Sterling 825SL: Classic Luxury Revisited

The Sterling 825SL is the automotive equivalent of finding a dusty bottle of single-malt behind the optics at your local pub and realizing it’s actually brilliant. Most people remember Sterling as the punchline to an ’80s reliability joke, but spend real time with one and the story gets deliciously weird. This Sterling 825SL review isn’t nostalgia goggles; it’s a reassessment of a luxury sedan that dared to zig while everyone else zagged.

Why does this matter right now? Because classic sedans are finally having their moment, while modern luxury cars bury you under touchscreens and subscription seat heaters. I’ve driven dozens of SUVs that cost six figures and feel like white goods, and yet this oddball ’80s luxo-barge still has a soul. That’s why the Sterling 825SL review conversation belongs in 2026 as much as it did in 1988.

Here’s the heresy: I’d rather daily a well-kept Sterling 825SL than a modern base-spec luxury crossover. Yes, really. Before you throw peanuts, let’s talk facts, context, and why this car failed commercially but succeeded philosophically.

Design & First Impressions

The Sterling 825SL looks like an ’80s executive who moisturized and drank green tea. It’s clean, formal, and unapologetically boxy, sitting somewhere between a BMW E32 7 Series and a first-gen Acura Legend. Park it next to a Mercedes-Benz 300E, Lexus LS400, or Jaguar XJ40, and it suddenly makes sense.

Hot take time: this is a better-looking car than most modern luxury sedans bloated by fake vents and angry eyebrows. The proportions are honest, the chrome is restrained, and there’s no design committee shouting “premium cues” every five minutes. It whispers wealth instead of screaming lease deal.

Interior & Tech: Peak Analog Luxury

Slide inside and you’re greeted by acres of wood, leather that’s aged like a good jacket, and buttons you can operate without a PhD. Digital climate screens? Nope. What you get instead is tactile satisfaction and gauges that actually tell you something.

The quirks are legendary, Doug DeMuro-style: seatbelt presenters, trip computers that feel NASA-adjacent for 1988, and door chimes that sound like they were tuned by a classical composer. Compared to a BMW 735i or Mercedes 420SEL, the Sterling felt quietly futuristic without being obnoxious.

Driving Experience: Honda Heart, British Suit

This is where the Sterling 825SL review gets interesting. Under the bonnet sits a Honda-designed V6, which means it starts every morning without the ceremonial prayer required by some British cars of the era. Throttle response isn’t exactly urgent, but it’s smoother than a well-poured Guinness.

At speed, the car settles into a relaxed lope that Chris Harris would describe as “wafty, but controlled.” Steering is light, body roll is present, and yet it’s far more composed than its reputation suggests. Compared to an Acura Legend, it’s softer; compared to a Jaguar XJ40, it’s more reliable.

Fuel Economy & Running Costs

With real-world fuel economy hovering around 20 mpg combined, it’s not thrifty, but it’s honest. Parts availability is better than you’d expect thanks to Honda mechanicals, though trim pieces can feel like hunting Pokémon cards. For EPA-style comparisons, modern equivalents are listed on FuelEconomy.gov.

Here’s the controversial bit: running a sorted Sterling 825SL can be cheaper than maintaining a modern German luxury sedan out of warranty. No over-the-air updates, no subscription nonsense, and no $2,000 sensor hiding behind a bumper.

Practicality in 2026

The boot is enormous, rear legroom is genuinely adult-friendly, and visibility is outstanding because pillars weren’t designed by a bunker architect. I’d take this on a road trip over many modern coupes without hesitation. Safety-wise, you’re dealing with ’80s standards, so check general guidance at NHTSA.

Would I put kids in it daily? Probably not without upgrades. But as a weekend cruiser or commuter with taste, it still works remarkably well.

Value vs Competitors

Today, a clean Sterling 825SL costs starting around $5,000–$8,000, depending on condition. Compare that to an equivalent Lexus LS400 or BMW E32, which now command collector premiums. Even the Acura Legend is creeping upward.

This underdog status is exactly why enthusiasts should care. It’s the same logic discussed in how brand loyalty shapes buying choices, and why forgotten nameplates can offer incredible value.

Sterling 825SL Review: Why It Failed, Why It Matters

The Sterling 825SL review history is brutal: dealer support was weak, British build quality stereotypes stuck, and Lexus arrived like a precision-guided missile. But strip away the badge snobbery and you’re left with a genuinely thoughtful luxury sedan.

It reminds me why old-school engineering still resonates, much like the arguments in why V12 engines refuse to die. This car mattered then, and it still matters now as an antidote to soulless modern luxury.

The Sterling 825SL won’t impress your neighbor, but it will impress you every time you drive it. And honestly, that’s the only approval that matters.