Driver Power Award 2017: Lexus

This year we made our Driver Power reader survey bigger, better and more comprehensive by posing more questions than ever before. As a result, manufacturers faced more pressure to do well as we asked new car owners to rate their models in 31 areas, leaving no stone unturned to reveal the successes and failures of the market.

To be crowned best of all, a manufacturer can’t afford any big slip-ups. And no other maker mastered the task as well as Lexus, which topped this year’s survey thanks to excellent results across every one of the categories we investigated, finishing with an overall satisfaction score of 92.29 per cent.

Highlights included first place finishes in several areas. Owners found Lexus’ petrol-only and hybrid powertrains quiet and refined, rating the brand first in the engine category. Styling and exterior looks were another area where the brand trumped rivals, with futuristic models like the RX and NX SUVs helping Lexus score a coveted first place for exterior design.

• Driver Power 2017: Best car manufacturers

It was the same story inside, where Lexus beat premium rivals like Audi, BMW and Mercedes to take the crown for interior design and comfort. Owners were happiest about the styling of their cars’ cabins, the finish and seat comfort – key areas for any driver. 

Reliability and build quality remain crucial in Driver Power; little else matters if your car has to go back to the workshop every week. This is a traditionally strong area for Lexus, and it didn’t disappoint, with owners rating their vehicles the highest in the field, stating the firm’s products were the most reliable out of the 75 new cars we listed. The only finish outside the top 10 was 16th in the running costs category. 

Simply put, owners tell us there isn’t much that they would change about their Lexus, as the brand’s cars combine comfort, practicality, refinement, reliability, design and safety in equal measure. You really can’t ask for more.

Auto Express New Car Awards 2017

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