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• Auto123 presents its annual awards in 22 different categories.
• For the Best Luxury Entry-Level or Compact Car of 2023, here are our finalists and winner!
• In the running are the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series (and 4 Series) and Cadillac CT4.
• The three finalists are all purchases that are recommended by the Auto123 team.
Every year, you our readers are kind enough to await with interest Auto123's verdicts in declaring the winners across various vehicle categories. This year, the battles were once again ferocious, with many of the votes very close. There were arguments and maybe a couple of tears.
Nevertheless, at the end of the day, 22 vehicles were declared winners in their category. If you want to know what are recommended buys in the luxury entry-level or compact car segments, here’s what happened this year in this category.
If there's one segment that’s always been popular in the luxury vehicle world, it's that of the compact-sized sedan. This is often the segment that serves as a gateway for consumers into a luxury brand. Auto manufacturers know this and consequently offer cars that are as attractive as possible, all the better to get new owners quickly hooked and build loyalty.
This year, the three models that stood out - the Cadillac CT4, Audi A4 and BMW 3 and 4 Series duo - offer different personalities, in fact they don't appeal to the same buyers. They also deliver experiences punctuated by their own traits, but overall, we can agree that they have one thing in common: they all keep their owners happy.
The youngest player in this category is the Cadillac CT4. Relatively new to the market, the small luxury car has managed to make a name for itself because of its amazing road manners and distinct design. Inside, you'll find a sedan with an inviting driving position and a cocoon meant to spend time in.
At Audi, the reference has always been the A4 sedan and nothing changes in 2023. This model is certainly more low-profile than its BMW rival, but it’s well-known to connoisseurs. The qualities here are abundant, whether it's the excellent build, the flowing ride, the quattro all-wheel drive, or the fact that a wagon version is still in the catalog.
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Finally, with the BMW 3 Series, as well as its 4 Series close cousin, we find a car that has always been cited as the benchmark for driving pleasure in this class. To be honest, this is often THE criterion that makes the difference with buyers. The abundance of variants, as well as the ebullient character of the M3 and M4 proposals, certainly seduced our panel.
And it's the BMW 3 Series that stood out with the most points in our voting system, so it's crowned as the Best luxury entry-level or compact car for 2023.
See also: 2022 BMW M3 Competition xDrive Review: The Ideal M3 for Canada?
See also: 2022 BMW 330e Review: 3,200 km in a 3 Series hybrid, Touring Version, Part 1