Lexus vs Mercedes: Which Is More Reliable?
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Lexus and Mercedes are notable brands in the automobile industry. Both car brands have a lineup of cars that appeal to different drivers. While Lexus optimizes its cars for comfort and quality, Mercedes focuses on luxury, status, and performance.
However, when it comes to the reliability of both brands, Lexus is more reliable than Mercedes. Compared to Mercedes, Lexus has a higher reliability rating, cheaper repair and maintenance costs, and higher safety ratings.
The Lexus brand is the type of brand you shop cars from when you want to enjoy the longevity of your cars, with lesser chances of visiting the repair shop.
You save more on the long-term cost of owning a Lexus car than a Mercedes. The truth is, Lexus is not just more reliable than Mercedes, but they are the most reliable car brand in 2021.
Here's a detailed comparison of the Lexus vs. Mercedes reliability and why Lexus is more reliable.
Table of Contents
Lexus Vs. Mercedes Reliability: A Detailed Comparison
| Features | Lexus | Mercedes |
| Design | ||
| Repair and Maintenance Cost | ||
| Durability | ||
| Technology | ||
| Engine | ||
| Gas Mileage | ||
| Safety |
Which is Better: Lexus or Mercedes?
There are no surprises on the reliability of Lexus. Lexus is the luxury division of Toyota and therefore rides on the existing reliability of the Toyota brand. Mercedes is not a bad car brand, but Lexus is doing better than them in terms of reliability.
According to Repairpal, Lexus has a reliability rating of 4.0/5.0, ranking 7th out of 32 car brands. This is better than Mercedes, which is ranked 27th out of 32 car brands, with a reliability rating of 3.0/5.0.
Consumer reports rated Lexus as the most reliable brand, while Mercedes occupies the 23rd position out of 28 car brands. This is considering the fact that Lexus just earned its seventh award as the 2022 most trusted luxury brand by Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards.
Lexus cars are designed in such a way that the parts are easier and cheaper to maintain, and you will also enjoy a higher level of dependability from them. J.D Power 2022 US vehicle dependability survey cited that there are 159 problems per 100 Lexus cars.
This is lower than the 192 problems per vehicle, which is the industry average, and the 195 problems per 100 vehicles achievable on Mercedes cars.
If your concern revolves around getting a car that will give you fewer worries, then Lexus is your best bet. You will spend less owning and maintaining a Lexus car than you will on Mercedes. You will also get more resale value from Lexus than from Mercedes.
Lexus offers better hybrid technology, unlike Mercedes, which doesn’t have a hybrid model. You will enjoy better warranty coverage with Lexus, higher safety ratings, and a better engineering process.
It is surprising that Mercedes still uses air suspensions on Mercedes S models, even though they are problematic and prone to leaks and failures.
Design
The primary aim of Lexus’ designs is to appeal to customers and score some goals for customer satisfaction.
Even though Lexus keeps improving its design philosophies, Mercedes offers better designs. Both car brands have an impressive lineup of cars that screams comfort, features, and durability.
However, Mercedes is a step ahead of Lexus. Lexus designs seem like they are trying so hard to please customers, doing all they can to find their feet in the market. This is not the same with Mercedes, which has built a track record of excellence, sustaining the title of the car with royalty.
You will experience a better sense of modernity in Mercedes cars than in Lexus. The first time Lexus was launched, it looked like they were copying Mercedes’s designs. It was with time that they started modeling the Toyota-Japanese engineering modeling, Muda.
These days, Lexus is one of the cars with impressive designs in the USA, although not as good as what is attained from Mercedes.
Winner: Mercedes-Benz
Repair and Maintenance Cost
It is cheaper to maintain a Lexus car than a Mercedes. The cost of repairs and maintenance is cheaper, and you will have fewer problems to worry about. It costs an annual average of $551 to repair/maintain a Lexus, while a Mercedes Benz costs $908.
The costs of repair and maintenance are cheaper on Lexus and also cheaper than the average cost of maintaining all cars. Mercedes Benz has a 0.7 chance of minor repairs and a 13% chance of major repairs, whereas Lexus has an 8% chance of major repairs and a 0.5 chance of minor repairs.
As a mechanic, you will find that 99% of the Lexus cars that come into your shop for repairs require little or no work to get them going. It’s always something little or unserious. This is unlike Mercedes, which will need to disassemble the whole car to fix what should have been a minor issue.
Winner: Lexus
Durability
Lexus lasts longer than Mercedes. You should expect your Lexus car to last up to 300,000 miles, with an average lifespan of 16-20 years. Mercedes last up to 150,000 to 200,000 miles/10-13 years.
We must also cite that Lexus offers more warranty coverage than Lexus does. You will enjoy six years/70,000-mile powertrain coverage on Lexus, whereas Mercedes offers 50,000 miles.
Mercedes are prone to more problems because the brand designs its cars with engines that are pushed to their limits. This places so much strain on the cars, resulting in multiple major and minor problems.
Winner: Lexus
Engine and Performance
The engine strength and performance of Lexus vs. Mercedes depend on what you need from a car. Although both cars offer great handling and driving experience, Lexus optimizes comfort while Mercedes aims for performance.
The engines of Mercedes cars are structured to achieve higher speed, more power, great braking, cornering, impressive acceleration, and handling.
Although Lexus offers the same, they are built to last longer and handle anything you throw at them. Lexus engines are also quieter, and you will spend less trying to maintain those engines.
With a Lexus, you won’t enjoy the type of fun that you will get from a Mercedes, but you are sure those engines will run for a very long time without breaking down.
Choose a Lexus car if you want controlled performance with extreme durability. Go for Mercedes if you want a car that you can race to the end of the world with.
Winner: Both
Gas Mileage
The gas mileage on Lexus and Mercedes depends on your chosen models. For instance, Lexus returns 24mpg on LS500h, while Mercedes achieves 22mpg on the Mercedes Benz S-450. This differs from the case of Lexus RCF and AMG C63, where Mercedes gets the better gas mileage.
You must understand that the gas mileage of Mercedes and Lexus comes in different forms according to the car categories they offer. You need to confirm the gas mileage of your preferred model.
Winner: Both
Safety and Technology
There is no doubt that Lexus is safer than Mercedes. The safety technologies on Lexus cars are groundbreaking, innovative, and more responsive. Although Mercedes beats Lexus with better infotainment, you are guaranteed high safety ratings with a Lexus car than a Mercedes.
This is not an assertion that Mercedes cars are not safe. The Mercedes brand invests heavily in safety, which makes them pass off as more of a safe vehicle than a luxury.
While Mercedes spots the pre-safe technology, Lexus has its safety system. However, when you compare the number of cars from both car brands that have earned an award for safety, you will find more Lexus cars on the list than Mercedes.
There are only four Mercedes cars on the 2021 IIHS safety award and three on the 2022 rating. This is compared to Lexus, which has six cars on the 2021 and 2022 IIHS top safety pick(+) awards, respectively.
Winner: Lexus
Verdict
The choice between a Mercedes and a Lexus depends on your driving needs and budget.
If you want a car with a cheaper cost of ownership, then go for Lexus, but if you are all in for speed and performance, without considering the durability, choose Mercedes. Gas mileage is almost the same on both cars.
