Best luxury cars

Luxury cars are primarily designed to ensure travelling is as enjoyable and comfortable an experience as possible. Helped by vast amounts of leg and headroom, supreme ride smoothness, excellent performance and unrivalled levels of interior equipment, these cars are the equivalent of sitting in first class.

Our list includes cars that cover the full spectrum of the different sizes and shapes currently on sale, but each has one thing in common, they offer the very best in luxury.

Leading our countdown is CarBuyer's 2011 Car of the Year award winner, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class saloon

£60,610 - £164,260

5.0 /5

t doesn’t seem to matter how tough the opposition gets, the Mercedes S-Class still comes out on top. It's five-years old now, but the big German's mix of prestige image, beautiful build quality and hi-tech underpinnings make it the clear class leader. But it's the Merc's ability to perform flawlessly in every situation that seals this coveted carbuyer.co.uk accolade. Whether you want a classy and spacious limousine, or a rapid and agile saloon, there's something in the S-Class line-up to suit. Sure, the petrol models are thirsty, but the stop/start equipped diesels will deliver some startlingly good fuel returns and surprisingly low emissions. Quite simply, the S-Class is one of the few models on the road that can lay claim to the title of ‘best car in the world’.

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Range Rover SUV

£63,995 - £86,925

4.5 /5

It's the finest 4x4 by far. Not only is the Range Rover a great off-road performer but it's also brilliant to drive on the road, which is a rare mix. It may not be cheap compared to rivals like the BMW X5, but you certainly get what you pay for. The luxurious interior is extremely well-built, while standard equipment levels are impressive. The engines are smooth and powerful, while the level of luxury and comfort on offer means the Range-Rover competes with luxury saloons from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, as well as traditional SUVs.

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Lexus LS saloon

£90,636 - £100,086

4.3 /5

Conceived as the pinnacle of Lexus's car-building know-how, the hybrid-engined LS is Lexus' flagship model. It's packed with hi-tech equipment, offers a huge amount of passenger space and is one of the most comfortable cars on the road. Pitched as a limousine for environmentally aware company chiefs, the LS can run on electric power alone at low speeds. The bland looks won't appeal to all, but build quality is sublime and Lexus has an unrivalled record for reliability. The hybrid system, with its V8 petrol engine and electric motor, offers buyers an alternative to buying a diesel-engined rival, and fuel economy is quite impressive for a car of this size.

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Jaguar XJ saloon

Luxury 3.0 V6 Diesel

£55,525

4.5 /5

The latest XJ is Jaguar's all-new high-technology flagship. Not only is it the most distinctive looking road car the firm has ever designed, it's also more fun to drive than rivals from Mercedes and BMW. However, firm suspension means the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is more comfortable and offers more legroom in standard wheelbase specification. Three engines are available, two petrols and one diesel, all exceptionally powerful and quiet. All cars come loaded with luxury equipment.

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Audi A8 saloon

£53,385 - £95,140

4.5 /5

It doesn't matter if you're looking for a car to drive, or to be driven in, the A8 is thoroughly impressive in both areas. It packs a host of clever technology to make the driving experience as seamless as possible, including lights that are connected to the sat-nav and will illuminate junctions, bend round corners and even dip when they sense oncoming traffic. A system called Audi Drive Select also features, and allows drivers to tweak the steering, suspension and gearbox to make the car more sporty or more comfortable. The cabin itself is finished in high-grade materials and is very logically laid out. Customers looking for a bit more space to stretch out in the rear can opt for the long wheelbase version.

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BMW 7 Series saloon

£57,430 - £102,555

4.1 /5

BMW's 7 Series is almost as close as it gets to being the perfect limousine for top level executives in need of a car that's both luxurious enough to carry the Chairman from meeting to meeting, yet still good to drive. It's understated looks help it slice through busy city traffic almost unnoticed, yet inside it's one of the most stylish, and well equipped cars of its type on the market. Our favourite cars are diesel powered - both the 730d and 740d offer the same basic twin turbo 3.0-litre engine, but the 740d, with its extra performance is the star of the show. The less powerful 730d is no less appealing however, it offers the lowest CO2 emissions of any luxury car, and returns combined fuel economy of around 40mpg.

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