Verdict
The Lexus LC is the emotional choice: its 470 hp V8 reaches 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds, 0.8 seconds ahead of the S-Class, and carries a five-year unlimited-mileage warranty with five years/100,000 km free service. But Malaysian ownership costs bite: it costs RM1,379,000, RM640,112 above the RM738,888 Mercedes, while annual road tax is RM10,991 versus RM2,128. The S-Class gives five seats, a 350-litre boot and 100 km of EV range from its 28.6-kWh battery, so it is the rational luxury car. Its 362 hp petrol engine is slower, though.
LC
Pick the Lexus LC if a 470 hp naturally aspirated V8, 4.4-second sprint and two-door coupe format matter more than running costs and rear-seat practicality.
S-Class
Pick the Mercedes-Benz S-Class if you want five seats, plug-in hybrid capability and far lower purchase and annual road-tax bills.
Key differences
- Price: Lexus LC RM1,379,000; Mercedes-Benz S-Class RM738,888.
- Performance: Lexus LC 470 hp, 540 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 362 hp, 500 Nm and 5.2 seconds.
- Efficiency: Lexus LC rated at 8.6 L/100 km and 267 g/km CO2; Mercedes-Benz S-Class rated at 1 L/100 km and 22 g/km.
- Plug-in system: Lexus LC has no motor or EV range; Mercedes-Benz S-Class has one 147 hp/440 Nm motor, a 28.6-kWh battery and 100 km EV range.
- Practicality: Lexus LC has 4 seats and a 197-litre boot; Mercedes-Benz S-Class has 5 seats and a 350-litre boot.
- Road tax: Lexus LC RM10,991 per year; Mercedes-Benz S-Class RM2,128 per year.
LC
- 470 hp 4,969 cc naturally aspirated V8
- 4.4-second 0-100 km/h time and 270 km/h top speed
- Five-year unlimited-mileage warranty with 5-year/100,000 km free service
- Costs RM640,112 more to buy
- Annual road tax is RM8,863 higher
- Four seats and 197 litres of boot space versus five seats and 350 litres
S-Class
- 100 km EV range from a 28.6-kWh plug-in hybrid battery
- Five seats, four doors and 350-litre boot
- Air suspension, 14 airbags and power-adjustable rear seats with massage
- Slower 5.2-second 0-100 km/h time versus 4.4 seconds
- Lower 362 hp output and 250 km/h top speed
- Four-year warranty versus the LC's five-year cover
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM1,379,000 | RM738,888✓ |
| Body type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Segment | Luxury | Luxury |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM10,991 | RM2,128✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 32-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, naturally-aspirated, Otto/Atkinson Cycle with variable valve timing | 24-valve DOHC with Electric Twin-scroll Turbocharger, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift |
| Capacity | 4,969 cc | 2,999 cc |
| Horsepower | 470 hp at 7,100 rpm✓ | 362 hp at 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 540 Nm at 4,800 rpm✓ | 500 Nm at 1,600 rpm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | V 8 | Inline 6 |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol Plug-in Hybrid |
| Bore × Stroke | 94 mm × 89.5 mm | 83 mm × 92.4 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 12.3 | 10.5 |
| Number of Motors | — | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | — | 147 hp |
| Motor Torque | — | 440 Nm |
| Battery Capacity | — | 28.6 kWh |
| EV Range | — | 100 km |
| Charging Rate (AC) | — | 11 kW |
| Charging Rate (DC) | — | 60 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Direct Shift | 9G-TRONIC |
| Gears | 10 | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Aisin | Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG) |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 4.4 seconds✓ | 5.2 seconds |
| Rated Economy | 8.6 L/100 km | 1 L/100 km✓ |
| Top Speed | 270 km/h✓ | 250 km/h |
| Co2 | 267 g/km | 22 g/km✓ |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,770 mm | 5,289 mm |
| Width | 1,920 mm | 1,954 mm |
| Height | 1,345 mm | 1,503 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,870 mm | 3,216 mm |
| Weight | 1,965 kg | 2,385 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 82 litres | 67 litres |
| Doors | 2 | 4 |
| Seats | 4 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 197 litres | 350 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 245/40R21 | 255/40R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 275/35R21 | 285/35R20 |
| Spare Tyre | — | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Bridgestone Potenza S001L Run-flats | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 ZP |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Japan (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 21" Alloy | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 21" Alloy | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Adaptive F Suspension - Sachs | Adaptive Dampers |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 8 (Driver and Passenger, Front Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain) | 14 (Driver and Passenger, Driver Knee, Rear Passengers, Front and Rear Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Rear Left Cushion) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | — | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 4 Three-point | 5 Three-point with Illumination and Rear Belt Bags |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on two rear passenger seats | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection (up to 130 km/h) and Evasive Steering Assist (up to 108 km/h) |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | For All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), TPMS | Pre-Safe, Pre-Safe Impulse Side, Driver Attention Monitor with Eye Tracking |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projectors | Adaptive LED Projector with Matrix High Beam (Digital Light with Projection Function) |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | 8-way Power Adjustable Front Seats with Driver's Memory Function, Ventilated and Heated | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory, Heating and Massage Functions; Pillow Headrests; Passenger Seat Adjustment from Rear Seats |
| Rear Seats | — | Power Adjustable Outer Rear Seats with Memory, Heating, Ventilation, Massage and One-touch Recline Functions; Folding Rear Pillow Headrests with Built-in Neck Warmers; Powered Ottoman and Leg Rest for Left Seat with Massage Function; Centre Load-through |
| Front Air-con | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control with Air Balance Perfume System and Ioniser |
| Rear Air-con | — | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | — | Panoramic, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front | 4 Front USB-C, 6 Rear USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights | Map Lights and Active Ambient Lights (64 Colours) |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | — | Double Sun Visors, Powered Rear Windscreen and Rear Door Window Sunshades |
| Audio | 10.3" Lexus Premium Audio Remote Touch Controller with 13-speaker Mark Levinson Premium Sound System, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay | 12.8" OLED Touchscreen Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Augmented Reality Navigation; 11" Rear Entertainment Displays; 7" Rear Android Tablet; 15-speaker Burmester 3D Surround Sound System (710 Watts) |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Two Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation with Pop-out Door Handles |
| Auto Start/Stop | — | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Active Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Stop and Go and Speed Limit Assist |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Operation | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | — | Yes, Parallel and Perpendicular |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Power Door | — | Soft Close Function, All Doors |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | — | MBUX Interior Assistant, Fingerprint Scanner, Front and Rear Qi Wireless Chargers, Rear Wireless Headsets |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 5 years✓ | 4 years |
| Warranty Notes | 5-year/100,000 km free service | 8-year/160,000 km Battery Warranty |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used LC & S-Class for sale
LC vs S-Class FAQ
Is the Lexus LC or Mercedes-Benz S-Class better?
The S-Class is better for most Malaysian buyers because it costs far less, seats five and can travel 100 km on electric power. Choose the LC only if its 470 hp V8, coupe body and quicker 4.4-second sprint are the priority.
What is the price difference?
The Lexus LC costs RM640,112 more than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Its annual road tax is also RM8,863 higher.
Which is cheaper to run?
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is cheaper on the rated figures: 1 L/100 km and RM2,128 annual road tax, against the LC's 8.6 L/100 km and RM10,991 road tax. Its 100 km EV range can further reduce petrol use when charged.
