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Mercedes-Benz named best car brand to own in Driver Power survey

Mercedes-Benz topped the overall manufacturer rankings with a score of 88.96%, having finished second in last year's survey.

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Mercedes-Benz has been named the best car brand to own in the 2026 Driver Power rankings, Carwow Group’s annual ownership survey.

The survey, described by Carwow Group as the UK’s largest automotive-specific ownership study, gathered feedback from thousands of motorists who rated their vehicles across 10 categories including driving enjoyment, reliability, practicality and running costs.

Mercedes-Benz topped the overall manufacturer rankings with a score of 88.96%, having finished second in last year’s survey.

The marque achieved the highest scores in six of the 10 categories, including driving enjoyment, interior design and driving smoothness.

Alfa Romeo was ranked second with a score of 87.17%, marking its first appearance in the top 10. Owners praised its steering responsiveness and handling, although it scored less strongly for economy, running costs, build quality and reliability.

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Tesla finished third on 86.91%, leading the rankings for powertrain and smoothness while also placing second for infotainment, acceleration and safety features. Its Model 3 was named the overall best car to own in this year’s survey.

Lexus took fourth place with a score of 86.71%, benefiting from strong results for interior quality and practicality, while BMW completed the top five on 86.45%, helped by high scores for infotainment and powertrain performance.

The remainder of the top 10 comprised Vauxhall, Peugeot, Jeep, Renault and Land Rover.

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Driver Power also assessed reliability based on faults reported by owners. The Toyota Aygo X, specifically models built since 2022, was named the UK’s most reliable family car, achieving a reliability score of 94.09%. Owners also highlighted its fuel economy and exterior styling.

The top 10 manufacturers in the 2026 Driver Power survey were:

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  1. Mercedes-Benz – 88.96%
  2. Alfa Romeo – 87.17%
  3. Tesla – 86.91%
  4. Lexus – 86.71%
  5. BMW – 86.45%
  6. Vauxhall – 85.94%
  7. Peugeot – 85.90%
  8. Jeep – 85.68%
  9. Renault – 85.59%
  10. Land Rover – 85.44%

Sarah Perks, vice president of content and publishing at Carwow Group, said: “Driver Power is Carwow Group’s leading car ownership survey, brought to life by Auto Express.

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“Thanks to data from more than 100,000 drivers, it is the most comprehensive view of what owners genuinely think – and how they feel – about their cars.

“Driver Power analysis provides a holistic view of consumer preferences and buying behaviours, helping our dealer partners make timely and informed decisions about stocking and marketing strategy.

“In the manufacturer rankings – arguably the most meaningful measure of overall ownership satisfaction – Mercedes-Benz took the overall win, but the bigger story is how strongly premium brands performed across the board.

“Nine of the top 10 manufacturers could be considered mainstream-premium or premium brands.

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“Of course, a higher list price doesn’t automatically guarantee a great ownership experience, but our data suggests buyers who spend more tend to be more satisfied with the cars they end up driving.”

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