The Lexus GX tops the 10 most-wanted luxury cars in the world

30

March

2026

Jake Crowley

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Whether you’re a petrol head and car fanatic or simply need a vehicle to go from A to B, if we had the means, a luxury car would always be a nice to have. Here at LeaseCarUK, we’ve conducted research to discover the most popular luxury car models in the top 50 countries by GDP to reveal which luxury motors people are searching for most.

Our research finds the Lexus GX to be the most wanted luxury vehicle in the world. Listed as the number 1 ‘luxury’ model in eighteen out of a total of fifty countries, the GX accrues nearly three million searches every month.

Lexus promises their GX SUV is a ‘luxury that refuses to quit’ and has been dubbed an alternative to a Mercedes G-Class and Land Rover Defender. While the GX’s boxy design isn’t traditionally what one might define as ‘luxury’ when compared to brands such as Rolls Royce, the 2024 model promises a marriage between capability and refinement and starts at around £65,0001.

Rank	Car model	Total global average monthly searches
1	Lexus GX	2,983,800
2	Mercedes CLA	738,800
3	Mercedes EQS	251,350
4	Toyota Lexus LX	160,550
5	BMW X3	56,650
6	Maybach S Class	12,950
7	Cadillac XT	6,580
8	Maserati GT Convertible	6,550
9	Maybach V Class	4,650
10	Cadillac Escalade	3,000

*Total average monthly searches taken when model appears in top three luxury model per country

The second most lusted-after motor is the Mercedes CLA. Topping searches in countries such as the United Kingdom, Mexico and Spain, global monthly searches reach almost 739,000 every month.

The CLA embodies everything Mercedes is about: luxury, class and elegance. The model boasts comfortable features, advanced technology and reviews depict that the CLA is designed for the daily driver looking for a bit of luxury in their journeys.

The 10 most sought-after luxury car brands in the world

Looking at a brand level, Lexus wins by a country mile with 30% more searches than the next car brand, topping the most-searched-for car brand in nineteen countries. Lexus is Toyota’s luxury but high-volume division, offering a diverse range of models catering to a wide range of preferences to capture luxury drivers.

Rank	Car brand	Total brand searches
1	Lexus	4,528,700
2	Maserati	3,469,200
3	Maybach	2,087,950
4	Mercedes	1,822,550
5	Cadillac	579,900
6	BMW	518,150
7	Bentley	378,400
8	Toyota	345,450
9	Ford	313,500
10	Audi	282,300

*Car brand searches analysed in relation to searches for associated luxury models

The second most sought-after luxury car brand is Maserati, a luxury car brand more often associated with the Rolls Royce’s of the world rather than Mercedes. Maserati, initially founded by the Maserati brothers in Italy, is famous for offering high-performance vehicles. Now, the Maserati brand is owned by Stellantis and is their only luxury division of vehicles.

The most wanted luxury car in every country

Despite Lexus CX being the most wanted luxury car model in the world, it only appears as the most searched for in one European country, Finland. The Maserati Levante appears as the most favoured among Europeans and is listed as the most searched for car in five countries. Other Maserati models are also favoured such as the GT Convertible and Kubang.

According to our research, the UK searches for the Mercedes CLA more than any other luxury car, which is unsurprising when considering that Mercedes has been a long favoured luxury car brand in the country for decades. There are currently just short of 62,000 Mercedes CLA on UK roads2.

	Top 50 countries by GDP	Most searched for luxury model	Average monthly searches
United States	Lexus	GX	2,020,550
China	Lexus	GX	5,800
Germany	Mercedes	EQS	50,550
Japan	Lexus	GX	27,950
India	Maybach	S Class	5,650
United Kingdom	Mercedes	CLA	150,500
France	Maserati	GT Convertible	500
Brazil	Lexus	GX	6,600
Italy	Maserati	Kubang	500
Canada	Lexus	GX	238,200
Mexico	Maybach	S Class	250
Australia	Lexus	GX	214,600
South Korea	Lexus	GX	7,450
Spain	Maybach	S Class	250
Indonesia	Lexus	GX	27,400
Netherlands	Maybach	S Class	250
Turkiye	Mercedes	EQS	50,550
Saudi Arabia	Lexus	GX	34,800
Switzerland	Maserati	Levante	100
Poland	Lexus	GX	28,350
Taiwan	Lexus	GX	26,000
Belgium	Maserati	Levante	100
Sweden	Maserati	Levante	100
Argentina	Maserati	Levante	100
Ireland	Mercedes	CLA	13,950
Thailand	Maserati	Levante	100
Austria	Maserati	GT Convertible	50
Israel	Lexus	GX	7,650
United Arab Emirates	Lexus	GX	42,650
Norway	Mercedes	EQS	5,500
Singapore	Mercedes	CLA	14,300
Philippines	Mercedes	EQS	5,500
Vietnam	Lexus	GX	33,300
Bangladesh	Lexus	GX	7,300
Malaysia	Maybach	S Class	700
Denmark	Mercedes	CLA	13,200
Hong Kong	Lexus	GX	6,350
Colombia	Maserati	Levante	100
South Africa	Mercedes	CLA	40,000
Romania	Mercedes	CLA	113,450
Egypt	Mercedes	EQS	5,500
Chile	Maserati	Levante	100
Czechia	Maserati	Levante	100
Finland	Lexus	GX	5,750
Portugal	Maserati	Levante	100
Kazakhstan	Lexus	GX	27,650
Peru	Maserati	Levante	100
Algeria	Mercedes	CLA	3,900

The U.S. is just one of many countries that favour the Lexus GX, likely due to their preference of the luxury SUV market. The GX offers a high-end experience while still remaining rugged with plenty of space, allowing drivers to handle off-road adventures and inclement weather. The Lexus GX had its second-best year of sales in 2023 in the states, selling 31,910 in just one year.

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