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.

RankCar modelTotal global average monthly searches 
1Lexus GX2,983,800
2Mercedes CLA738,800
3Mercedes EQS251,350
4Toyota Lexus LX 160,550
5BMW X356,650
6Maybach S Class 12,950
7Cadillac XT 6,580
8Maserati GT Convertible 6,550
9Maybach V Class4,650
10Cadillac Escalade3,000

*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. 

RankCar brandTotal brand searches
1Lexus4,528,700
2Maserati3,469,200
3Maybach2,087,950
4Mercedes1,822,550
5Cadillac579,900
6BMW518,150
7Bentley378,400
8Toyota345,450
9Ford313,500
10Audi282,300

*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 GDPMost searched for luxury modelAverage monthly searches
United StatesLexusGX2,020,550
ChinaLexusGX5,800
GermanyMercedesEQS50,550
JapanLexusGX27,950
IndiaMaybachS Class5,650
United KingdomMercedesCLA150,500
FranceMaseratiGT Convertible500
BrazilLexusGX6,600
ItalyMaseratiKubang500
CanadaLexusGX238,200
MexicoMaybachS Class250
AustraliaLexusGX214,600
South KoreaLexusGX7,450
SpainMaybachS Class250
IndonesiaLexusGX27,400
NetherlandsMaybachS Class250
TurkiyeMercedesEQS50,550
Saudi ArabiaLexusGX34,800
SwitzerlandMaseratiLevante100
PolandLexusGX28,350
TaiwanLexusGX26,000
BelgiumMaseratiLevante100
SwedenMaseratiLevante100
ArgentinaMaseratiLevante100
IrelandMercedesCLA13,950
ThailandMaseratiLevante100
AustriaMaseratiGT Convertible50
IsraelLexusGX7,650
United Arab EmiratesLexusGX42,650
NorwayMercedesEQS5,500
SingaporeMercedesCLA14,300
PhilippinesMercedesEQS5,500
VietnamLexusGX33,300
BangladeshLexusGX7,300
MalaysiaMaybachS Class700
DenmarkMercedesCLA13,200
Hong KongLexusGX6,350
ColombiaMaseratiLevante100
South AfricaMercedesCLA40,000
RomaniaMercedesCLA113,450
EgyptMercedesEQS5,500
ChileMaseratiLevante100
CzechiaMaseratiLevante100
FinlandLexusGX5,750
PortugalMaseratiLevante100
KazakhstanLexusGX27,650
PeruMaseratiLevante100
AlgeriaMercedesCLA3,900

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. 

Leasing a luxury car with LeaseCar.uk 

Leasing is a flexible and more affordable way to get your hands on the luxury car of your dreams. Our in-house leasing experts can help you find the best deal available, at monthly costs lower than other types of finance on the same car.

We have a great range of luxury brands available to lease, including:

Find your luxury car online or get in touch with us for personal guidance about getting the best deal on 0344 745 1818.