10 Most Reliable Luxury Cars

We’re going to have fun with these 10 most reliable luxury cars. You see, reliability doesn’t have to be dull. Nor does it have to mean listing the whole Lexus lineup. After all, pretty much every new car is reliable these days. It’s just a question of degree. Naturally, Japanese manufacturers have a strong presence here, but there are a couple of surprises.

We’ve consulted reliability data from reputable sources that carry out their own testing and/or collate information from actual owners. We’ve also made some safe bets we’d be happy to back up with our own money. Let’s go dependably where no tow truck has gone before.

This premium compact sedan is made by Honda’s luxury division. A starting price of $26,895 is low, but don’t expect reliability to be anything but high. Updated for 2019, the ILX now looks like it belongs in the same stable as the pricier TLX and RLX sedans. It also comes with a suite of driver assistance features as standard.

From a power point of view, the ILX is no thrill machine, but making 201 horsepower from a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter engine isn’t putting great stress on any parts. In the cabin, meanwhile, there’s a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat to provide comfort and support on those long, worry-free drives.

Admittedly, the Audi A4 premium compact sedan is dependable, but there are going to be enough sensible four-door cars in this list. The TT is a compact coupe or convertible that uses the same tried and trusted turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in many Audi and Volkswagen vehicles. In this car, it delivers a brisk 228 horsepower.

Every TT has the Quattro all-wheel drive system found in plenty of other Audi products. So all the car’s major components have millions of miles of research, development, and feedback. They’re just bundled here into an entertaining and aesthetically daring package. The 2019 TT coupe starts at around $46,000 and has plenty of luxury items as standard equipment.

We’ve long considered a 5 Series to be among the absolute best cars. It’s big enough to be accommodating and luxurious, offers superb engines, has a chassis that’s simultaneously controlled and comfortable, and comes with some cool technology. This mid-size sedan isn’t extravagantly luxurious, but that’s another aspect working in its favor.

For the 2019 model year, the 5 Series gains some standard driver-assistance features (such as automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and a lane-departure alert) that were previously optional. To this long list of attributes, add reliability. The current generation, which debuted for 2017, has a reliability rating of 4.5 stars out of five. The 2019 5 Series starts at $54,395 for the 248-hp 530i.

Putting the G70 premium compact sedan in our list of 10 most reliable luxury cars is a slight gamble, since it’s a brand-new product and has yet to stand the test of time. But it’s from Hyundai, a company that’s no slouch in building vehicles that just seem to go on and on.

The Genesis brand’s larger G80 and G90 cars could also qualify for inclusion in this article, but we have a particular fondness for the G70. It’s the first all-new creation from Genesis (the other two are updated Hyundai models) and it’s completely convincing as a luxury car, as well as providing a lot of excellent standard and safety equipment for the price, which begins at $35,895 for the 252-hp version.

During the course of our research for reliable premium cars, the Q70 kept cropping up. By luxury sedan standards, it’s getting somewhat old now, having been around since 2014. But it has a special ingredient not many rivals can offer: a 5.6-liter V8.

This fantastic beast makes 420 hp and 417 lb-ft of torque, which may not seem that impressive in theory, but it delivers its muscle in an exciting manner. The entry-level Q70 has a 3.7-liter V6 developing a perfectly respectable and acceptable 330 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. Infiniti has increased the amount of standard equipment in the 2019 Q70 range, so there’s still plenty of interest for a starting price of $51,295.

Yes, here’s a brand-new Kia model in a lineup of 10 most reliable luxury cars. We have good reasons. Firstly, the Stinger GT has a premium amount of power (365 hp). And premium handling abilities. It also has premium looks and cabin. Plus a premium starting price: $40,295 for the rear-drive model (Kia also offers all-wheel drive).

The Stinger shares a platform with the Genesis G70. We’re expecting it to be reliable because it’s 2019 and cars, from the Far East in particular, have this area pretty well covered. It might take a shift in perception to see a Kia product in this way, but drive the Stinger GT and that change will happen pretty fast.

Of course there’s a Lexus in our piece. This marque has a reputation for build quality, reliability, and resale values that other companies envy. Ultimately, it wouldn’t matter which Lexus we’d include, since they all reach the same lofty standards. The ES mid-size sedan, however, is the least expensive method of owning a new Lexus sedan, starting at $40,695 for the ES 350.

A new ES generation debuts for this year, blending the previous renown for deep comfort with some new-found driver engagement. The ES 300h hybrid starts at $42,405, and if there’s one company that has made hybrid technology so dependable that we take it for granted, it’s Lexus/Toyota.

Like the BMW 5 Series, the E-Class is another of the best cars around, for most of the same reasons. Where the E-Class has an advantage is that its range stretches from a convertible to a station wagon. So lovers of different body styles can enjoy the luxury and technology of an E-Class, which is often cited as one of the most reliable Mercedes-Benz models.

Let’s remember that Mercedes-Benz has been a top-class automobile manufacturer for more than 100 years. As an indication of how similar the current E-Class is to the 5 Series, the 2019 E 300 sedan has 241 hp and starts at $54,495.

Porsche’s motorsport heritage is virtually untouchable. Over the years, the company’s iconic sports car has been a principal beneficiary of hard-won expertise and engineering brilliance. There’s a well-worn phrase in motorsport that goes, “to finish first, first you have to finish.” That means reliability is more important than speed. Especially when it’s the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Porsche has won many times.

In the 20th century, exotic sports cars were seen as fabulous but temperamental. The 911 was never one of those. Fabulous, yes. But as dependable as the sunrise. The 911 is one of the few cars whose values go up over time instead of depreciating. That wouldn’t happen if it couldn’t be relied upon.

Apart from topping and tailing the same list with one of the cheapest and one of the most expensive luxury conveyances, and having Rolls-Royce and Kia in the same article, the Phantom deserves its place on this rundown of 10 most reliable luxury cars.

So much attention to detail goes into every single RR component that the company even has a motto/mission statement/policy that Rolls-Royce cars never break down. Never. We’re now into the second generation of Phantom and the first wave had a great reputation for reliability. Should one’s Roller decline to make progress, the company could no doubt dispatch a small brigade of technicians to rectify matters. When your ride costs upwards of $450,000, we think that’s only fair.