Is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class more reliable than the Lexus ES?

No. The Lexus ES is clearly more reliable, with an excellent standing against a good one for the E-Class. The ES has 15 recalls across eight model years, while the E-Class has 184. E-Class owners also report early battery failures that leave the car unable to start.

Which has more recalls, the E-Class or the ES?

The E-Class has far more. Federal recall records list 184 recalls across its eight model years from 2018 to 2026. The ES has 15 across 2018 to 2025. Some E-Class owners also reported waiting on steering recall repairs because dealers lacked parts.

What are the most common E-Class problems?

Electrical trouble leads the list, with 36 complaints. The 48-volt battery dies early and the car will not start or move. Engine complaints come next, with misfires and limp mode. Power train, steering, and seat belt complaints follow, including two reports of total transmission failure at low mileage.

What goes wrong with the Lexus ES?

Air bags top the ES list, mostly reports of failure to deploy in a crash. Stalling and weak throttle response follow, and most of those reports tie to a low-pressure fuel pump with no parts available. Owners also reported automatic braking that engaged on its own.

Which model years of each car should I avoid?

Avoid 2018 and 2019 on both cars, since both are the weakest years for each model. For the ES, 2021 and 2022 are the strongest years. The E-Class years 2024 and 2026 rank well, but they have had less time to collect complaints.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Lexus ES vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Lexus ES

Excellent

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Good

Lexus ES wins this matchup over the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and by a wide margin. The deciding fact is recalls: federal records show 15 for the ES across eight model years and 184 for the E-Class. Here is what that means for a used buyer.

How Do the Lexus ES and Mercedes-Benz E-Class Generations Compare?

For the E-Class, model years 2018 through 2022 fall in the fifth generation (W213), which ran from 2016 to 2023 and was facelifted in 2020. The sixth generation (W214) appears in the generation list starting in 2023, so the newest cars are still early in their run and have had little time to log problems. For the ES, 2018 was a late sixth-generation (XV60) car. The seventh generation (XZ10) arrived in 2019 and was facelifted in 2021. The 2019 model, a first-year design, ranks among the weakest, while 2021 and 2022 ranked strongest.

Verdict

The Lexus ES is more reliable than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, scoring 83/100 vs 60/100.

Reliability favors the Lexus ES by a wide margin. Federal recall records show 15 recalls across its eight model years, against 184 for the E-Class. The E-Class also draws the more disruptive owner complaints: 48-volt batteries that die and leave the car unable to start, misfires that trigger limp mode, and transmissions that fail outright at low mileage. The ES has its own problems, mainly stalling and automatic braking, but it has far fewer recalls and a smaller pile of complaints.

Key Differences

1Lexus ES has 169 fewer total recalls
2Lexus ES scores 23 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

2Lexus ES

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0Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Reliability ScoreTotal Recalls

Lexus ES vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Which Is More Reliable?

Lexus ES vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Lexus ES	Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Reliability Score	83/100	60/100
Years Tracked	8	8
Total Recalls	15	184
Total ComplaintsRaw count — varies with sales volume	95	469
Year Wins	7	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Lexus ES and Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

Starting and power trouble define the E-Class, while stalling and braking define the ES. On the E-Class, the 48-volt battery dies early, sometimes before 1,000 miles, and misfires push the car into limp mode. Two transmission reports describe total failure at about 15,000 and 22,000 miles. On the ES, weak throttle ties to a low-pressure fuel pump, and automatic braking fires on its own. Crash links differ. The ES has crash-linked air bag and brake complaints, mostly air bags failing to deploy. The E-Class has crash-linked steering complaints, which the ES does not list. Both have crash-linked electrical reports.

Lexus ES vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class common problem areas comparison
Component	Lexus ES	Mercedes-Benz E-Class
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	4	36
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	6	28
ENGINE	6	21
POWER TRAIN	3	18
STEERING	—	13
AIR BAGS	8	4
WHEELS	2	10
SEAT BELTS	—	11
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	7	2
TIRES	2	7
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—	9
STRUCTURE	2	6
FUEL SYSTEM	3	3
SERVICE BRAKES	5	—
LANE DEPARTURE	2	—
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	2	—
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—	2

Raw complaint counts aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports. Counts vary with sales volume.

How Does Lexus ES vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class Reliability Compare by Year?

Lexus ES vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Lexus ES	Mercedes-Benz E-Class	Edge
2024	80/1004R / 9C	63/1001R / 7C	Lexus ES
2023	80/1004R / 18C	63/1005R / 20C	Lexus ES
2022	88/1000R / 16C	60/1008R / 19C	Lexus ES
2021	88/1000R / 0C	56/10030R / 36C	Lexus ES
2020	83/1001R / 5C	56/10026R / 35C	Lexus ES
2019	78/1003R / 33C	54/10042R / 100C	Lexus ES
2018	80/1002R / 10C	55/10072R / 252C	Lexus ES

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Lexus ES scored 88/100 and the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class scored 63/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Lexus ES vs the Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

If you want the fewest surprises, buy the ES. Target the 2021 or 2022 model year, its strongest years, and avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest. Before you buy, confirm the fuel pump recall work is done. Owners reported waiting months for parts, and stalling in traffic is the complaint that worries them most. Choose the E-Class only if its ride and features matter more to you than low risk, and you can afford a repair that is not covered. Avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. The 2024 and 2026 model years rank well, but they have had less time to collect complaints, so do not treat that as proof they are better. On any E-Class, ask about the 48-volt battery history, check for open steering recall repairs, and have a shop scan for misfire codes. Owners reported that Mercedes denied warranty coverage on at least one engine repair estimated above $7,600.

Lexus ES vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Common Questions

Is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class more reliable than the Lexus ES?: No. The Lexus ES is clearly more reliable, with an excellent standing against a good one for the E-Class. The ES has 15 recalls across eight model years, while the E-Class has 184. E-Class owners also report early battery failures that leave the car unable to start.
Which has more recalls, the E-Class or the ES?: The E-Class has far more. Federal recall records list 184 recalls across its eight model years from 2018 to 2026. The ES has 15 across 2018 to 2025. Some E-Class owners also reported waiting on steering recall repairs because dealers lacked parts.
What are the most common E-Class problems?: Electrical trouble leads the list, with 36 complaints. The 48-volt battery dies early and the car will not start or move. Engine complaints come next, with misfires and limp mode. Power train, steering, and seat belt complaints follow, including two reports of total transmission failure at low mileage.
What goes wrong with the Lexus ES?: Air bags top the ES list, mostly reports of failure to deploy in a crash. Stalling and weak throttle response follow, and most of those reports tie to a low-pressure fuel pump with no parts available. Owners also reported automatic braking that engaged on its own.
Which model years of each car should I avoid?: Avoid 2018 and 2019 on both cars, since both are the weakest years for each model. For the ES, 2021 and 2022 are the strongest years. The E-Class years 2024 and 2026 rank well, but they have had less time to collect complaints.

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More Mercedes-Benz E-Class comparisons

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How we score the Lexus ES and Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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