2005-2006 $50K Sport Sedans From Japan Comparison Test

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After years of barking up different trees, recent redesigns of the 2006 Infiniti M45, 2006 Lexus GS 430 and 2005 Acura RL have landed this trio of luxury-laden super sedans at the foot of the same birch.

Not only are all three built in Japan to an unquestionable high level of quality, each packs at least 300 horsepower, an automanual transmission, keyless ignition, an electronic stability system and enough interior volume to haul five Grave Digger fans and their full foam coolers to the monster truck jam. Oh yeah, and all three cost about $50 grand.

But which one should you spend your hard-earned money on? To find out we ordered up one of each and lived in them for one week. We also took them to the track and performed our usual battery of instrumented testing.

And after all that, the winner was clear. Sort of. Meet the cars.

2006 Infiniti M45 Sport
The Infiniti is the hot rod of this group. It has the largest and most powerful engine, the largest wheels and tires, the most powerful brakes, the firmest suspension, and it outaccelerates the others like they're tied to a post. It's also the most entertaining to drive, with a transmission that actually matches revs like a good driver does when downshifting a true manual, and a well-balanced chassis that rewards advanced driving technique.

Our Infiniti M45 Sport was also sportier on the inside than the others, with the firmest and most heavily bolstered seats, a prominently placed tachometer and real aluminum trim instead of the more traditional wood that adorns the interiors of the Lexus and the Acura.

On the downside? Some on staff feel too much tire noise makes it into the Infiniti's interior and its steering isn't as refined as the GS 430's or the Acura's.

2006 Lexus GS 430
The Lexus carries a base price of $51,125, which makes it almost $2 grand more than the others. But that extra expense is more than justified by traditional Lexus attention to detail and sweet workmanship. The GS 430 is built like a fine watch and runs just as smoothly. Its interior is a wonderful mix of fine leather, rich wood and simplistic design. Its forms may not be as artful as the other two, but the materials used and its ergonomics are far superior.

With 300 hp from its 4.3-liter V8 and the only six-speed transmission of the group, the Lexus performs as well. It accelerates hard enough to push you back into the seat, and leaves the equally powerful Acura in the dust. Its suspension, which can be adjusted firmer with a switch on the console, is also tuned to near perfection, delivering a supple highway ride and athletic reflexes.

Flaws are limited to very grabby brakes, which make it hard to stop smoothly, and a very aggressive stability control system, which cannot be shut down.

2005 Acura RL
The Acura's story is value. For the as-tested price of $49,470, the RL comes with such luxuries as a navigation system with voice-command capability, satellite radio, a power sunroof, a power rear sunshade and a premium 10-speaker audio system, all of which cost extra on the Infiniti and the Lexus. And it's the only car in this test with all-wheel drive (the Lexus and Infiniti are rear-wheel drive).

The Acura is quick, and it can be surprisingly fun to toss around, but it's just not as focused on performance as the other two. It's powered by the only V6 engine in the test, and it doesn't have as much grunt off the line as the V8s in the other cars. It also doesn't handle as well as the others despite its all-wheel drive, and its brakes are the most easily overheated.

Some also feel the Acura's interior materials and décor aren't up to the RL's $50,000 price tag, and its seats, which are the softest and least bolstered of the bunch, just aren't sporty enough for a sport sedan.

Lexus Wins a Close One
Here's the reality: Anyone from Tony Stewart to Martha Stewart would be happy owning any one of these three cars. They're all that good.

So good, that after all our driving, after all our note taking and score keeping and track testing and long-winded discussions about cupholders and trailing-throttle oversteer and rear-seat legroom, all three finished within four points of each other. Four points out of 100.

Basically, for all intents and purposes, it was a tie.

Still, on paper, it's the Lexus that comes out on top. Its combination of performance, luxury and astonishing attention to detail cannot be ignored. It's a car worthy of its price premium over the others, and it's a car anyone would be proud to own. But the Acura RL has run a very close second, very close, and the Infiniti M45 Sport a close third.