Lexus Risks Ceding Decade-Long Lead to Mercedes, BMW

After 10 years on top in the U.S., Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus risks relinquishing its best-seller status among luxury brands to Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz.

The Lexus brand, a benchmark for quality in the 1990s and 2000s, has been marred by record recalls this year for flaws across its lineup. Problems including fuel leaks, engines that may stall and vehicles at risk of rolling over during emergency driving maneuvers surfaced after Toyota had already recalled more than 8 million vehicles under its main brand for defects linked to unintended acceleration.