Verdict
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the stronger Malaysian buy on numbers alone: its RM738,888 price is RM449,112 below the Lexus LS, yet it brings a 28.6-kWh battery, 100 km EV range and 1 L/100 km rated economy. Its longer 3,216-mm wheelbase also supports a far more elaborate rear-seat package. The LS counters with 415 hp and 600 Nm, beating the S-Class’s 362 hp and 500 Nm for a 5.0-second sprint, plus a much larger 480-litre boot. Choose it only if outright petrol performance and luggage capacity matter more than plug-in capability and price.
LS
Pick the Lexus LS if you want 415 hp, 600 Nm, a 5.0-second 0-100 km/h time and a 480-litre boot.
S-Class
Pick the Mercedes-Benz S-Class if you want a 100-km EV range, richer rear-seat equipment and a RM449,112 lower purchase price.
Key differences
- Price: Lexus LS RM1,188,000; Mercedes-Benz S-Class RM738,888.
- Power and torque: Lexus LS 415 hp and 600 Nm; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 362 hp and 500 Nm.
- 0-100 km/h: Lexus LS 5.0 seconds; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 5.2 seconds.
- Rated economy: Lexus LS 9.5 L/100 km; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 1 L/100 km.
- Wheelbase and boot space: Lexus LS 3,125 mm and 480 litres; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 3,216 mm and 350 litres.
- Warranty: Lexus LS five years/unlimited mileage; Mercedes-Benz S-Class four years/unlimited mileage plus eight years/160,000 km for the battery.
LS
- 415 hp and 600 Nm, with a 5.0-second 0-100 km/h time.
- 480-litre boot is 130 litres larger.
- Five-year unlimited-mileage warranty.
- RM449,112 more expensive.
- No electric motor, battery or 100-km EV range.
- Shorter 3,125-mm wheelbase and less elaborate rear-seat equipment.
S-Class
- 100-km EV range from a 28.6-kWh battery.
- Longer 3,216-mm wheelbase with ottoman, leg rest and rear neck warmers.
- 14 airbags, auto parking and Digital Light matrix headlamps.
- Slower at 5.2 seconds to 100 km/h versus 5.0 seconds.
- 350-litre boot is 130 litres smaller.
- Four-year vehicle warranty is one year shorter.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM1,188,000 | RM738,888✓ |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Luxury | Luxury |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM4,133 | RM2,128✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 24-valve DOHC, twin-turbocharged with direct fuel injection and variable valve timing | 24-valve DOHC with Electric Twin-scroll Turbocharger, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift |
| Capacity | 3,445 cc | 2,999 cc |
| Horsepower | 415 hp at 6,000 rpm✓ | 362 hp at 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 600 Nm at 1,600 rpm✓ | 500 Nm at 1,600 rpm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | V 6 | Inline 6 |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol Plug-in Hybrid |
| Bore × Stroke | 85.5 mm × 100 mm | 83 mm × 92.4 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 10.476 | 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 | 10-Speed 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 | 5 seconds✓ | 5.2 seconds |
| Rated Economy | 9.5 L/100 km | 1 L/100 km✓ |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | 250 km/h |
| Co2 | — | 22 g/km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,235 mm | 5,289 mm |
| Width | 1,900 mm | 1,954 mm |
| Height | 1,450 mm | 1,503 mm |
| Wheelbase | 3,125 mm | 3,216 mm |
| Weight | 2,155 kg | 2,385 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 82 litres | 67 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 480 litres✓ | 350 litres |
| Front Tyre | 245/45RF20 | 255/40R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 245/45RF20 | 285/35R20 |
| Spare Tyre | — | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | — | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 ZP |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Japan (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 20" Alloy | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 20" Alloy | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) | Adaptive Dampers |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 10 (Driver and Passenger, Front Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Rear Side) | 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 | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 Three-point with Illumination and Rear Belt Bags |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on two outer 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) with Auto Brake and Rear Pedestrian Detection with Auto Brake | Pre-Safe, Pre-Safe Impulse Side, Driver Attention Monitor with Eye Tracking |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector | Adaptive LED Projector with Matrix High Beam (Digital Light with Projection Function) |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | ✓ | — |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | 28-way Power Adjustable Seats with Memory, Heating, Ventilation and Massage | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory, Heating and Massage Functions; Pillow Headrests; Passenger Seat Adjustment from Rear Seats |
| Rear Seats | 18-way Power Adjustable Seats with Centre Armrest, Rear Touchscreen, Heating and Ventilation | 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 System with Lexus Climate Concierge | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control with Air Balance Perfume System and Ioniser |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System with Lexus Climate Concierge | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Front, Tilt and Slide | Panoramic, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 2 Rear | 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 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Powered Rear Sun Shade and Rear Door Window Shades | Double Sun Visors, Powered Rear Windscreen and Rear Door Window Sunshades |
| Audio | 12.3" Display with Lexus Remote Touch Controller, Navigation, USB, Bluetooth, WiFi and Pioneer 12-speaker Sound System | 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 | Four 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 | Adaptive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Stop and Go and Speed Limit Assist |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Powered Boot with Contactless Opening | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with Panoramic View Camera | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | — | Yes, Parallel and Perpendicular |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Power Door | Soft close function, all doors | 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 | — | 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 LS & S-Class for sale
LS vs S-Class FAQ
Is the Lexus LS or Mercedes-Benz S-Class better?
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the better all-round choice, pairing 100 km of EV range and 1 L/100 km rated economy with a longer wheelbase, extensive rear-seat functions and lower purchase cost. The Lexus LS wins for acceleration, torque and boot space.
What is the price difference?
The Lexus LS costs RM449,112 more than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Which has the better rear-seat experience?
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has the stronger rear cabin: powered outer seats with massage, one-touch recline, neck warmers, a left-side ottoman and leg rest, plus 11-inch rear entertainment displays. The LS has heated, ventilated 18-way rear seats and a rear touchscreen.
