The Best Luxury Cars in Australia Right Now

Australia is a better market for luxury cars than most people realise. The roads are mostly uncrowded, the distances are real, and the variety of terrain — city, coast, outback — means a capable car earns its money. Here’s what’s actually worth buying.

Best Luxury Sedan: BMW 5 Series (G60)

The new 5 Series is the best large luxury sedan you can buy. The 520i starts at around $115,000 before on-roads; the M550i xDrive at the top is genuinely fast in a way that doesn’t announce itself. The interior has moved significantly upmarket — the curved display is well-executed, not gimmicky — and the ride quality on Australian roads is excellent.

What to avoid: The base model on steel springs. Spend the money on adaptive suspension.

Best Performance SUV: Porsche Cayenne

The Cayenne remains the benchmark. Twenty-plus years in production and Porsche still hasn’t allowed it to become lazy. The GTS variant hits the sweet spot: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, no hybrid system adding weight, just a fast, beautifully handling SUV that embarrasses much lighter sports cars through a corner.

The Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid is remarkable engineering if you want maximum performance and can live with the complexity. For most buyers, the Cayenne S ($185,000 before options) is the rational choice.

The alternative: The BMW X5 M60i is a genuine competitor and typically available without a waitlist.

Best GT Car: Porsche 911 Carrera

The 911 is the correct answer to almost any question about what sports car to buy. The Carrera 4S — around $295,000 in Australia — is the one to get: wider rear track, PDK, all-wheel drive for wet-weather confidence. It will still be a better car than almost anything produced in 20 years’ time.

If the 911 is out of reach, the Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0 is a smaller, lighter, mid-engine alternative that many drivers consider more rewarding to drive. RRP around $185,000.

Best Electric Luxury Vehicle: BMW iX xDrive50

Range anxiety is real in Australia given our distances, so range matters more here than in Europe. The iX xDrive50 does 630km WLTP — realistically 500km Australian highway — and charges at up to 195kW. The interior is genuinely luxurious: cashmere headliner, Bowers & Wilkins audio, and enough space to cross the Nullarbor in comfort.

The Tesla Model S Plaid is quicker and more tech-forward. The iX is more refined and feels more like a proper luxury car.

What to Know Before Buying

Stamp duty: In NSW, stamp duty on a $200,000 car is around $7,400. Factor this in — it’s a meaningful cost on top of a strong MSRP.

Dealer markups: In the current market, popular models like the Porsche 911 and BMW M cars carry dealer markups of $20,000–50,000+ over RRP. Build a relationship with an AD or consider ordering factory-direct.

Depreciation: Luxury cars depreciate hard in Australia. A 3-year-old certified pre-owned vehicle from a manufacturer program is often 30–40% cheaper than new with full warranty remaining.