What’s in a luxury car? A lot, actually. Luxury cars have gained so many gizmos and gadgets that, at times, it is hard to keep up. It seems, also, that a lot of features that were once considered to be luxury, have made their way down market pretty quickly.
In that case, automakers are having to find new ways to make cars feel even more luxurious and executive class. Of course, with more features comes more cost. Not only to purchase the feature, but also to fix it if and when it ultimately breaks.
If you’re willing to bite the bullet and take on the high maintenance costs of a luxury vehicle, then this list is for you. We found ten of the most luxurious vehicles that also garnered a high reliability score with “semi-reasonable” average annual maintenance costs.
In compiling this article, we have cross-referenced information for vehicle reliability, maintenance, and pricing from sources like J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, RepairPal, CarEdge, and Consumer Reports to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible. Please note that we have ranked the following models based on most reliable to least reliable according to J.D. Power’s reliability score.
10 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Reliability Score: 83/100
Kicking our list off is an unsurprising candidate, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It’s unsurprising for a number of reasons. It’s extremely expensive, point-blank. It costs an arm and a leg to fix no matter what year you buy, but on the positive side, it scores high on J.D. Power and they have great engines.
Reliability
Again, not the most frugal thing you’ll ever own, but these will definitely last you a lifetime. The 2018 model year received one of the highest scores an S-Class has ever received in J.D. Power. It did come with a lot of recalls, but the last one was reported three years ago.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $1,249 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $12,632 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 14
9 2007 Volvo S60
Reliability Score: 83/100
If you have ever owned a Volvo, you know these things are tanks in terms of reliability and safety. The 2007 Volvo S60 made our list because it scored 83 out of 100 on J.D. Power’s reliability score. Did you know that Volvo actually introduced the seat belt in their cars in 1959? This particular Volvo scored “good” in all IIHS related scoring except for the side impact.
Reliability
This specific model also only received one recall from NHTSA, and it also stands to be one of the cheaper luxury vehicles on our list to maintain, with only a $515 annual average price for maintenance. This model is well past the 10-year mark, but with a J.D. Power score of 83, it’s owed a spot on the list.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $515 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $9,308 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 1
8 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Reliability Score: 83/100
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is one of the most dependable sedans the German automakers make. The 2016 model has made our list because it’s also the model year with the highest scores for the E-Class Mercedes-Benz.
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Reliability
In terms of reliability, it scores pretty okay. It has an annual maintenance cost of around $716 and will cost you close to $12,000 within the first ten years. It also received eight total recalls, but most of them had to do with airbags. There also haven’t been any recalls made since 2021.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $716 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $11,578 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 8
7 2015 Audi S8
Reliability Score: 83/100
The Audi S8 is for those that want an executive class style sedan with the sleeper nature of a 4.0-liter V8 engine. It’s also fairly reliable, with a score of 83 out of 100 thanks to J.D. Power reliability ratings. It comes with an outstanding 520 horsepower while being able to seat four.
Reliability
We’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that it only has four total recalls according to NHTSA that had to do with fuel lines, and the last reported one was 2022. The bad news is that the annual repairs are through the roof. The other good news is that, whoever owned it before you has already spent the majority of the $11,000 maintaining it.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $1,726 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $10,809 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 4
6 2018 BMW 3 Series
Reliability Score: 84/100
The last couple of years of the previous generation 3-Series BMW are some of the most reliable, according to J.D. Power’s reliability rating. You would actually be hard-pressed to find other ones with a score of above 80.
Reliability
You’re not going to come by a luxury car with frugality in its name when it comes to maintenance costs, other than a Lexus. That is made ever more evident in the cost within the first ten years and the average annual costs of the 3-Series.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $1,157 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $13,749 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 5
5 2016 Audi A4
Reliability Score: 84/100
Is the Audi A4 a sleeper car? Technically, no. Does it come with a six-speed manual transmission? Some of them do, yes! It’s made our list because it scored 84 out of 100 on J.D. Power’s reliability score. It gets up to 220 horsepower and can be paired with Quattro all-wheel drive.
Reliability
The A4 has made our list because it only received three total recalls that mostly had to do with electrical parts, which is also a pretty standard issue for Audis. In terms of repair costs, you’re looking at about $750 per year.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $748 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $9,411 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 3
4 2015 BMW 5-Series
Reliability Score: 85/100
The 2015 BMW 5-Series is the second most highly rated BMW on our list and potential of all time, with a J.D. Power reliability score of 85 out of 100. This generation 5-Series comes with a litany of engines to choose from, from a four-cylinder all the way up to a high-powered V8.
Reliability
Albeit reliable, unfortunately, the BMW 5-Series has the highest cost of maintenance within the first ten years. That goes for all BMW 5-Series, not just the 2015 model. This one also has seven total recalls, but the last one was reported in 2019.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $849 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $14,082 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 7
3 2007 BMW 7 Series
Reliability Score: 86/100
The most reliable BMW on the list goes to the 2007 BMW 7 Series. It was a powerhouse of technological advancements for the time, including lane keep assist and blind spot monitoring. It has an incredible J.D. Power score of 86 out of 100 and was available with a V12 engine.
Reliability
It’s actually surprisingly cheaper to repair within the first ten years of ownership as well, with a cost well under $10,000 and an annual maintenance cost of $774. The only two recalls for it had to do with airbags and locking system failures.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $774 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 5 Years: $4,761 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 2
2 2017 Lexus ES
Reliability Score: 89/100
The 2017 Lexus ES makes it to second place as one of the most reliable luxury vehicles on the market, with a J.D. Power score of 89 out of 100. The Lexus ES itself is touted for its overall reliability in terms of ease-of-use on the interior and maintenance in the service area.
Reliability
From a reliability standpoint and how it relates to cost, Lexus wins every time. Ownership of any ES will only cost you around $5,850 within the first ten years and only about $570 for repair. It also has one of the least number of recalls; only one.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $570 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $5,850 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 1
1 2022 Lexus IS
Reliability Score: 90/100
The newest generation of the Lexus IS is practically bulletproof, and has landed on the top spot for reliability on many of our lists and others. The 2022 model year scored the highest reliability score with 90 out of 100 according to J.D. Power and continues to hold the top spot into the 2024 models.
Reliability
Lexus’ are staples of reliability and ease of maintenance, costs, and budgets alike. With a cost of maintenance well under $10,000 within the first ten years and an annual cost of only $551, it’s a steal. Not to mention, this model year has zero recalls to speak of.
- Average Yearly Maintenance Cost: $551 (RepairPal)
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $6,875 (CarEdge)
- Total Recalls: 0
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