I'd opt Japanese or American before I'd opt European here(*) ...

Acura ... like many "luxury cars" nowadays, they're loaded up with a lot of electronic gadgetry, which you may or may not really care that much for. The TL is off the US Accord platform, the TSX off the European Accord platform. Reliability is a relative term anyways by the reviewer. All-in-all, they are still decent choices, and you're not likely to get a lemon.

Same goes with a Lexus ... ES330 is off a Camry platform, and is much more for comfort over sporty handling. The IS, smaller and a bit cheaper, is the reverse. Both are good bets IMHO.

If you don't mind having the car look like everyone else's on the road, there's still the Camry.

The new Nissan products look good, but their workmanship isn't that good as of lately - it's all their cost cutting methods. New cars shouldn't have squeaks and rattles, and like on the trucks, how long do you think that plastic door handle will last when you can feel it twisting and squeaking when you pull on it?

-- Kane

* - My cousin is on his third Mercedes C320 - the first two were taken back because the dealer couldn't resolve the navigation system (first) and HVAC (second) problems. Another cousin is on his second E320 - had a few minor issues at the beginning, but then the transmission went out at 5k, and the dealer wanted to "keep him happy". None of the three got labeled a lemon, so it's buyer beware on what most likely will end up resold as a "low mileage, certified" car.
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Blossom II - '91 745Ti/M46 ... Bubbles - '74 144GL/BW35 ... Buttercup - '86 245GL/AW70 ... The Wayback Machine - '64 P220/M40