The Six-Figure Luxury Sedan That Now Costs Less Than A New RAV4

9 minutes reading

Wednesday, 19 Aug 2026 12:00 0 4 autotech

That’s quite the title, isn’t it? I don’t think anybody would have suspected that you would be able to cross shop a RAV4 with something along the lines of a Mercedes-Benz S class or BMW 7 Series. Ironically, with the way that the market is heading and has been for a while, quite frankly, at this point, you can absolutely use this kind of money for a used limo.

Why Flagship Sedans Lose 60-Percent Of Their Value In Five Years

2027 Mercedes Maybach S Class front 3/4 shot parked

Mercedes-Benz

Even more ironic, standard sedans don’t even depreciate nearly as fast as their luxury counterparts do, according to Carvetka. Keeping this fact in mind, they also do not perform well for resale value. Flagship sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Audi A8 always have the latest technology.

Why Wealthy Buyers Lease Flagship Sedans Instead Of Keeping Them — And Why That Crashes Resale Values

A rear, left hand-side, quarter shot of a 2023 BMW 7 Series

Take, for example, the BMW 7 Series. The 2026 model has a starting MSRP of $99,000. Like we said, this is already even considerably outdated, as a 2027 model will come with an updated front facia and interior design language. Typically, according to iSeeCars, within the first three years of ownership, these cars will lose 39.9 percent of their value. Then by year five, you’re looking at between 60 and 70 percent. According to Kelley Blue Book, any 2022 example that you look at has already lost 46 percent of its value, which is equivalent to $31,201.

Six Figures New Doesn’t Mean Six Figures Down The Line

So, if you end up doing the math on this whole scenario, you’ll find that something that originally cost $90,000 brand new loses around $41,000, making the full-size luxury sedan cost close to $50,000 effectively. If you go right now and Google, “2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class,” sure, there are some examples that are $60,000 plus, but you’ll find that the majority of them hover right at or below $50,000.

Mileage is, of course, a factor, as is the condition, but it all really comes out to be close to the top-of-the-line current-generation RAV4. The Toyota RAV4 does have a base price of around $30,000, but the GR Sport PHEV model cuts it incredibly close to $50,000, if dealers aren’t already marking them up. But the S-Class isn’t the real bargain here — there’s one model that makes the others look overpriced.

The Audi A8L – A Limo For The Price Of A RAV4

The Audi A8L is quite possibly the biggest steal for money compared to the other three European models on the market currently. The A8L is the long-wheelbase version of what is already considered their flagship sedan, the A8. This longer wheelbase makes it more like a chauffeur’s car than a personal, opulent luxury cruiser.

In 2022, when this thing was new, it had a starting MSRP of $87,595 according to KBB, and that is even before giving it options. We’re mainly looking at the base specification of the A8L and with that comes a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine that makes a meager 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It also has a mild-hybrid system, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and, of course, their patented Quattro all-wheel-drive drivetrain. It gets only 22 miles per gallon combined, and if you’re familiar with the concept of foreshadowing, you know this signals what’s to come with the Audi A8L.

Buy The A8L At Year Three And Let Someone Else Absorb The $52,000 Depreciation

2020 Audi A8 – back 3/4 angle in silver.

The crossover SUV segment is hot. Because of this, they have a much higher resale value than the harder-to-deal-with but premium sedans. While you’re losing 60 percent at the more aggressive end of the prediction for your A8L, the Toyota RAV4 loses only between 25 and 33 percent within the same five-year gap. These are not a typical cross-shop, so if you truly are in the market for a luxury chauffeur-style European limousine, then buying it in the third year at the tail end of the four-year, 50,000-mile warranty is probably going to be your best bet, as the original owner is going to absorb the majority of the depreciation on that vehicle.

What You Truly Get At This Price

What the Audi A8L has over the competition (BMW and Mercedes) is that it seems more technologically advanced than the others in the segment, even though it’s about the same. We are focusing on the base model, and with that you get real leather attached to 22-way heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats, a panoramic sunroof, real wood trim, ambient lighting, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, two 12-inch touchscreen displays, the list could go ad infinitum.

The real treat is in the back seat, as is the case with most of these limos. The rear seat benefits from “relaxation seats” with heated footrests that warm and massage your feet. That alone is worth it. Even cooler is the predictive adaptive suspension that raises the body up three inches in preparation for an impact. Most cars simply maneuver out of the way; this one actually braces itself.

We Know This Is A Strange Cross-Shop

Again, what a wacky way to cross shop. Nobody’s going, “Honey, forget it, let’s buy an A8L!” Then again, who knows, maybe you are! Maybe you don’t want to settle for just the normal or average and instead do not want your typical everyday family hauler. Maybe you’re tired of the boring A-to-B crossover and want something cool and exciting. At this rate, you could even start to cross-shop something like a Toyota Grand Highlander and a Genesis GV70. Who cares? Why not? Most of what this boils down to, though, is reliability, warranty, and the like.

More Luxury Features Than Any Standard SUV

Not only is the Audi A8 going to offer you heated massaging seat rests in the back, but you’re also going to benefit from some pretty robust safety features too. It comes standard with emergency braking, a 360-degree camera, parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control. Of course, Toyota’s suite of safety features is also standard, but there are just a few that Audi has over the Toyota. Not to mention, the extra long wheelbase is going to give you much, much more leg and headroom in the back, even though the trunk space is only 12.5 cubic feet to speak of.

This Isn’t Just An Audi Problem

Profile shot of 2025 BMW 7 Series parked

BMW

So what happened? Why have buyers moved, and what have they moved on to? Besides SUVs, buyers have also moved onto EVs, which is why automakers like BMW were smart to make their 7 Series powertrains swappable with the i7’s fully battery-powered ones. When consumers return their leases, it ends up flooding the used market with people that are so afraid to touch them because they’ve heard of all the horror stories that happen once the warranties expire.

The Real Compromises

Unfortunately, the Audi A8 in general is one of the worst ranked executive class sedans out there. It’s been rife with electrical issues for the past ten years. The data doesn’t lie either, as RepairPal gave it a score of 1.5 out of 5 for a full-size luxury sedan. That’s correct, a 1.5 out of 5. Annually, this is going to cost you around $1,298 if something catastrophic doesn’t happen first and again, according to RepairPal, the severity and frequency of repairs for this flagship go hand in hand.

Maintenance Issues That Explain It All

Like we said, this thing is rife with electrical issues, and it starts with the 48-volt mild hybrid’s electronics. The nifty pre-emptive suspension we mentioned also has costly components that will likely run you thousands of dollars in repair costs. CarEdge estimates that it’ll cost you $10,619 just to repair it within the first ten years of ownership. How do you avoid this? How do you buy any German sedan used? Do a pre-purchase inspection, get all the service records you can, and, most importantly, do yourself a favor and buy an extended warranty.

Who Should Buy This, Then?

Rear 3/4 view of a 2026 Toyota RAV4 Limited

This isn’t meant to totally scare you off. There are plenty out there on the road right now, because these are “cheaper” full-size luxury cars that can offer supreme quiet and comfort. Who these are really made for, though, are those brave enough to stomach the costs of repairs. Maybe a family that has an automotive enthusiast in it. If you want something that’s safe and predictable, then the Toyota RAV4 is all yours. If you want something thrilling on the road and in the shop, then go for the Audi A8L.