in this comparative tire with less than the rest can do things very well. In any case the difference is a matter of nuances and personal tastes, no safety or effectiveness. This time the Class C would have done better if not for this unit had tires with different wear on both trains, a shame not being able to establish the real difference between the two.

The Audi A4 does everything well. Without being the lightest is the most sense of lightness conveys, perhaps calibrating your direction and exhibiting driveability. A priori you could easily say that is even better than the BMW, but then in special tests in the INTA data gets worse because of its worst weight distribution and electronics more conservative security that puts the fun. The Jaguar liked it slows their behavior and well. It is the most fun and the biggest sporting sensations transmitted. It is the only one of which is capable of breaking the bond-based accelerator, and that has its audience. ZF takes the same change to the BMW but with a sharper point made in sporty driving. It is clear that Jaguar have opted for sportsmanship. Lexus unveiled a very effective behavior. Without aid it escapes the back support when the throttle is lifted, as if it were a front; the extra weight of the batteries placed behind the rear axle is responsible. Oversteer This trend helps in testing Alce and Slalom, but it becomes a little demanding. With the aid made it I find the best chassis comparison, without them it becomes demanding, not dangerous.

BMW 320d front Audi A4 2.0 TDI, 2.0D Jaguar XE, Lexus IS 300h and Mercedes C 220D: Interior

Front space is good at all. The interior of the Audi denotes that it is also the largest outside. It offers the largest luggage compartment and the best comparative space. BMW has the best rear seats and behind him would put the Mercedes and Lexus, with a similar space. The Jaguar has no bad longitudinal width or height but has to pay the price of lower height, not all passengers reprove, especially in the central square that rises much his stool; It is the comparative four-seater. The Audi feels the same, but leaves more space for the foot. The rest also has a bulky but with better design center tunnel. There are good fits and materials in the three Germans. Lexus has its own style, but always with quality. I found the Jaguar in this unit some crunches dashboard and the Head Up Display poorly defined and slightly rotated information, details that we saw in the pre-series of the international presentation units and they said it would correct. Overall the level is very high. If you’re scoring in all sections you come to the conclusion that in this category the most complete car is the BMW, with its two German rivals close. The Mercedes with air suspension (and wheels in better condition) may have done things better, but would become even more expensive. The Jaguar has very good details but lacks some balance, while the Lexus shows that there is not only a path to success.

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