2005 BMW 530i Sport vs. Jaguar S-Type 3.0 vs. Audi A6 3.2 quat

Like you, we frequently encounter disconnects between perception and reality when it comes to the driving experience. More often than not, images of a single car moving briskly down an invigorating stretch of road through breathtaking scenery contrast with what's beyond the windshield--an unrelenting SUV going 10 mph slower than the flow of traffic in the fast lane, driver with cell-phone planted firmly in ear, blocking the forward view. Urges to clip apexes and wind out the engine through each gear are supplanted by slogs through exurbia, where clipping cell-phone text messages and winding out the surround-sound stereo seem like more productive and satisfying activities. We feel your pain.

Today's mid-luxury sport sedans attempt to have it both ways by attending to our desire for an invigorating driving experience and the need to stay comfortable and electronically connected. The execution of that balancing act is what separates the Acura RL, Audi A6 3.2 quattro, BMW 530i, Cadillac STS V6, Infiniti M35, and Jaguar S-Type 3.0. Here's what we found.