One Brand Rules Consumer Reports' Cheap, Reliable Luxury Car List (It's Not Even Close)

With the average new vehicle selling for over $50,000, buying something fresh from the factory may not be realistic for every car buyer. At the same time, second-hand automobiles aren't necessarily a bargain either, with the typical listing priced at over $27,200. Add a desire for something with a luxury pedigree, and the affordable options get slimmer, especially when dependability concerns come into play. However, Consumer Reports (CR) has identified one brand that should top anyone's list for a cheap, reliable luxury ride: Lexus. This shouldn't surprise anyone, given that the company consistently ranks among CR's most reliable automakers. In its latest reliability assessment, CR ranked Lexus third, behind Subaru and first-place Toyota.

And while cheap is relative to each buyer's budget (CR puts the threshold at $15,000), the Lexus models that Consumer Reports has identified as the most reliable used luxury cars often cost less than $20,000 in today's market. These models include the 2015 Lexus GS and Lexus ES. The hybrid version of the 2014 ES also gets called out for solid reliability scores. All three also earned a CR Recommended badge.

We'll dive into the basic specs for these models and look at real-world pricing through Autotrader dealer listings. We'll also use the 2015 model year as a guide for other Lexus models that hold up and see how other luxury brands compare. All MSRPs mentioned include factory destination charges.

CR tags the 2015 Lexus GS for very good reliability. Although the company discontinued the GS after 2020, the 2015 model year still benefited from an updated infotainment system. The base GS 350 trim came with a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine that produced 306 horsepower. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) was standard, with all-wheel drive (AWD) optional. That entry-level edition is priced today between $13,000 and $16,000 (based on a clean history and under 150,000 miles). You may find an AWD-equipped example at the upper end of this range with somewhat higher mileage.

The ES sedan of the same vintage drops slightly in its reliability rating, but still earns above-average status. Modern tech includes a standard rearview monitor and integration with a Lexus app. It shares a 3.5-liter V6 powerplant with the larger GS, but it's tuned to produce 268 horsepower in this application. The six-speed automatic transmission only sends that power to the front wheels, as AWD wasn't available on the ES until 2021. Despite a lower base MSRP in 2015 ($38,640) than the entry-level GS ($51,640), used ES models are priced similarly to the GS, indicating lower depreciation for the ES. That's no surprise, given lots of Lexus models have low depreciation.

Although the hybrid version of the 2015 ES has an above-average reliability rating, Consumer Reports ranks the 2014 edition third for affordable used luxury. This version still has an above-average rating, but being one model year older helps keep prices in check. You won't necessarily find these much cheaper than a 2015 GS or ES, because the original MSRP was $44,669. Market pricing means you're paying around $15,000 for one with around 125,000 miles and no adverse history. The FWD-only ES 300h has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine that makes 200 horsepower in total.

Using CR's 2015 model year reliability ratings as a benchmark for affordable used cars, Lexus has seven models with above-average or very good (the top rating) rankings. In addition to the three mentioned above, the NX, RX, RX Hybrid, and CT 200h (also a hybrid) make the cut for dependability. That's the most models among the 15 luxury brands Consumer Reports assessed. Unfortunately, switching to a cheaper model won't radically change dealer asking prices for a used 2015 Lexus. The 2015 NX 200t SUV, the base FWD edition with a 235-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, had an MSRP of $35,405. Good-condition examples now price around $15,000 to $16,000. The FWD-only CT 200h, a five-door hatchback with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine producing 134 combined horsepower, originally stickered at $33,125. Expect to pay up to $15,000, with low-mileage units adding another $1,000 to $2,000.

Getting back to CR's dependability standings, most luxury brands didn't have any 2015 vehicles assessed by the organization with at least an above-average rating. Acura comes closest with three models (MDX, TLX, RDX), while Porsche has two (Boxster and Cayman). There's other used Porsche reliability data to consider. The single-model stragglers include the BMW 2 Series and the Mercedes-Benz M-Class. Among these non-Lexus models, none received a very good reliability rating from Consumer Reports.