Changing gears

The sedan remains firmly on the road, with the top marques introducing variants that check all the right boxes

Changing gears

The sports utility vehicle (SUV) has taken no prisoners in its dominance of world motoring. Smaller crossover-styled models have overtaken hatchbacks as a popular, budget-friendly choice for the everyday driver, while luxury SUVs have found favour with the affluent as the new automotive status symbol.

Between the two opposites, compact and sub-compact SUVs have become the easy choice for individuals and families. So where does that leave the sedan, historically seen as the ultimate aspirational vehicle?

In the early days of the SUV, only a handful of models made up the niche segment among wealthy customers seeking more space and utility (think Land Rover’s Range Rover and Jeep’s Wagoneer). This meant a healthy market dominance for executive and compact executive sedans, targeting the upper-class consumer. In the late 1990s big German players Mercedes-Benz and BMW cottoned on to a rising demand and introduced the start of the first of their luxury SUV series with the M-Class (later rebranded the GLE) and the X5 respectively. In 2002 Porsche launched the Cayenne – a pivotal moment in luxury SUV history – and Audi eventually caught on a few years later and released the Q7. In 2011, sedans, hatchbacks and single-cab bakkies accounted for more than 70% of light vehicle sales in SA, but by 2021 were down to just 50%.

Despite the SUV conquering nearly every motoring segment, the high-end sedan is a sleek slice of car heritage that simply should not die out. In SA, the seemingly final bastion of the compact business sedan is upheld by the very manufacturers that popularised these models – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – with a sprinkling of Japanese refinement and an interesting electric injection from the Chinese, the success of which is yet to be fully decided.

Audi A5
Out of Germany’s ‘big three’, Audi was the first manufacturer to produce a compact executive sedan, introducing the Audi 72 in 1965. A quick series of evolutions led to the B1 Audi 80, which ultimately paved the way for the Audi A4. Based on the Volkswagen Group’s B platform, the A4 is arguably the Ingolstadt-based firm’s most enduring model; steadfast in its sophistication and segment-leading levels of perceived quality over five generations of production. As of July 2024, the A4 ceased to exist as an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, with Audi adopting a new naming policy, seeing all traditional engines receiving an odd number along with updated electrified combustion engines, while even-numbered vehicles were allocated to all-electric models within the product portfolio. Carrying the flame forward for the renowned business sedan is the Audi A5, originally introduced in 2007 as a sportier version of the A4. The A5 came with cabriolet, coupé and ‘sportback’ options, stylistic alternatives to the A4’s saloon and estate designs. Launching late in 2024 to mark the 30th anniversary of the A4, the new Audi A5 is expected in SA come May 2025. Taking styling cues from the e-tron GT, the A5 faces the road with Audi’s signature single-frame grille and OLED headlamps (matrix headlamps and OLED tail lamps are optional). The new A5 sticks to Audi’s clean-cut, minimalist design language and pays homage to the A4 model, which has been generationally understood as an understated, subtle compact executive sedan. The sleek sheer metal and a fastback frame, however, add a sportier, contemporary twist to the latest generation and are stylistically in line with previous A5 models. Audi has not made mention of plans for a two-door coupé version. Inside, customers will benefit from an impressive dual-screen fascia featuring an 11.9-inch digital instrumentation cluster and a 14.5-inch central infotainment system, which runs the latest version of Audi’s MMI software. There is even a 10.9-inch display for the passenger available as an optional extra. According to reports from the A5 launch, the quality of the materials is as high as one would expect of Audi, with ample space in the front and back, a well-sealed cabin and an overall comfortable and refined driving experience. Locally, the A5 will be offered exclusively as a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, with two levels of tune for the front-wheel drive models, a more powerful version featuring Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, and the range-topping 3.0-litre V6 turbo-petrol S5, which makes use of a 48V mild-hybrid system to crank up outputs even further.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class has been a cornerstone in the compact executive car segment since its debut in 1993, succeeding the 190 (W201) series, which debuted in 1982. The current, fifth-generation C-Class was introduced globally in 2021 and has been available in SA since early 2022. While the C-Class has been a staple of executive sophistication for decades, it is a particularly significant vehicle to the SA market, given that is produced locally at the Mercedes-Benz East London plant, which is currently one of only three factories that produce the C-Class globally. With each generation of C-Class, Mercedes has pioneered advancement in design, technology and performance, and the latest model received praise at the time of launch for a technology-focused interior and its all-round performance. While Mercedes is yet to announce an official date for a facelift, an update should be expected soon, given the launch of the aforementioned Audi A5, and the recently face-lifted BMW 3 Series, the marque’s two major rivals in the executive sedan segment. Locally, customers can select between the turbo-petrol-powered C200 or the turbo-diesel-powered C220d, available in either the standard avant-garde trim or the sportier AMG Line. The new sedan is larger overall – longer, wider and lower than its predecessor – with an increase in the wheelbase to add room and enhance passenger comfort. The ICE engines used in the latest C-Class benefit from a 48V electrical system and integrated starter generator to enhance fuel efficiency, which remains a major pull factor in the choice of sedans over larger SUVs, which are generally heavier on petrol.

BMW 3 Series
Completing the family of German-engineered business sedans that have dominated the segment since the 1980s is the beloved BMW 3 Series. The original E21 model debuted in 1975 as a two-door sedan, before the E30 was introduced in multiple body styles in 1982, marking the first-ever diesel-engine, all-wheel-drive 3 Series. Now in its seventh generation, the BMW 3 Series has become the benchmark for performance as a compact executive sedan, known to have consistently set the standard for driver dynamics in its segment. Where the A4 built a reputation for refinement and technology, and the C-Class set the standard for luxury and prestige, the 3 Series’ endearing, enduring quality is a legacy of powerful engines, precise steering and a class-leading balance between agility and luxury. The revamped 3 Series, updated in early 2024, is available in SA in six derivatives – excluding the performance-built M3 competition sedan and M3 Touring, which sit comfortably outside the realm of a compact executive sedan. The 320i and 320d models are powered by 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel engines, respectively, with the diesel offering marginally more power and a healthy extra dose of torque. The 320i M Sport and 320d M Sport represent a higher trim level of both models, while the 330i is available exclusively as an M Sport package, with the same 2.0-litre four-pot engine tuned up to increase peak outputs. Finally, the M340i X Drive tops the extensive range, differentiated mainly by a turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six petrol motor.

Lexus ES
Lexus South Africa confirmed that its RC and LS sedans were discontinued in 2024, while the LC model is on a sabbatical. These three models, all priced at close to or well above R2 million, registered the least sales for the luxury manufacturer in 2023. However, two sedans remain in the portfolio. While the IS is perhaps the more direct rival, at least in dimension, to the A5, 3 Series and C-Class, it sold only 27 vehicles in SA in 2023. The larger, more luxurious Lexus ES found greater favour in the local market, managing 137 units. While Lexus’ ES was unveiled as early as 1989 – based on the iconic Toyota Camry – the mid-size luxury sedan only made its way to SA in 2006. Since then, the local market has seen three generations of the ES, the latest of which is in its seventh generation, and available in SA in three iterations – the entry-level petrol-powered ES 250 EX, the petrol-electric hybrid ES 300h EX and the range-topping ES 300h SE, also a hybrid vehicle. Built with a ‘bold lower, wider and sleeker design’, according to Lexus’ website, the ES range boasts healthy power outputs and, thanks to the hybrid technology on the 300h EX and SE, impressive fuel-efficiency figures. A luxurious interior, comfortable ride quality and commendable build quality sustains the ES as a niche contender in the executive sedan segment.

BYD Seal
Chinese manufacturer BYD Auto made a bold move in 2024 by introducing a compact luxury sedan to the SA market. Where the Germans and Japanese have sustained sales throughout generations in the local market, the Chinese are throwing caution into the wind with the all-electric BYD Seal. Customers can expect two derivatives, the Seal Lux EXT RWD and the LUX Performance AWD, priced at around R1 million. Thanks to the fully electric motors, both models offer massive amounts of power and torque. In typical Chinese style, they are each fitted with two sizeable screens – a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system – and a host of features come as standard; a selling point for many Chinese vehicles across segments, as more established rivals charge a hefty fee for many of these options as extras.

By Oliver Keohane
Images: Courtesy of Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus

JSE MAGAZINE