Hyundai Genesis G80

THe 2021 Lexus ES is a sedate offering in a segment dominated by legitimate sports sedans. It delivers what some luxury car buyers are looking for in terms of comfort, ride quality, and effortless cruising capability. Three powertrains are offered: A V-6 engine with 302-hp, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with all-wheel drive, or a hybrid setup that delivers fantastic fuel economy. As for luxury, the ES's cabin is a wonderful space that's lined with fine materials, supportive seats, and plenty of technology features and connectivity options. What's the downside? For the price of an entry-level Audi A6 or Mercedes-Benz E-class you can have a wellloaded ES—which makes it an unbeatable value in this highly competitive segment.

Lexus is adding the ES250 to the ES lineup this year, which is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder and comes standard with all-wheel drive. Like Lexus' RX SUV, the ES sedan also receives a Black Line Special Edition package for 2021. Based on the F Sport model, the Black Line package adds black exterior trim, a black lip spoiler, a white interior, and a two-piece matching luggage set from Zero Halliburton. Elsewhere, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is now standard on Ultra Luxury and F Sport models, a new Rich Cream interior color is available, and Lexus's Enform Safety Connect suite of connectivity features—including onboard Wi-Fi— is now standard across the entire range.

The 2021 Lexus ES gives buyers a choice of three powertrains. The ES250 is powered by a 203-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and comes standard with all-wheel drive. All ES350 trims come with a 3.5-liter V-6 that generates 302 horsepower and is governed by an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the front wheels. With all ES350h trims, motivation comes from a hybrid powertrain that provides a net output of 215 horsepower; a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive are standard. The gas-only ES350 sprinted from a standstill to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. The all-wheel drive ES250 and the hybrid ES350h both made the dash in a more leisurely 8.1 and 8.3 seconds, respectively. This Lexus sedan exhibits the composed handling and forgiving ride quality that's cherished by many luxury-car shoppers. For those seeking keener handling, the F Sport trim adds larger wheels and suspension tuning that's more performance oriented. Even with this upgrade, though, the ES is less athletic than competing models such as the BMW 5-series.

With its stylish, asymmetrical dash and high-quality materials, the ES's cabin creates a plush environment for passengers. Both rows offer enough legroom for the long-legged, and the seats provide comfortable support. Notably, the cabin is unfailingly peaceful, even when the ES is being driven at highway speeds. Both gas-only and hybrid models provide 17.0 cubic feet of room in the trunk, and this gives the ES more cargo space than rivals such as the Volvo S90 (14.0 cubic feet) and Acura TLX (14.0 cubic feet). Unfortunately, the ES isn't available with a folding rear seat. This makes it difficult for this Lexus to accommodate outsize cargo.

2021 CHEVROLET MALIBU LT - $22,140. - $33,370.

The 2021 Chevy Malibu has two different turbocharged four-cylinder engines are offered - a 1.5-liter and a more potent 2.0-liter— paired up to either a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) or a nine-speed automatic; front-wheel drive is the only choice.. Touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard but Chevy requires adding option packages to unlock the Malibu's available driver-assistance features—something many of its rivals offer as standard.

The Malibu rolls into the new model year without any substantive updates. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto join the standardfeatures list this year and a Sport Edition appearance package is newly available on the LT trim. The Sport Edition package adds black Chevrolet logos on the grille and trunk lid, a black grille, and 19-inch black wheels. General Motors's new Buckle-to-Drive feature now comes on every Malibu model and requires that the driver's seatbelt is secured before the transmission will shift out of park.

The LT trim comes with more standard features than the lowly L and LS. The LT comes standard with the Malibu's 160-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine—the more powerful 2.0-liter engine is reserved for the top-level Premier—as well as 17-inch wheels, LED taillights, an acoustically laminated windshield, remote engine starting, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable driver's seat. If driverassistance features such as blind-spot monitoring, automated emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist are on your list of must-haves, the Driver Confidence I and Driver Confidence II packages add those features and more.

In terms of EPA fuel-mileage estimates, the Malibu's smallest engine underperforms in comparison to its rivals base powertrains in the Accord and the Toyota Camry. The Malibu's 2.0-liter turbo engine, however, has thoroughly competitive government ratings compared with the optional powerplants in the Honda and Toyota, but we haven't tested its real-world fuel economy. The 1.5-liter turbocharged engine managed a respectable 34 mpg over the course of our 200-mile highway fuel-economy test route.

The Malibu's interior is very comfortable and ergonomically friendly. The cabin has competitive passenger space and options. The Malibu's symmetrical dashboard and the large opening beneath the center stack make the cockpit feel spacious. The front seats have a wide base and supportive side bolsters. The back seat has less legroom than the Honda Accord's back seat, but it still fit adult frames. The Malibu boasts a big trunk with ample carry-on capacity.

Chevy fits every Malibu with its excellent infotainment system that includes many of today's most desirable options -Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. The touchscreen interface is easy to interpret too.