Luxury sedans: complaints, recalls and trends by model
The Luxury sedans segment covers 6 tracked models with 1,401 owner complaints and 19 recall campaigns on record. It averages 4.9 complaints per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical relative to all tracked vehicles (index 0.12).
Analysis
Lexus ES has the fewest complaints per year in the segment and Mercedes-Benz C-Class the most. The segment's largest problem area is Electrical (24.5% of complaints, 1.6× the fleet share).
By model year, the segment's average rate is highest for 2020 (7.8) and lowest for 2022 (3.4). In the last 12 months owners filed 307 complaints versus 365 in the previous 12 months — down 16%. Models on an improving trend: Lexus ES, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Models on a worsening trend: Audi A4.
Models
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexus ES | 150 | 3.5 | 0.09 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 6 | Airbags & seat belts |
| 2 | BMW 5 Series | 190 | 3.6 | 0.09 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 1 | Airbags & seat belts |
| 3 | BMW 3 Series | 225 | 4.3 | 0.11 | Stable | Rising | 1 | Engine |
| 4 | Audi A4 | 253 | 4.9 | 0.12 | Worsening | Falling | 12 | Electrical |
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 242 | 6.0 | 0.15 | Stable | Rising | 0 | Electrical |
| 6 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 341 | 7.0 | 0.17 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 0 | Engine |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
By model year · Complaints per year on the road
All-vehicle average: 40.4
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average