The mid-size premium saloon segment is perhaps more competitive than it’s ever been, especially with all three of Germany’s traditional luxury brands going neck to neck for who will feature the latest and greatest tech items.

In this particular occasion, Carwow put the representatives from Audi, BMW and  Mercedes against the Lexus ES, which in Europe, at least, is the type of car you’d probably look at only if you want to be a little different than most people. Still, the Lexus is a stylish, well-built and overall competent product.

This is not a game

The Germans aren’t playing around when it comes to longstanding premium nameplates. If you hope to have any chance in defeating the likes of the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series or Mercedes E-Class, you best bring your A-game, followed by your A+ game and your A++ game just to get in the conversation.

The Lexus is then perhaps too focused on doing its own thing to be a genuine threat here, which is evident at the end of this review when it comes in last.

Also watch: Study Shows Britain’s Worst Drivers Own German Premium Cars

In the end though, it all comes down to three equally-matched models, where one is generally viewed as being more elegant, another as the most sporty and the third as perhaps a bit of both.

While this comparison test did end with a winner, in reality most people will just opt for whichever saloon best matches their personality and views on style and comfort. It’s almost like having to choose between three Android flagships, powered by similar chips and having similar performance.

Which one would you choose as your daily driver?