Top Five Most Favourite Sedans Of The UAE – Part II
In the last article, I talked about UAE’s five most favourite sedans from Asian manufacturers. This time, we’re moving up north to find out which European sedans have a great fan base in the Middle East. Here they are, in no particular order.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The three-pointed star has long been associated with luxury. In modern times, the star can be seen resting proudly on cars that also possess excellent dynamics and performance. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is one of the German firm’s most popular vehicles worldwide. In fact, Merc cashed in on the demand for the sedan and created many sub-variants based off it. You can have a C-Class in sedan, cabriolet, and coupe form as well as formidable AMG performance versions of both. This sedan puts luxury first but does not skimp on power and handling while at it.
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class starts from AED 190,100 for the base C 180 trim, going all the way to AED 475,000 for the fearsome Mercedes-AMG C63 S.
BMW 3-Series
The 3-Series is a historic nameplate for BMW that has seen multiple generations. Each new generation of the BMW 3-Series is a substantial step ahead over the previous one. The Munich-based automaker recently unveiled a brand-new generation of the compact luxury sedan. The G20 3-Series scores well on luxury and performance fronts but excels when it comes to dynamics. This is what BMW is known for: one of the best-handling cars on the planet.
The 2018 BMW 3-Series can be yours starting from AED 157,900 for the 318i trim, while the fully loaded four-wheel-drive 340i X-Drive variant comes in at AED 330,100.
Audi A4
So you want luxury as well as capability, but both of the attributes should be equally added to a car. Look no further than Audi. This is the third German manufacturer in the list, but the Krauts are just that good. The Audi A4 has a subtle, mature design that does not stand out too much. To the expert eye, the design comes across as the perfect mix of sporty and executive. And who can forget the pioneering lighting technology on all Audi cars? This is the company that made LED DRLs a standard fitment to all its cars decades ago. The world is busy catching up just now.
If innovative, fancy lighting does not float your boat, Audi is also synonymous with Quattro. This race-proven four-wheel-drive system makes Audis heavier than their peers but ensures maximum, reassuring grip in any situation at any speeds. In the interior department, Audi stands out by a mile with its thoughtful and intuitive layout. Everything just falls naturally where you feel it should be.
The 2018 Audi A4 30 TFSI is priced at AED 159,400 with the Quattro-driven 45 TFSI trim has an AED 191,000 price tag.
Jaguar XE
I am not entirely sure where England’s at with Brexit, but for now the Jaguar XE does qualify as a Euro sedan. For a change, it’s not a German car. It’s a refreshing alternative to the sedate styling of the previously mentioned German sedans.
Jaguar has a knack of making its bread-and-butter cars like the XE and XF look like exotic sports cars. That’s not to say the XE is not sporty. In fact, the British automaker had announced a limited-edition production of the fastest road-legal four-door saloon ever which is none other than the XE SV Project 8. None of its peers holds a candle (or a spark plug?) to it on the Nürburgring.
Over the capable chassis lies a true executive sedan with sumptuous interiors, creature comforts, and stand-out looks. Prices for the 2018 Jaguar XE start at AED 185,650 for the “Pure” trim, while the high-end “S” version is priced at AED 259,800.
Volvo S60
From the extreme west, we move even further north to the frigid reaches of Sweden, where Volvo has been making some spectacular cars since years together. Yes, this firm doesn’t just do wagons. The Scandinavian firm’s entry-level sedan is the S60. Let me assure you, “entry-level” does not necessarily mean basic. At least not with the S60. This sedan is so tastefully designed that it is hard to find fault with how it looks. The Thor-hammer headlamps, uncluttered profile, and signature Volvo taillamps come together to make for a classy, handsome sedan.
On the inside, Volvo’s signature cascading centre console takes centre stage and sets the tone for the luxurious interiors. The minimalist theme apparent throughout the cabin ties in well with the exterior. In fact, it’s interesting to see how Volvo has managed to do so much with very little.
The 2018 Volvo S60 R-Design costs AED 131,000. The Swedish company is bringing the Polestar performance model to the UAE market, but details on it will be available soon.
That rounds up the five most popular European sedans in the UAE. Do you think any other car deserves to be on this list? Feel free to let us know in the comments.