What is a Luxury Car?

2022 Maserati Levante

When you hear the word “luxury,” what images come to mind? If you’re anything like most people, you probably turn to thoughts of sumptuous leather, high-end technology, powerful, high-precision engines, and distinguished, sophisticated looks. The term ‘luxury car’ is necessarily subjective—but some brands are rightly known for offering more than the average automaker. What is considered a luxury car today? Although cost and brand name can certainly be important factors, the question is ultimately a matter of image, audience, and advertising.

What Are the Luxury Car Brands?

Brands like Acura and Lexus make some vehicles that start at less than $40,000, while brands like Ford and RAM make trucks that can cost upwards of $70,000—but at the end of the day, Acura and Lexus are considered luxury brands while Ford and RAM are not. You might chalk this up to a matter of historical inertia, since SUVs and trucks were long excluded from consideration as ‘luxury cars’.

What are the luxury car brands that one encounters in this day and age? Even though things have changed, and vehicles from non-luxury brands may be considered luxury vehicles if they meet certain standards, the following brands are best known for producing luxury vehicles:

  • Aston Martin
  • BMW
  • Bentley
  • Rolls-Royce
  • Mercedes-Benz
  • Jaguar
  • Land Rover
  • Ferrari
  • Lincoln
  • Cadillac
  • Volvo
  • Genesis
  • Infiniti
  • Maserati
  • Lexus
  • Acura
  • Audi
  • Porsche
  • Lamborghini

As you can tell from the list above, the luxury label accommodates a lot of variation. After all, there’s a huge difference between the average Acura and the average Rolls-Royce—but both brands tend to go above the standard that’s expected by the average consumer.

Moreover, a vehicle from a non-luxury brand may be considered a luxury vehicle if it offers an above-average suite of amenities, delivering features that are comparable to those you’d find in models made by the brands listed above!

Different Pasadena and Westlake Village-area drivers have different standards for what counts as luxury, but most of the vehicles from these brands carry more weight than the average Honda or the average Chevy.

What is Considered a Luxury Car?

What standards does a vehicle have to meet before it can be considered a luxury car? There are no hard and fast rules, but a is generally considered to be a luxury car if it meets some or all of the following criteria:

  • Materials: Cloth and hard plastics—common in non-luxury autos—should be replaced by synthetic or genuine leather, genuine wood trim, soft-touch finishes, or other innovative and distinctive materials.
  • Technologies: Although many vehicles now offer high-end entertainment systems or advanced safety features, luxury automakers generally roll out these features prior to their non-luxury counterparts. Moreover, luxury vehicles may offer features, like automatic parking assistance, that are not available on lower-end models.
  • Engines: Luxury vehicles may be built with high-precision engines that require more detailed care. They might also require premium gasoline. However, the introduction of turbochargers in many non-luxury vehicles has blurred these lines.
  • Service: Luxury automakers may deliver a branded ownership experience—for example, by providing complimentary roadside assistance or other benefits. The dealerships where you find luxury cars are also more likely to provide benefits and amenities to their service customers.

Virtually all of the models that you can find at your local Rusnak dealership will qualify as luxury vehicles. If you’re searching for particular features or capabilities, you can even tell us exactly what you’re looking for through our vehicle finder service! We’ll go to work to find the luxury car that fits your exact needs.

Find Your Next Luxury Car with Rusnak Auto Group

Ultimately, we Pasadena and Thousand Oaks drivers who really want that luxury feel would be wise to stick with the best of the best—and that’s exactly what you’ll find at the Rusnak dealerships across the region. Interested in learning more about shopping for a luxury vehicle? Explore our car buying tips from home.

 

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267 W Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91105
Rusnak Auto Group 34.146100, -118.156400.