Lexus UK is delighted when its cars, services and people are recognised for their achievements in the automotive industry and beyond. Last year, critics and motorists alike were generous enough to bestow numerous awards, including multiple repeat wins in the vital areas of reliability and customer satisfaction, as well as for our new best-selling LBX model. Which begs the question: What will this year bring? Over the next 12 months this Lexus awards 2025 article will be updated with the latest honours. So watch this space!
Lexus awards 2025:
LBX named best hybrid compact SUV
The Lexus LBX has added to its honours list, being named the Best Hybrid Compact SUV in the EcoCar Electrified Top 50 Awards 2025. As well securing this category win, the LBX was also placed seventh overall in the top 50 rankings and was the highest-placed full hybrid across all vehicle types.
Lexus is voted most reliable brand for the fourth consecutive year
Success for the fourth year running in the Autotrader Drivers’ Choice Awards 2025 provides emphatic confirmation of our status as the UK’s most trusted car maker. Being named the Most Reliable Brand reflects the opinions and experiences of more than 225,000 UK motorists who responded to Autotrader’s online survey.
Editorial director Erin Baker commented: “Lexus continues to dominate when it comes to reliability, and 2025 marks the fourth consecutive year it has won the Most Reliable Brand award. It’s a staggering achievement and one clearly recognised by owners, with one in particular telling us that ‘Lexus is the most reliable car brand I’ve ever owned; this is my fifth now, and I cannot fault their build or the exceptional quality throughout.’”
Winners of annual Centre of Excellence awards
The annual Lexus Centre of Excellence awards recognise exceptional customer-facing performance in categories such as new and used car sales, marketing, fleet and business sales, and omotenashi (hospitality). Among these, however, are the prestigious Centre of the Year and Best Lexus Group awards, which for 2025 were won by Lexus Cambridge and RRG Group respectively.
Over the past 12 months, Lexus Cambridge has focused on the customer experience, balanced with achieving sales targets and driving profits. A category award winner over the last three years, Lexus Cambridge also excelled in new and used car sales, after sales, and insurance products. It also won the Lexus Omotenashi award for hospitality.
RRG won the Lexus Group of the Year awards for its strong growth mindset, investing ahead of the curve and consistently hitting targets. The group has transformed its business and provides a first-class customer experience.
Record UK sales led by LBX
Lexus achieved record new car sales in the UK for a second successive in 2024 with 16,678 vehicles sold, an increase of 4.5% on the previous year’s performance. Leading the sales figures was the all-new LBX, which sold more than 5,500 units. This was closely followed by the NX with more than 4,300 deliveries, almost two-thirds of which were the NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid version.
These results also contributed to new record figures for Lexus in worldwide markets. Our global sales total rose by 3.3% to 851,214 units – another record-breaking figure. Meanwhile, European sales accelerated forward by 20% to 88,1814 units. In Western Europe, 99% of all new vehicles sold were electrified.
Lexus LBX retains its Best Small SUV title in What Car? awards
The Lexus LBX has achieved the distinction of becoming a What Car? award winner for two years in succession, retaining the title of Best Small SUV in the 2025 honours. The model’s success follows on from its dream debut a year ago when What Car? named it Car of the Year in addition to winning its SUV category.
What Car? editor Steve Huntingford commented: “The LBX may be the smallest Lexus you can buy, but inside it looks and feels very much like the brand’s larger SUVs, combining plush materials with superb build quality. Dynamically, the LBX strikes a fine balance between comfort and control. Meanwhile, its hybrid engine combines outstanding frugality with gutsy performance.”
During the past 12 months, the LBX has fulfilled its promise as a game-changing model, bringing authentic Lexus craftsmanship, luxury and refinement into one of the most fiercely contested market segments. In its first full year on sale, it established itself as our best-selling model in the UK and helped secure a new record sales volume.
My LBX is an excellent vehicle but, unlike the other vehicles I have owned in the last 30 years, (3 Subarus, 2 BMWs and an Audi), it has let me down and required AA assistance – twice!
The problem was the battery that has now been replaced free of charge but this was not the Lexus experience I anticipated. My decision to purchase the vehicle was strongly influenced by Lexus’ reputation for reliability and experience with EV technology, which unfortunatly has been as bad as the Range Rover I got rid of in the 1990’s.
Following a discussion about the battery problem and the inconvenience that it caused with the manager at Lexus Solihul, where I purchased the vehicle new 4 months ago, I had expected a response from Lexus. So far nothing
I have had my LBX since May last year and it has given me unstinting performance. It is not just a very practical car for everyday local trips, but is also comfortable on the long journeys It is responsive to the controls, and safe and stable in all conditions. A rewarding car to drive
My only disappointment is the LEXUS + App which does not always connect with the car to switch on the climate cotrol. On cold and frosty mornings this is a let down.
Not withstanding that last comment well done for making a winner.
With the success of the LBX & the positive reviews of the LBX Morizo RR, surely an annoucement is imminent ?
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/lexus/lbx/365629/new-lexus-lbx-morizo-rr-2025-review-gripping-little-performance-suv
No news to share currently Mark, sorry!
Lexus: A Decline in Excitement
Historically, Lexus has represented a standard of bold design, technical excellence, and an emotional connection with its vehicles. The brand was not merely focused on luxury; it distinguished itself through an inherent sense of character and soul. The LC 500, equipped with a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 engine and featuring a concept-car silhouette, was an exemplary model of automotive artistry. Similarly, the RC F was celebrated for its raw and unapologetic performance. These vehicles were not just modes of transportation; they were objects of desire.
However, it is evident that Lexus has lost some of its distinctive edge over the years.
From Distinctive to Generic
An examination of the current vehicle lineup reveals this shift. While the LC model persists, it is ageing without a clear successor on the horizon. The RC model has gradually diminished in visibility, overshadowed by a proliferation of SUVs—namely, the UX, NX, RX, TX, GX, and LX—as well as hybrids that appear to serve more as compliance mechanisms than as expressions of passion. Even the ES model, which I personally own and value, seems to epitomise the last vestiges of Lexus’s refinement within a lineup that increasingly resembles offerings from other premium automotive brands. The one feature that remains emblematic of Lexus is the oversized spindle grille, which, unfortunately, has become a point of contention among consumers.
Electrification Without Supporting Infrastructure
Like numerous automakers, Lexus is actively shifting toward electrification. However, it is imperative to consider whether the UK is adequately prepared for such a transition. The impending prohibition of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 is approaching rapidly. By 2025, it is mandated that 28% of new cars sold must be zero-emission. Nonetheless, the necessary infrastructure to support this shift is lagging. Despite over £60 million in government funding and more than 82,000 public charging points, several regions—particularly rural and suburban areas—remain underserved. The City of London anticipates that 8,000 light vehicles will require daily access to charging facilities by 2025.
Furthermore, the UK’s energy grid is increasingly dependent on renewable sources, which now contribute over 40% of total electricity generation. However, demand continues to escalate from various sectors, including residential, healthcare, and industrial, alongside the anticipated increase from electric vehicles. The Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2025 indicates that the grid faces considerable pressure, characterised by rising levels of import dependence and constrained capacity for expansion. As the adoption of electric vehicles intensifies, electricity prices will increase, and affordable charging options may soon become less viable.
Ongoing Loyalty with Reservations
I maintain a strong appreciation for my ES and LC models, as they symbolise an era when Lexus embraced innovation and differentiated itself through vehicles designed to inspire and engage. However, in the current lineup, there is nothing that I would consider trading them for. Until Lexus effectively revives its passion for automotive excellence—concurrently addressing the infrastructural needs aligned with its ambitions—I will continue to value the vehicles I currently own.
Lexus must reawaken its core principles. The brand must move beyond the attributes of quiet interiors and reliability, embracing instead audacious design, exhilarating performance, and a profound emotional connection with its customers. The automotive market does not require another standard electric vehicle; it necessitates a Lexus that can once again evoke excitement and enthusiasm.
Good afternoon John,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We appreciate your loyalty over the years.
Pleased to hear you’re still enjoying your Lexus ES and Lexus LC and wish you many more luxurious miles.
Keep an eye on our online magazine and social media channels for news on concepts and new product announcements.
Thank you.