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Best luxury cars 2022

Luxury cars are the best of the best from each manufacturer’s range of cars. They have the most advanced technology, the finest engines and the most impeccable build standards using the finest quality materials.

For many brands, luxury cars lead with the technology that eventually filters down to the rest of the range. These flagships get it first, which is why they appeal to some who want the latest and greatest tech.

Other people adore luxury cars just because they make them feel like a celebrity. Or maybe they are a celebrity, and want to travel in the manner to which they have become accustomed. Ideally by being driven, rather than driving themselves.

However famous you are (or aren’t), if you’re in the market for a luxury car, you absolutely want the best you can buy – or list as a demand in your contract. Here are 10 of the best luxury cars on sale right now.

Range Rover

The new Range Rover is a fantastically indulgent machine. It looks thoroughly contemporary for starters, with the sort of pared-back refinement that screams modern luxury. Stepping up into the rich interior takes you into another world of gorgeous materials, crisp infotainment screens and laid-back luxury. You look down upon the world and feel like you have become royalty. Fuel bills will be similarly regal if you choose the regular versions, but plug-in hybrid tech is coming and there’s even a pure electric Range Rover arriving in due course. Factor in the brilliant off-road ability and you’ve a standard-setting luxury car that is perfect for use year-round, no matter what the weather or state of the roads (or, indeed, lack of them).

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

A famously standard-setting luxury car, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the vehicle of choice for CEOs, VIPs and world leaders (there’s even a range of bulletproof and bomb-proof versions). This latest one, like so many before it, is a World Luxury Car of the Year winner, thanks to the way it further enhances the driving experience while combining it with the latest infotainment tech. You can now get a plug-in hybrid S-Class, one with a generous 65-mile electric range and, of course, even more hushed refinement on the move. For the ultimate in luxury, choose the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, a car that really will make you feel a million dollars.

Rolls-Royce Phantom

Ah, the Rolls-Royce Phantom. Truly the Rolls-Royce of luxury cars. Of course, the company itself would argue it’s above any comparison, and actually operates in an exalted league of its own. The fact it’s so reluctant to say how much its cars actually cost is proof of this (you need at least £375,000, and for most owners this is just the starting point). Huge, ostentatious and unmissable, the giant Phantom really does offer a luxury experience like no other, from its amazing drawing room-style interior to the sheer silence with which it conducts its business. Running one will, naturally, cost you a fortune, but if you can afford a Phantom, that won’t matter at all.

Bentley Flying Spur

The Bentley Flying Spur is the Crewe-based firm’s luxury saloon. It’s not as big as a Rolls-Royce Phantom, but is still large and lavish. In terms of engines, you can have a fun V8, a W12 powerhouse, or a Flying Spur Hybrid with a V6 engine and a punchy electric motor. The latter has an impressive EV driving range of around 25 miles, perfect for emissions-free city use with plenty in reserve for longer journeys. Craftsmanship is a Bentley strong point, with a huge array of interior trims available. Basically, if you want it, they’ll build it – by hand. It’s also a fun luxury car to drive, should you wish to get behind the wheel.

BMW 7 Series

The pinnacle of the BMW saloon car range, the latest 7 Series has real presence. The styling isn’t as interesting as some previous versions, but it packs plenty of presence, while the interior is a masterclass of Teutonic design. All the buttons and controls are super-tactile, BMW’s excellent infotainment system is well-integrated, and the rear-seat entertainment package is extremely comprehensive. Alongside the thirsty old-school versions is a 745e plug-in hybrid with a 34-mile pure electric range – and even this 7 Series comes with xDrive all-wheel drive for sophisticated and stable progress whatever the weather.

Audi A8

The Audi A8 has been revised for 2022, with even more technology to promote the brand’s Vorsprung durch Technik motto. It’s not the most distinctive car to look at, despite the recent facelift, but it’s impressive inside, with a cockpit-style feel from behind the wheel thanks to all the sophisticated screens and controls. Audi has further improved the A8’s semi-autonomous driving ability, too. It works well in practice and there’s more functionality ready to be rolled out, if and when ‘self-driving’ laws are updated in Europe. It’s available with both mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid engine tech, plus there’s a high-performance S8 range-topper.

Aston Martin DBX

The Aston Martin DBX is a luxurious SUV from the under-pressure British sports car company. There were once plans for a separate luxury brand called Lagonda, but for now the DBX must serve that role. It does so with aplomb, however, thanks to its large size and indulgent interior. It is a leather-lined masterclass in making people feel special, particularly as its lofty ride height means they get a great view out. Even the regular V8 is sporty when you want to do something more than simply cruise. The new DBX707, with the name referencing its massive 707hp power output, is on another level entirely.

Lexus LS

The Lexus LS was the car that terrified Mercedes-Benz when it was first launched in the late 1980s. The benchmark S-Class was found wanting and the German company had to up its game in order to compete with the brilliantly refined and impeccably well-built Lexus. This latest one isn’t quite the force it once was, but it still delivers a uniquely Japanese luxury experience. It comes as standard with hybrid engine tech, with the 3.5-litre V6 LS 500h producing CO2 emissions from just 182g/km – far lower than petrol-powered alternatives (even if plug-in hybrid rivals are now better still). On the road, the LS has a standout presence due to its size and rarity, and it really is a pleasure to be driven in.

Genesis G80

Genesis is a new luxury brand in the UK. Its cars are already familiar over in the US, so aren’t the freshest models around (the engines are nothing to write home about, while hybrid tech is notable for its absence), but they still appeal because Genesis aims to deliver a more attainable luxury experience. The car itself is almost secondary; Genesis provides a customer-focused, concierge-style buying experience that extends into ownership. You don’t have to set foot in a dealer, and will be assigned a single personal assistant to help you throughout the time you own the car. Is it the best luxury-car experience available to real-world buyers? Time will tell.

Volkswagen Touareg

Volkswagen used to have a car that could take on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class: the Phaeton. It was mightily impressive, but a total sales flop. Now, its range-topping model is an SUV, the Touareg – and in many ways, it’s even more alluring than the cult-classic Phaeton. Being based on the same underpinnings used by the Bentley Bentayga undoubtedly helps. It’s allowed Volkswagen to create a car with beautiful ride quality, effortless performance and whisper-quiet refinement. The Touareg also looks the part, with plenty of status from its well-crafted shape and obvious size. It’s a top-notch luxury experience that won’t break the bank. 

Can you get an electric luxury car?

Mercedes-Benz is one of the first manufacturers out of the traps with an electric luxury car, in the form of the EQS. As its name suggests, this is the S-Class of electric cars, and it doesn’t disappoint once you see it and step inside. It has real on-road presence and the interior is jaw-droppingly indulgent, particularly with the optional Hyperscreen dashboard. The EQS is also brilliantly refined and has a driving range of more than 450 miles – no electric car can currently beat it.

What is the best luxury car in the world?

Several cars have long claimed to be the best luxury car in the world. Rolls-Royce is right up there, of course, while Mercedes-Benz has for decades been the world’s best car at a slightly more affordable level. These days, the Range Rover is considered to be one of the best all-round luxury cars, and that’s particularly so with the latest model. It’s a masterclass of tasteful design and refinement, along with being an utterly soothing drive.

Which is the fastest luxury car?

The Aston Martin DBX707 currently leads the luxury SUV class, with a mammoth 707hp output giving 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds and a mighty 193mph top speed. Aston Martin is promising cornering ability that’s just as impressive, and we predict a Nurburgring lap-time will be in the offing sooner rather than later. Luxury cars are meant to be sleek, discreet cruisers, and the DBX707 can do that. When you turn up the wick, though, it responds in the most remarkable way.

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