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As luxury shoppers turn to crossovers, these sedans remain popular.
There was a time, not all that long ago, when BMW’s lineup was primarily sedans, grouped conveniently by size in small (3-Series), medium (5-Series), and large (7-Series) model ranges. The Mercedes-Benz lineup was similarly configured, with most of the models being sedans.
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Best Selling Luxury Sedans of 2023
Today, the BMW lineup consists of—depending on how you count them—18 individual models, most of which are crossovers. This is true with mainstream makes, too. For years, the Toyota Camry sedan was the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. But, a few years ago, the Toyota RAV4 small crossover took the annual sales crown, and looks positioned to remain in first place for many years to come.
But what of the traditional sedan, specifically the luxury sedan? How well do they sell these days? As seen below, the best-selling luxury sedan in the American market is the Lexus ES, which chalked up more than 41,000 sales in 2023. For comparison, the Lexus RX midsize crossover saw more than 96,000 units moved. And, it’s like that across the luxury-vehicle landscape, crossovers are now handily outselling sedans.
Here we’ll take a look at the five best-selling luxury sedans of 2023. You may be surprised by the relatively low volume numbers—we certainly are. It’s amazing how robust the move away from sedans and into crossovers really is.
Lexus ES
2023 sales: 41,735
2024 Base Price Range: $43,190 – 53,480
While not especially sporty, the midsize ES serves up and a serious dollop of core Lexus virtues, including refinement, room and comfort, and, in hybrid guise, impressive fuel economy. Sadly, AWD is offered only with a normally aspirated 4-cylinder engine, but, the brand’s super-silky 3.5-liter V6 is still available on front-drive models.
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BMW 3-Series
2023 sales: 30,400
2024 Base Price Range: $44,500 – $76,000
With its tidy dimensions and legendary handling prowess, the 3-Series has long been BMW’s spiritual flagship. While still a strong seller, the compact sedan plays second fiddle in the BMW sales-volume department, bested by the compact 4-Series (which includes sedans as well as coupes and convertibles), as well as the X3 and X5 compact and midsize crossovers, respectively.
More BMW news and reviews
Lexus IS
2023 sales: 21,386
2024 Base Price Range: $43,690–60,020
Conceived as competition to the BMW 3-Series, the IS has developed a character all its own, and quietly sells in respectable numbers. Though cramped, and no longer offered with a manual transmission, the IS is steeped in sporty character, and boasts, at the top of the model lineup, serious V8 power. We especially appreciated the tidy cabin, excellent ride and handling balance, and—for the class—reasonable prices.
Test Drive: 2023 Lexus IS 500 F Sport
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2023 sales: 26,192*
2024 Base Price Range: $44,500 – $76,000
Thought Mercedes-Benz sells a smaller, more-affordable A-Class, the more traditional, default rear-drive C-Class is the brand’s best-selling sedan. Available with a range of engines and equipment levels, the C-Class hits a market sweet spot in bother price and prestige. Note: Some C-Class sales reported in this total are coupes. That said, because the take rate on C-Class coupes is reportedly very low, we suspect the sedan would still make this list—possible coming in around 20,000 units.
More Mercedes-Benz news and reviews
BMW 5-Series
2023 sales: 20,859
2024 Base Price Range: $57,900 – $64.900
All the guys this author knows who once drove 5-Series BMWs now drive the X5 midsize crossover. And, I guess I can live with that—the X5 is, in its most-affordable iterations, an amazingly refined and comfortable vehicle. Once the most-popular BMW model, the 5-Series is now outsold by the X5 by a 4-to-1 ratio. The X3 compact crossover is also far more popular than the X5, outselling it roughly 3-to-1.
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