A lot of people drive a Lexus these days as opposed to Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Toyota’s luxury brand actually has quite a bit in common with its upscale peers when you look at the offerings of each and their price tags. Still purchasing a luxury vehicle is a major investment. How does Lexus match up to BMW and other luxury brands? Why do so many choose Lexus over the competition?

What Lexus owners say

Someone on Reddit posted a question: What made you choose Lexus over Mercedes/BMW/Audi? Several Lexus owners came forward to answer.

One owner of a Lexus IS350 F Sport mentioned living in Germany for a time. The owner didn’t have a lot of faith in BMW and their lack of industrial support. They didn’t think of Mercedes as a luxury vehicle at all until one was purchased at “a particular level.”

Now living in the U.S., they own the car because they find it to be an incredible vehicle. They said they would also own an Audi, but they felt the Lexus offered better value and greater reliability.

Another owner of a Lexus LS430 said they wanted a vehicle for daily use that was high quality. They’d looked at offerings from the other three automakers, but decided that maintenance with any of them would be a “death sentence.” The Lexus was the obvious choice for them as they were driving over 25,000 miles or more per year.

One owner was on their second vehicle. They specifically stated that Lexus offered them the best reliability, quality, and value. They also found it fun to drive.

Lexus performance

When it comes to performance, the luxury automaker does very well. Take the Lexus ES, for example.

The 2020 models offer two powertrain choices for buyers. All trim levels get the 3.5-liter V6 that gets 302 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Paired with an automatic eight-speed transmission, the power is sent to the front wheels. There’s also a hybrid model with a powertrain that gets 215 hp and 153 lb-ft of torque. That’s mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with standard front-wheel drive. The hybrid model of ES can also get up to 44 mpg.

The team at Car and Driver found the gas-fed models of the 2020 ES to be a spirited drive with solid handling. The quality of the ride is important to luxury car enthusiasts. There are bigger wheels and a suspension that’s programmed to be more performance-based on the F Sport trim level for a more athletic experience.

Reliability

When it comes to predicted reliability, according to Consumer Reports, Lexus offers consistently good predicted reliability ratings across its lineup. Audi was a close second. While the A3 and A4 had great reliability ratings, the A6 received a one out of five. The Mercedes-Benz reliability ratings weren’t as good.

Lexus has also fared well in J.D. Power’s U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, holding the top spot for eight years. In 2020, Genesis took the top spot for overall vehicle dependability but it was also the first year that the automaker had been included in the study. Lexus’ reliability rating had increased between 2019 and 2020 the study found.

Lexus’ great value

Lexus is priced on par with BMW and Mercedes-Benz and lower than Audi. Yes, it’s got great reliability ratings and it’s more affordable to maintain over a period of time. Two Lexus vehicles made the top three Best Entry-Level Luxury Car Resale Value list from Kelley Blue Book for 2020. 

The Lexus ES took the top spot in 2020 according to KBB’s editors with a solid predicted resale value of 37.9 percent after five years of ownership. 

Those who prefer Lexus above the other luxury brands just might be onto something. With its outstanding quality, reliability, and resale value, this automaker provides an upscale experience. With its comfortable, opulent interior and an impressive ride, it’s sure to please most luxury car fans.