Best used luxury midsize cars, ranked by owner data
We ranked 13 used luxury midsize cars sold in the US and Canada in the last five years against each other on three measured things: problems reported by owners, the used asking price, and EPA combined fuel economy.
Data from October 2026. Sources: owner reports, Auto.dev US listings, EPA ratings. How we rank · Best luxury midsize cars
Photo: MrWalkr / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
#1 of 13
BMW 5 Series
Score 90 out of 100
- Owner reliability (41 of 45 points): 2 recurring problems in owner reports, none very frequent: fewer than about 92% of this list
- Price (24 of 30 points): median used asking price $19,995 (46 US listings, all model years, Auto.dev): lower than about 80% of the cars still sold new
- Fuel economy (25 of 25 points): 29 mpg combined (EPA): the best gas or hybrid on this list
- Used price
- $13k–$31k (median $19,995)
- Fuel economy
- 29 mpg
- Owner reports
- 2 recurring problems in owner reports, none very frequent
- Main owner complaint
- Excessive size and lack of physical controls (G60 generation)
- Best recent year
- 2017
Best for
Most reliable by owners
1 recurring problem in owner reports, none very frequent. Ranked #3.
Lowest used price, still sold new
Median used asking price $17,336. Ranked #2.
Best fuel economy
29 mpg combined (EPA). Ranked #1.
The full ranking
- #1
BMW 5 Series
Score 90- Used price
- $13k–$31k (median $19,995)
- Fuel economy
- 29 mpg
- Owner reports
- 2 recurring problems in owner reports, none very frequent
- Main owner complaint
- Excessive size and lack of physical controls (G60 generation)
- Best recent year
- 2017
Why #1
- Owner reliability (41 of 45 points): 2 recurring problems in owner reports, none very frequent: fewer than about 92% of this list
- Price (24 of 30 points): median used asking price $19,995 (46 US listings, all model years, Auto.dev): lower than about 80% of the cars still sold new
- Fuel economy (25 of 25 points): 29 mpg combined (EPA): the best gas or hybrid on this list
- #2
Mercedes-Benz E-class
Score 88- Used price
- $14k–$31k (median $17,336)
- Fuel economy
- 26 mpg
- Owner reports
- 1 very frequent problem and 1 recurring in owner reports
- Main owner complaint
- High maintenance and repair costs
- Best recent year
- 2021
Why #2
- Owner reliability (36 of 45 points): 1 very frequent problem and 1 recurring in owner reports: fewer than about 79% of this list
- Price (30 of 30 points): median used asking price $17,336 (48 US listings, all model years, Auto.dev): the lowest of the cars still sold new
- Fuel economy (22 of 25 points): 26 mpg combined (EPA): better than about 86% of the gas and hybrid cars on this list
- #3
Audi A7
Score 74- Used price
- $17k–$30k (median $22,190)
- Fuel economy
- 25 mpg
- Owner reports
- 1 recurring problem in owner reports, none very frequent
- Main owner complaint
- 48V alternator failure and related build/order delays
- Best recent year
- 2018
Why #3
- Owner reliability (45 of 45 points): 1 recurring problem in owner reports, none very frequent: the fewest on this list
- Price (15 of 30 points): median used asking price $22,190 (48 US listings, all model years, Auto.dev): lower than about 50% of the cars no longer sold new (this one until 2025)
- Fuel economy (14 of 25 points): 25 mpg combined (EPA): better than about 57% of the gas and hybrid cars on this list
- #4
Tesla Model 3
Score 56- Used price
- $22k–$31k (median $26,301)
- Fuel economy
- 111 MPGe
- Owner reports
- 1 very frequent problem and 5 recurring in owner reports
- Main owner complaint
- Front suspension/control arm failures
- Best recent year
- 2017
Why #4
- Owner reliability (19 of 45 points): 1 very frequent problem and 5 recurring in owner reports: fewer than about 42% of this list
- Price (18 of 30 points): median used asking price $26,301 (48 US listings, all model years, Auto.dev): lower than about 60% of the cars still sold new
- Fuel economy (19 of 25 points): 111 MPGe combined (EPA): better than about 75% of the EVs on this list
- #5
Cadillac CT5
Score 53- Used price
- $28k–$38k (median $32,324)
- Fuel economy
- 21 mpg
- Owner reports
- 3 recurring problems in owner reports, none very frequent
- Main owner complaint
- 10-speed automatic transmission valve body failures
Why #5
- Owner reliability (36 of 45 points): 3 recurring problems in owner reports, none very frequent: fewer than about 79% of this list
- Price (12 of 30 points): median used asking price $32,324 (48 US listings, all model years, Auto.dev): lower than about 40% of the cars still sold new
- Fuel economy (5 of 25 points): 21 mpg combined (EPA): better than about 21% of the gas and hybrid cars on this list
- #6
Jaguar XF
Score 48- Used price
- $11k–$20k (median $14,793)
- Fuel economy
- 25 mpg
- Owner reports
- 4 very frequent problems and 2 recurring in owner reports
- Main owner complaint
- Cooling system failures
- Best recent year
- 2023
Why #6
- Owner reliability (4 of 45 points): 4 very frequent problems and 2 recurring in owner reports: fewer than about 8% of this list
- Price (30 of 30 points): median used asking price $14,793 (50 US listings, all model years, Auto.dev): the lowest of the cars no longer sold new (this one until 2024)
- Fuel economy (14 of 25 points): 25 mpg combined (EPA): better than about 57% of the gas and hybrid cars on this list
- #7
BMW i5
Score 43- Used price
- No data yet
- Fuel economy
- 99 MPGe
- Owner reports
- 4 recurring problems in owner reports, none very frequent
- Main owner complaint
- Software glitches and system failures
Why #7
- Owner reliability (30 of 45 points): 4 recurring problems in owner reports, none very frequent: fewer than about 67% of this list
- Price (0 of 30 points): No data yet (no used listing prices)
- Fuel economy (13 of 25 points): 99 MPGe combined (EPA): better than about 50% of the EVs on this list
- #8
Audi A6
Score 36- Used price
- No data yet
- Fuel economy
- 114 MPGe
- Owner reports
- 2 very frequent problems and 5 recurring in owner reports
- Main owner complaint
- High maintenance and repair costs
- Best recent year
- 2023
- Years to avoid
- 2019
Why #8
- Owner reliability (11 of 45 points): 2 very frequent problems and 5 recurring in owner reports: fewer than about 25% of this list
- Price (0 of 30 points): No data yet (no used listing prices)
- Fuel economy (25 of 25 points): 114 MPGe combined (EPA): the best EV on this list
- #9
Genesis G80
Score 31- Used price
- No data yet
- Fuel economy
- 21 mpg
- Owner reports
- 1 very frequent problem and 3 recurring in owner reports
- Main owner complaint
- Dealership & Service Experience (U.S.)
Why #9
- Owner reliability (26 of 45 points): 1 very frequent problem and 3 recurring in owner reports: fewer than about 58% of this list
- Price (0 of 30 points): No data yet (no used listing prices)
- Fuel economy (5 of 25 points): 21 mpg combined (EPA): better than about 21% of the gas and hybrid cars on this list
- #10
BMW M5
Score 23- Used price
- No data yet
- Fuel economy
- 14 mpg
- Owner reports
- 2 very frequent problems and 2 recurring in owner reports
- Main owner complaint
- Catastrophic engine failure (E60 V10 S85)
- Best recent year
- 2023
- Years to avoid
- 2018
Why #10
- Owner reliability (23 of 45 points): 2 very frequent problems and 2 recurring in owner reports: fewer than about 50% of this list
- Price (0 of 30 points): No data yet (no used listing prices)
- Fuel economy (0 of 25 points): 14 mpg combined (EPA): better than about 0% of the gas and hybrid cars on this list
- #11
Mercedes-Benz CLS
Score 18- Used price
- $19k–$32k (median $25,216)
- Fuel economy
- 25 mpg
- Owner reports
- 4 very frequent problems and 2 recurring in owner reports
- Main owner complaint
- Air suspension failures
- Years to avoid
- 2019
Why #11
- Owner reliability (4 of 45 points): 4 very frequent problems and 2 recurring in owner reports: fewer than about 8% of this list
- Price (0 of 30 points): median used asking price $25,216 (49 US listings, all model years, Auto.dev): lower than about 0% of the cars no longer sold new (this one until 2023)
- Fuel economy (14 of 25 points): 25 mpg combined (EPA): better than about 57% of the gas and hybrid cars on this list
- #12
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Score 16- Used price
- $34k–$38k (median $35,993)
- Fuel economy
- 87 MPGe
- Owner reports
- 3 very frequent problems and 4 recurring in owner reports
- Main owner complaint
- High price / poor value proposition
Why #12
- Owner reliability (4 of 45 points): 3 very frequent problems and 4 recurring in owner reports: fewer than about 8% of this list
- Price (6 of 30 points): median used asking price $35,993 (50 US listings, all model years, Auto.dev): lower than about 20% of the cars still sold new
- Fuel economy (6 of 25 points): 87 MPGe combined (EPA): better than about 25% of the EVs on this list
- #13
Porsche Taycan
Score 15- Used price
- $53k–$69k (median $60,670)
- Fuel economy
- 86 MPGe
- Owner reports
- 3 very frequent problems and 2 recurring in owner reports
- Main owner complaint
- Major reliability and component failures
Why #13
- Owner reliability (15 of 45 points): 3 very frequent problems and 2 recurring in owner reports: fewer than about 33% of this list
- Price (0 of 30 points): median used asking price $60,670 (49 US listings, all model years, Auto.dev): lower than about 0% of the cars still sold new
- Fuel economy (0 of 25 points): 86 MPGe combined (EPA): better than about 0% of the EVs on this list
How we rank
- Owner reliability, 45 points. Problems that owners report again and again, from our owner reports. A very frequent problem counts twice. Fewer problems than the other cars on this page earns more points.
- Used price, 30 points. The median asking price in US listings (Auto.dev), all model years together. Cheaper than the others earns more.
- Fuel economy, 25 points. EPA combined rating. Electric cars are compared only with other electric cars, in MPGe.
- No guesses. A car needs enough owner reports and three years on sale to be ranked. A number we don't have earns 0 points and says "No data yet". We never compare NHTSA complaint counts between models, because they grow with the number of cars sold.
Questions
- What is the best used luxury midsize car?
- The BMW 5 Series ranks #1 of 13 with a score of 90 out of 100. 2 recurring problems in owner reports, none very frequent, and its used price is $19,995 at the median.
- Which luxury midsize car has the fewest owner-reported problems?
- The Audi A7: 1 recurring problem in owner reports, none very frequent.
- Which luxury midsize car still sold new is the cheapest to buy used?
- The Mercedes-Benz E-class, with a median used asking price $17,336, based on US listings.
- How does CarWizz rank luxury midsize cars?
- Each car is compared only with the other cars on this page. Owner reliability is worth 45 points, used price 30 points and EPA combined fuel economy 25 points. A car without enough owner reports is not ranked, and a missing number earns no points.
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