The Audi A4 looks good, and the interior and comfort are, hands down, the best in the class.

But for a combination of ride and handling, the Merc C-Class is exceptional. Sharp-ish handling, very very good ride, nice transmissions. Interior plastic quality is a little so-so, but not something you'll bemoan if this is your first Euro car.

The BMW 3-series is a bit spartan, but it definitely handles better than the others. The steering and handling are better than the C-Class, the 2.0 diesel is rorty, and the car feels exceptionally solid. Unfortunately, unless you're willing to replace the run-flats with ordinary non-run-flat tires, the ride is very harsh over debris and potholes... little pebbles will feel like boulders.

The BMW 520d... hmmm... lots of space, and the engine is just big enough to motorvate the car (haven't tested it against the clock, but it feels like it can do 0-100 km/h in just 9 seconds) and having an ultra-light engine in front on a mid-sized car gives it very entertaining (read: tail-happy) handling if you really throw it around. But it's still safe and secure in handling, as most BMWs are.