NOT LONG AGO

"entry level" luxury sport sedans those costing $30,000 to $40,000 or so were a category of one. The BMW 3-series stood head and fenders above competing pretenders.

But no more. Cadillac, Audi, Infiniti and Lexus have launched worthy competitors. And last spring BMW overhauled the 3-series. Now this is a category where it's hard to choose just one winner, because there isn't a bad car in the bunch.

But this being SmartMoney, choose we must. A key criterion was whether a particular model offers choices among engines, body styles and drivetrains (e.g., all-wheel drive). And we focused our comparison on the base engine, because that's typically the biggest seller. Prices are for 2006 models. Here's how we rank the competitors in this hot category.

Cadillac CTS
Cadillac has a legitimate entry-luxury-sport model here. The driving dynamics of this rear-wheel-drive sedan are very good, and the six-speed manual transmission is nifty. The engine choices are a 2.8-liter V-6 with 210 horsepower and a 3.6-liter V-6 with 255 horses. The base engine with automatic transmission gets 18 mpg in city driving and 27 on the highway, not as good as some others. Base price for 2006: $31,235 (all prices include destination charge).

The CTS is the only car in the group without an all-wheel-drive option. One interior design issue: I accidentally bumped the hood-release button with my knee while driving on an expressway. Move the button, please.

Infiniti G35
The Infiniti takes fourth place with just one engine (a 3.5-liter V-6 with 298 hp with the manual transmission, and 280 horses with the automatic) and two body styles (sedan and coupe), though it offers all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive. With a base price of $31,910, the G35 offers lots of horsepower for the money. Ride and handling aren't as taut as the Audi's or the BMW's. At 18 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway with rear-drive and automatic transmission, fuel economy isn't bad.

The interior materials are much improved over Infiniti models of past years. If you like choices among engines and body styles, look elsewhere. But if you want lots of power per dollar, this is a great pick.

Lexus IS
Lexus finally gets serious about this category and comes in third with a new car and new strategy: performance and technology. The IS 350 has the most horsepower in the class, 306, and a zero-to-60 time of 5.6 seconds, while the IS 250 sports 204 horses. The lineup consists of two rear-wheel-drive sedans, plus an all-wheel-drive version of the IS 250. No convertibles or wagons.

The IS 250 is some 300 pounds heavier than the comparable Audi A4 (3,455 pounds versus 3,142), giving the Lexus a less sporty feel. IS models with automatic transmission feature gear-shift levers on the steering wheel, like Formula One cars. Prices weren't available at press time.

BMW 3-series
The former king is dethroned, but barely. The 3-series offers the most precise ride and handling of the group, long a BMW trademark. And the rear-wheel-drive 3-series offers many variants: sedan, coupe, convertible and "sports wagon," along with two engines and an all-wheel-drive option. The base-model engine in the 325i gets a boost to 215 hp from 184 in the old model, while the 330i engine puts out 255 horses. The standard manual transmission has six speeds instead of five, as before. The base model sports a zero-to-60 time of 6.7 seconds.

But the base price, at $31,595, is higher than the A4's, and options can add lots more. Also, gas mileage with automatic transmission 21 city, 29 highway isn't quite as good.

Audi A4

Audi A4

Base Price: $28,360

Base Engine: 2.0-liter, turbocharged in-line 4-cyl., 200 hp

Ride/Handling:

Int./Ext. Design:

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Overall:

Comments: Peppy and comfortable, with a sumptuous interior.

The SmartMoney Award winner and new category king offers a broad array of choices, including the only front-wheel-drive layout and four-cylinder engine in the class. The 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo puts out a peppy 200 hp and does zero to 60 in 7.1 seconds with the standard six-speed manual. And along with the Lexus IS 250, it offers the best mileage (24 city, 32 highway) in the bunch no small matter nowadays. The 3.2-liter, 255-hp V-6 is optional.

The Avant (station wagon) and Quattro (all-wheel-drive) add to the lineup. All A4 versions provide sumptuous interiors the top of the class. Exterior styling is sporty. The front grille is controversial, but the proportions work.

The A4's ride and handling aren't quite as crisp as those of the BMW 3-series, but they're a little more comfortable. The 2006 base price for the 2-liter, six-speed, front-wheel-drive A4 was the lowest of the group at just $28,360.