According to their price ranges, both Volvo and Audi are purchased by upper middle-class consumers. Both of these brands make luxury and premium cars. Audis are generally way more expensive than Volvos; however, Audi’s standard models cost similarly to Volvo’s.
Yet, the prices increase exponentially as the Audi models get more high-end with vehicles like the A8 or R8. Nevertheless, both Audi and Volvo are affordable for upper-middle-class people earning around $100,000 to $400,000 annually.
Audi: Sporty and performance driven
Audi is a performance brand and part of Volkswagen Motors. It is a German brand famous for its futuristic interiors and exteriors. Audi cars have a unique exterior with their sportscar look. Audi has a big lineup of cars, from small SUVs to high-performance sports cars.
The price of the Audi Q3, which is a compact SUV, is reasonably-priced around $35,000. At the same time, Audi has other more luxurious sedans and sports cars which can cost up to $150,000. The most expensive Audi is the 2021 R8 Spyder. Audi highly focuses on performance, that’s why there is always a sporty high-performance model for every vehicle.
Design
Audi is famous for its sleek, sporty-looking designs. The cars have a certain innovative look which attracts lots of people. Even the logo is famous for its design. The aerodynamics also helps in better performance.
Interior
The interiors of Audis are matchless in the car world. They put a high effort into their interiors and they’re a really famous feature of Audi cars. Audis are as beautiful inside as they are on the outside. The interior designs are set to give maximum luxury feelings to their customers.
Performance
Audi puts special effort into the high performance and speed of their cars. Audi also offers many sports models for their cars. They also produce supercars which have won many races. The Audi S8 gives an output of around 563 horsepower with 590 lb-ft torque.
Audi also makes electric cars like the Audi RS e-tron GT which produces 637 hp and can run as fast as 0 to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. These numbers are exceptional, and they are some of the fastest cars in their categories in the world. However, they are priced to match their speed.
Volvo: Safety first
Volvo is a Swedish auto brand that focuses on luxury cars with extreme safety features. They put in their efforts so that no one faces any extreme conditions in their cars. They are also famous for their reliability and durability because of their long-lasting qualities. The cars are made to endure every kind of weather and condition.
The luxury that Volvo provides in their price range is comparable to much more expensive cars. The famous minimalistic interior design is a trademark feature of Volvo. Volvo also has good performance cars in a few categories, but they are primarily considered to be safe family-friendly cars.
Safety
Famous and renowned for its safety features, Volvo takes pride in this field. Most of the marketing done by Volvo revolves around safety features, and they are surely the best in the world. Volvo also invented some safety features like inflatable curtains and three-point seatbelts.
Crash management in Volvos is also top-notch. Volvo even has its own crash safety facility where they test their cars on a daily basis. The cars are processed through tough tests and collisions. The tests are done on every side of the car to ensure the safety of their drivers and passengers.
Reliability
Volvo is famous for its durability and dependability. They are known for their consistency. The quality of every part and engine is usually good enough to lead to the car lasting more than 20 years. They also have a good resale value. Volvo is also better in reliability than its other European rivals like Mercedes and Audi.
The oldest still running car in the Guinness Book of World Records is also a Volvo. Volvo usually has much better scores in terms of luxury cars. Normally, luxury cars don’t have very good reliability scores due to the premium quality features and complex systems, but Volvo is an exception.
Affordability
The affordability of luxury cars is a pretty rare thing. Volvo is the only brand that provides true luxury interiors and exteriors at much lower prices than other luxury brands. It’s a general fact that no car manufacturer gives true luxury features in the $30,000 to $40,000 price range, but Volvo gives the maximum quality features with the best safety systems.
Volvo vs. Audi
Audi performance cars are much faster than Volvos. There are some Volvo cars that can be compared with Audi cars, yet in each one of them, Audi wins the battle in terms of high performance and speed. However, if we look at the reliability and safety scores, then Volvo is way ahead of Audi.
The prices of Audi are much higher than Volvo if we look at the premium Audi models. There are even some standard Audi models like the Audi A8, that are way more expensive than the most expensive Volvo car. So, both cars are affordable for the upper-middle class, but Volvo is much cheaper and can be also be afforded by middle class consumers.
FAQ
What is a luxury vehicle?
Luxury cars are those which provide maximum comfort with the most futuristic and sleek design on the outside. The seats are always the best in these luxury cars with features like heated seats included in almost in every luxury car. Luxury cars are also the best performance-wise. They mostly focus on faster engines with better acceleration.
Some luxury car brands are:
- Porsche
- Rolls Royce
- Volvo
- Audi
- BMW
- Mercedes
- Tesla
What are some affordable cars for the lower-middle-class in the US?
Having a car is a basic need nowadays. Buying a new car is expensive, but if you buy an old car, it sometimes ends up costing you way more in repair bills. Generally, major repairs start to appear after the car is 5 years old.
There are some affordable good family cars, including:
- Chevrolet Spark LS – costs around $15,695
- Kia Rio LX – costs around $17,045
- Hyundai Accent SE – costs around $17,500
- Mitsubishi Mirage G4 ES – costs around $17,590
- Nissan Versa S – costs around $17,600
Is buying a luxury vehicle cost-efficient?
Luxury cars often have many new features, and they use new technology that is complex to repair. The higher the technology usage, the higher there are chances to experience malfunction. Maintaining a luxury vehicle is an expensive task. However, the features and safety that luxury cars provide are matchless.