13 Worst Luxury Cars You Need To Know About

The luxury car scene offers a diverse array of comfort-oriented sedans and SUVs. These days, you can score a decent bargain on a used luxury car that might be only ten or so years old.

But when is a luxury car a lousy deal? Even if you score one for a low sticker price, luxury cars can be high-maintenance. Owners who can’t afford ‌the time or money to keep up with these 13 luxurious rides will experience reliability nightmares.

It’s important to understand the long-term costs associated with luxury car ownership and to ensure you can comfortably afford to keep the car on the road. For those considering a new luxury car, we’ve provided information on the average depreciation rates and ownership costs during the initial ownership period.

We’ve included ‌failure percentages for used car buyers that typically occur around the 10-year mark.

Jaguar XF

The Jaguar XF is distinguishable in style from other luxurious European cars, such as BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus. That said, Kely Blue Book reports that the XF isn’t nearly as reliable, and CarEdge gives it an F, ranking it dead last on its list of luxury cars worth their value.

New car shoppers should be advised that the Jaguar XF depreciates by $29,797 after five years and that owners average about $12,187 in maintenance and repair costs during the first ten years. For readers searching for a used XF, remember that there’s an average yearly maintenance cost of $2,257 after the car is ten years old and a 68.74% chance it’ll need significant repairs by year 12.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is a luxurious powerhouse of an Italian sedan that stocks a 505hp-slapping twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V-6 engine straight from the factory floor. The expert testers at Car and Driver tested and confirmed the Giulia QF can reach 60mph in 3.6 seconds and run a quarter-mile track in 11.8 seconds at a maintained 122mph. Unfortunately, they also confirmed its reputation for poor reliability.

Even the testers reported taking their test car to the dealership multiple times for a faulty fuel pump, rear differential, and oil level sensor. Their test Giulia spent 80 days out of commission during its 14 months with the magazine, leaving it classified as a reliability nightmare.

Tesla Model S

The Tesla Model S led the way in EV innovation but quickly got left behind by more refined and reliable models. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalled the 2021 Model S 19 times,  and owners report problems with climate system failures and malfunctioning electronic controls.

Consumer Reports gave the Model S a predicted reliability score of 30 out of 100. If you’re in the market for a Tezzie, we suggest considering a more reliable model.

BMW X2

The BMW X2 is a subcompact luxury crossover SUV that’s as sporty as it is comparable, as long as you can afford the $17,602 in maintenance costs alone and the 20 grand you’ll spend on insurance during the first ten years of ownership.

For shippers in the used market, a BMW X2 has a 54.61% chance of experiencing major failure once it’s ten years old, with an average repair cost of $3,350. However, that average yearly repair cost rises to $3,822 once the car turns twelve, and the probability that a 12-year-old X2 will need a significant repair hits a whopping 105.24%, according to CarEdge.

Land Rover Discovery

The Land Rover Discovery is a seven-seater luxury family SUV that’s off-road ready, but only if you can afford the $16,485 in repair costs and the $19,460 average insurance costs over ten the first ten years of ownership.

A 10-year-old Discovery is 49.63% likely to need a prominent repair, with an annual maintenance cost of over three grand. Once the SUV turns 12, you’re looking at $3,622 in maintenance a year, with a whopping 95.64% failure rate on a Discovery 12 years old or older.

Land Rover Range Rover Velar

The Land Rover Range Rover Velar is a sleek and refined version of the classic Rover, but even if you can afford a new one, make sure you’ve budgeted for an extra $66,601 in ownership costs for the first five years, or you could be looking at a reliability nightmare. New shoppers beware that depreciation accounts for 47% of the total price, with the vehicle losing a whopping $31,578 in value after five years of ownership.

A Land Rover Range Rover Velar will rob you of about $16,755 for maintenance and repairs during its first ten years of service, and then it’s the used market’s problem. There is a 49.63% chance that a 10-year-old Range Rover Velar will need a significant repair during its first ten years of service, but after 12 years, that chance increases to 95.64%.

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

The Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class is a comfortable luxury sedan. That said, it costs its owner $14,421 in maintenance and repair costs during the first ten years. There’s a 42.69% chance of requiring a significant repair over ten years.

The GLC-Class has a 3.13% higher chance of failure within ten years of ownership than other luxury cruisers. Once the car turns 12 years old, the probability of a serious repair increases to 82.25%.

BMW 5 Series

The BMW 5 Series is a sophisticated and innovative piece of engineering, but the luxurious car depreciates in value by $28,981 after five years of ownership. During that time, owners shell out $14,260 in insurance fees alone. Maintenance and repair costs will also lift $3,595 from your purse over that first stint of ownership.

A BMW 5 Series will cost about $13,530 for maintenance and repairs during its first ten years of service. Once the car turns ten, there’s a 40.39% chance that it will require a major repair, but once it turns 12, the chance of a reliability nightmare hits 77.82%.

Audi Q7

The Audi Q7 is a luxurious midsized SUV that offers families a swanky and spacious option. However, with a $32,391 depreciation after five years and $12,489 in maintenance and repair fees over the first decade of ownership, the Audi Q7 can spiral into a reliability nightmare for those who can’t afford the upkeep.

The Q7 has a 36.25% chance of needing major repairs in 10 years. But by year 12, the annual repair costs have increased to $2,618, and there’s a 69.86% chance of an expensive failure on a Q7 that’s 12 or more years old.

BMW X5

The BMW X5 is a performance-oriented luxury SUV that integrates advanced technology. However, BMW’s advanced tech often costs a lot to maintain, and a poorly kept used model can become a reliability nightmare. And with a $21,093 depreciation cost after ‌five years of ownership, getting your money back isn’t an option.

If the previous owner was responsible, they likely paid $11,121 in maintenance and repair costs over ten years, with a 33.36% probability of requiring a prominent repair over ten years, which skyrockets to 64.28% by year 12.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a subcompact luxury sedan that’s fun to drive, thanks to its nimble handling and feature-equipped cabin. That said, it gets less fun after you’ve spent $10,492 on maintenance and repairs over ten years. And with an average insurance cost of $1,974, you’re looking at nearly 20 grand in insurance fees alone during that time.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class only experiences significant repairs 31.57% of the time in its first decade of ownership. By age 12, that failure rate had increased to 60.83%.

Land Rover Discovery Sport

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is a versatile adventure version of the Discovery we covered earlier. But those who can’t afford to pay the $54,797 it costs to own in the first five years risk being stranded by a reliability nightmare.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport takes about $4,177 from you in maintenance and repairs, and once the car is ten years old, the probability of significant repairs jumps up to 49.63%.

The Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

The Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is a sharp luxury cruiser, but with a 5-year ownership cost of $47,622, it’s worth mentioning there’s a chance it’ll sit in the garage. 45% of that cost is its $21,306 loss of value, with service and repairs running an extra $3,541.

Maintenance and repair costs over ten years will cost $13,781, and after that, the probability of a severe failure is around 42.69%. However, once the car turns 12, you can expect a failure 82.25% of the time.