In association with MotorEasy
What Car? Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable luxury cars
In our annual Reliability Survey, we ask readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here we list the most and least reliable luxury cars in the UK...
When you think of a luxury car, you're likely to picture a vehicle with plenty of power, a glassy ride and a hushed interior that's clad in top-quality materials.
However, that feeling of opulence could turn rather sour if your expensive motor leaves you stranded by the roadside. For some unlucky luxury car owners, this could become reality because this type of car has a rather patchy record for reliability, with some models proving exceptionally robust and others decidedly flaky.
In this year's What Car? Reliability Survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, the average luxury car score was 92.3%, which is a little higher than last year, but it's still the fifth lowest scoring of our 11 different car classes. However, there are still some strong performers, such as the 2016-2022 Lexus RX, which has been the highest scoring car in this class for the past two years.
That said, the fault rate for luxury cars is pretty high at 24%, with bodywork and electrical issues the main bugbears.
This article looks at the reliability of cars aged up to five years old, for information on older vehicles please read our Most reliable used cars feature.
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Most reliable luxury car
1. Lexus RX (2016-2022)
Reliability rating 97.9%
Most common faults: Bodywork 7%, air-con 4%, non-engine electrics 4%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 100% one day or less
The RX is the highest-scoring luxury model for the second consecutive year, beating models from other premium brands when it comes to dependability. A mere 7% of the RXs owners told us about had any gremlins, with air-con, bodywork and non-engine electrics the trouble spots.
None of the problems reported appear to have been too serious; all affected cars could still be driven, and no car took longer than a day to fix. Even though this generation of the RX is now outside of the brand’s standard three-year new car warranty, no owner paid anything towards repairs.
Owner’s view: “The best aspects of my RX are the quality and reliability of every aspect of the car.”
2. BMW X5 petrol / PHEV (2018-present)
Reliability rating 96.2%
Most common faults: Gearbox 7%, bodywork 3%, engine 3%, exhaust 3%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 57% one day or less, 28% one day to a week
Pick a petrol or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model if you want a hassle-free X5. Examples with these types of engine suffer half the faults of diesel models, and their defects tend to be dealt with more quickly. Fourteen percent of petrol and PHEV X5s went wrong, compared with 40% of diesels, and 57% were repaired in a day or less; only 11% of diesels were.
Problem areas for petrol-engined X5s include the bodywork, engine and gearbox. No X5 owners were troubled by repair bills, though, because BMW covered 100% of repairs for petrol, diesel and PHEV models.
3. Range Rover Sport (2014-2022)
Reliability rating 94.9%
Most common faults: Brakes 9%, bodywork 7%, engine 5%, sat-nav/infotainment 5%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 79% less than a day, 14% one day to a week
The previous-generation Range Rover Sport is the top-scoring Land Rover model for reliability. Its rating is 13% better than that of the Discovery Sport, and it gains a marginally higher rating than the current Range Rover Sport.
Its fault rate is a relatively high 28%, with bodywork, brakes, engine and infotainment being the main problem areas. However, 78% were put right in a day or less and only 7% of cars were garage-bound for more than a week. In spite of the model’s advancing years, no owners were asked to contribute to the cost of repairs.
4. Land Rover Defender (2020-present)
Reliability rating 94.6%
Most common faults: Engine 5%, sat-nav/infotainment system 5%, non-engine electrics 3%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 41% less than a day, 53% more than a week
Although Land Rover still sits towards the bottom end of our brand reliability chart - in 26th place out of 30 car makes - it has upped its game over the past year. The Defender is its second-highest scoring model, after the 2014-2022 Range Rover Sport, with an impressive rating of 94.6%.
Defender owners told us that 22% of their cars had a glitch, most either affected the engine or various electrical systems. Most issues were minor - only 17% of cars couldn't be driven and nearly half of their issues were put right in a day or less. The other half did take more than a week, though. Even though older Defender models will be outside the new car warranty period, it's great to see that Land Rover paid for all repairs.
Reliability rating 94.2%
Most common faults: Hybrid battery pack 5%, exhaust 5%, non-engine electrics 5%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 100% more than a week
The latest Range Rover Sport provides a great combination of driving comfort, premium quality materials and superb off-road credentials. Although it isn't quite as rugged as its predecessor, it's still a fairly good bet if you're after a luxurious SUV.
Only 16% of the examples reported on in our survey had any hiccoughs, and while all were fixed for free, getting things put right was a lengthy process - all the cars we were told about spent more than a week in the workshop. It's also a concern that their faults rendered all of those cars undriveable.
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6. Range Rover (2013-2022)
Reliability rating 94.1%
Most common faults: Bodywork 13%, non-engine electrics 13%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 25% less than a day, 25% one day to a week, 50% more than a week
For many people, the Range Rover is the most desirable luxury SUV. It's a supremely comfortable and refined machine, and it's relatively frugal if you go for the V6 petrol engine.
It does suffer with a lot of faults, though: owners told us that 27% of their cars went wrong. Getting things put right could be slow - half of the affected cars were out of action for more than a week and only a quarter were fixed in a day or less. That said, three-quarters of cars could still be driven, and all were fixed for free by Land Rover.
7. Volvo XC90 (2015-present)
Reliability rating 90.9%
Most common faults: Sat-nav/infotainment 14%, interior trim 7%, bodywork 4%, exhaust 4%, non-engine electrics 4%
Average repair cost: 90% £0, 10% £751-£1000
Typical time off road: 60% more than a week, 20% less than one day
The XC90 comes with seven seats as standard, and it's one of the largest and most practical luxury SUVs. It's also more affordable to buy than rivals, such as the BMW X7.
According to our data, the XC90 has suffered a high proportion of faults - owners told us that 29% of their cars had an issue. Although 90% of faulty cars could still be driven, nearly two-thirds of them were in the garage for more than seven days. While most (90%) of fixes were covered by Volvo, the remaining 10% of owners had to find up to £1000 to get their cars put right.
8. BMW X5 diesel (2018-present)
Reliability rating 87.2%
Most common faults: Bodywork 16%, exhaust 16%, engine 8%, engine electrics 4%, interior trim 4%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 39% one day to a week, 50% more than a week
The X5 is the model that kicked off the fashion for sporty SUVs that drive more like saloons than off-roaders to drive. Now in its fourth generation, the X5 is still one of the best luxury SUVs to drive, and it comes in a frugal PHEV version that's officially capable of doing 62 miles on pure electric power. Diesel options are still available, but they are proving far more problematic than the petrol and PHEV ones.
Forty percent of the X5 diesel owners who reported on their cars said there had been a problem - petrol and PHEV examples only went wrong in 16% of instances. The good news is that only 5% of faulty cars were rendered undriveable by their issues, and BMW covered the cost of all remedial work. Not such good news is that only 11% were fixed in 24 hours or less - just over a third took up to a week and half took more than seven days.
9. Mercedes EQC (2019-2024)
Reliability rating 86.5%
Most common faults: EV battery pack 17%, motor electrics 12%, bodywork 6%, interior trim 6%, non-engine electrics 7%, sat-nav/infotainment system 6%, suspension 6%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 50% one day to a week, 40% more than a week
Now discontinued, the EQC was the first pure electric-only model to be built by Mercedes. It's a supremely quiet luxury SUV with plenty of power, but its real-world range of 208 miles isn't as good as rivals, such as the Jaguar I-Pace.
Reliability isn't top-notch either. Nearly a quarter (24%) of the cars we heard about had a problem, and a third of them couldn't be driven. Worryingly, it's the electric battery pack and motor that caused the most headaches. Getting things put right wasn't fast - half of the affected cars were out of action for up to a week and 40% were off the road for even longer. At least Mercedes paid for all fixes, though.
Reliability rating 86.0%
Most common faults: EV battery pack 16%, 12-volt battery 7%, sat-nav/infotainment system 7%, air-con 3%
Average repair cost: 94% £0, 4% £51-£300
Typical time off road: 52% more than a week, 23% one day or less
The I-Pace was Jaguar's first production electric model. A rival to the Mercedes EQC, it beats that car on both driver appeal and range - it achieved 258 miles in our Real Range testing.
It has a higher fault rate than the EQC, though - 40% of I-Pace owners reported issues with their cars, and the most common concern was the EV battery pack. Nearly two-thirds (32%) of cars with problems couldn't be driven, and just over half (52%) were stuck in the workshop for more than a week. Although Jaguar and its dealers paid for most remedial work, a small percentage of owners had to pay up to £300 for fault fixes.
Least reliable luxury cars
1. Audi Q7 (2015-present)
Reliability rating 78.6%
Most common faults: Non-engine electrics 20%, engine 7%, exhaust 7%, sat-nav/infotainment system 7%
Average repair cost: 57% cost £0, 29% cost more than £1500
Typical time off road: 56% one day to a week, 44% more than a week
Faults suffered by the Q7 can be far more costly to remedy than those of its main luxury SUV rival, the BMW X5. Forty-seven percent of Q7s had a problem, most (20%) being caused by non-engine electrical issues.
The engine, exhaust and infotainment system were also cited as problematic. No faults were rectified in a day or less; instead, 56% of cars spent up to a week in the garage and the rest were there for longer. Only 57% of expenses were paid for by Audi; some owners were left with bills of up to £200 and 29% ended up more than £1500 out of pocket.
Owner’s view: “Very unreliable. Faults could not be fixed by Audi, resulting in the vehicle being rejected by me.”
2. BMW iX (2021-present)
Reliability rating 81.0%
Most common faults: EV battery pack 10%, electric motor 10%, sat-nav/infotainment system 10%, interior trim 7%, bodywork 3%, brakes 3%, charging system 3%, non-engine electrics 3%, suspension 3%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 43% more than a week, 19% one day or less
Although the iX’s fault rate of 33% isn’t the worst here, owners reported serious problems with the model’s EV battery, electric motor, infotainment system and steering, each of which accounted for 10% of the iX’s problems.
Overall, 62% of the cars with faults couldn’t be driven until they were repaired, and 43% were off the road for more than a week. Only 19% of defects were corrected in a day or less. The only good news is that BMW covered the expenses in all instances, even though the new car warranty would have expired on some cars.
3. Mercedes GLE (2019-present)
Reliability rating 82.0%
Most common faults: Non-engine electrics 22%, air-con 9%, engine 9%, interior trim 9%, 12-volt battery 4%, bodywork 4%, engine electrics 4%, exhaust 4%, sat-nav/infotainment system 4%, suspension 4%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 45% more than a week, 40% one day to a week
A high proportion of latest-generation GLE models were afflicted by a range of electrical issues, including problems with the infotainment and air-con systems, as well as with the 12-volt battery, engine, exhaust and interior trim.
Overall, 43% of GLE owners reported at least one fault. Only 15% of the affected vehicles couldn’t be driven until repaired, but 45% were being worked on for more than a week. Just 15% of faults were sorted within a day or less. The only saving grace is that Mercedes-Benz paid for all remedial work to be performed.
4. Porsche Cayenne (2018-present)
Reliability rating 84.2%
Most common faults: Hybrid battery pack 10%, non-engine electrics 10%, 12-volt battery 5%, engine 5%, engine electrics 5%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 63% more than a week, 38% one day to a week
As you'd expect from any model in the Porsche line-up, the Cayenne has superb handling and masses of power. It's also surprisingly practical, too, with plenty of space for five adults and all their luggage. The entry-level V6 Porsche Cayenne and the V8 Cayenne S are the best options for private buyers because they hold onto their value so well, but the E-Hybrid plug-in hybrids are more affordable as company car options.
The Cayenne isn't the most dependable Porsche model, though - owners told us that 33% of their cars had an issue. Although the car maker covered the cost of all the necessary remedial work, nearly two-thirds of cars were out of action for more than a week.
5. Audi E-tron (2019-2022)
Reliability rating 84.4%
Most common faults: Electric motor 19%, air-con 7%, EV battery pack 7%, non-engine electrics 7%, bodywork 4%, charging system 4%, steering 4%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 75% more than a week, 12% one day to a week
As Audi's first production electric car, the E-tron's mission was to put the brand firmly on the EV map. It did that in some ways - it's a roomy, well-appointed luxury SUV, that is now excellent value as a used buy. It's comfortable, smooth-riding and quiet, and it has lots of room front and back.
However, it has struggled with reliability issues, and the fact that electric motor faults were among the most common complaints is a concern. Overall, a high proportion of the E-tron models in our survey were afflicted by a problem - 44% of owners reported at least one issue. While it's reassuring to know that Audi paid for all the necessary fixes, three-quarters of the affected cars were in the workshop for more than a week, which won't have made owners happy.
6. Land Rover Discovery (2017-present)
Reliability rating 84.7%
Most common faults: Air-con 8%, 12-volt battery 8%, non-engine electrics 8%, bodywork 4%, engine 4%, exhaust system 4%, gearbox 4%, interior trim 4%, sat-nav/infotainment system 4%
Average repair cost: 92% £0, 8% more than £1500
Typical time off road: 54% more than a week, 31% one day to a week
The Discovery is the ultimate all-rounder - well-suited to the school run, but equally happy on a cross-country jaunt along a green lane. It seats seven as standard and has one of the highest driving positions of any new car, giving a commanding view all round. There's only one engine option, though, and that's a diesel, so if you want a petrol-powered luxury SUV, you should consider a BMW X7 or Porsche Cayenne instead.
While some newer Land Rover models have upped their game in terms of reliability, that's not the case with the Discovery. Owners told us that 50% of their cars went wrong, with various electrical systems the main culprits. However, 70% of faulty cars could still be driven, and most repair bills were covered by the car maker. The only fly in the ointment is that 54% of faults took more than a week to put right.
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Reliability of luxury cars and SUVs aged up to five years old
| Rank | Make and model | Score |
| 1 | 2016-2022 Lexus RX | 97.9% |
| 2 | BMW X5 petrol and PHEV (2018-present) | 96.2% |
| 3 | 2014-2022 Range Rover Sport | 94.9% |
| 4 | Land Rover Defender (2020-present) | 94.6% |
| 5 | Range Rover Sport (2022-present) | 94.2% |
| 6 | 2013-2022 Range Rover | 94.1% |
| 7 | Volvo XC90 (2015-present) | 90.9% |
| 8 | BMW X5 diesel (2018-present) | 87.2% |
| 9 | 2019-2024 Mercedes EQC | 86.5% |
| 10 | 2018-2024 Jaguar I-Pace | 86.0% |
| 11 | Land Rover Discovery (2017-present) | 84.9% |
| 12 | 2019-2022 Audi E-tron | 84.4% |
| 13 | Porsche Cayenne (2018-present) | 84.2% |
| 14 | Mercedes GLE (2019-present) | 82.0% |
| 15 | BMW iX (2021-present) | 81.0% |
| 16 | Audi Q7 (2015-present) | 78.6% |
To read the reliability data for other car classes follow these links:
Most reliable cars
Most reliable car brands
Most reliable small cars
Most reliable family cars
Most reliable executive cars
Most reliable small SUVs
Most reliable family SUVs
Most reliable large SUVs
Most reliable seven-seaters
Most reliable electric cars
Most reliable electric SUVs
Most reliable sports cars
Most reliable diesel cars
Most reliable petrol cars
Most reliable hybrid cars
How the research was carried out
The latest What Car? Reliability Survey gained 29,967 responses and that enabled us to report on 199 models (up to five years old) from 31 different brands.
To compile the survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, we ask thousands of car owners to tell us how well their cars had behaved over the previous 24 months.
For every car that has suffered a fault, we ask in what area the issue occurred, plus how much it cost to repair and how long it spent in the workshop. This information is used to create a reliability rating for each model and brand where we have a large enough response rate.
About the report author
Claire Evans has been a motoring journalist for more than 30 years with a focus on consumer issues for much of that time. She was the advice columnist for Carweek magazine in the 1990s, and also spent six years working on motoring content for Which?.
Claire launched the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2017, and since then has helped thousands of buyers choose the most reliable new cars and SUVs, as well as the most dependable used cars.
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