Verdict
The Lexus LC costs RM1,379,000, RM379,112 more than the RM999,888 Mercedes-Benz GLS, yet it is the outright performance choice: 470 hp, 540 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds versus 362 hp, 500 Nm and 6.1 seconds. The GLS answers with far greater family usefulness, carrying seven people and 355 litres of luggage against the LC’s four seats and 197 litres. For Malaysian ownership costs, the GLS’s RM1,638 annual road tax is dramatically easier to absorb than RM10,991. Buy the LC for the drive; buy the GLS for people, space and equipment.
Pick the Lexus LC if a 4.4-second 0-100 km/h time, rear-wheel drive and a five-year warranty with free servicing matter more than seven-seat practicality.
Pick the Mercedes-Benz GLS if you need seven seats, 355 litres of boot space, all-wheel drive and annual road tax of RM1,638.
Key differences
- Price: Lexus LC RM1,379,000; Mercedes-Benz GLS RM999,888.
- Performance: Lexus LC 470 hp, 540 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds; Mercedes-Benz GLS 362 hp, 500 Nm and 6.1 seconds.
- Seating and doors: Lexus LC has 4 seats and 2 doors; Mercedes-Benz GLS has 7 seats and 5 doors.
- Boot space: Lexus LC 197 litres; Mercedes-Benz GLS 355 litres.
- Size: Lexus LC is 4,770 mm long and 1,345 mm tall; Mercedes-Benz GLS is 5,207 mm long and 1,823 mm tall.
- Annual road tax: Lexus LC RM10,991; Mercedes-Benz GLS RM1,638.
LC
- 470 hp and a 4.4-second 0-100 km/h time.
- Rear-wheel drive with a 10-speed Direct Shift automatic.
- Five-year unlimited-mileage warranty and 5-year/100,000 km free service.
- Only four seats, two doors and 197 litres of boot space versus the GLS’s seven seats, five doors and 355 litres.
- RM10,991 annual road tax versus RM1,638.
- No rear air-con, sunroof or head-up display.
GLS
- Seven seats, sliding second row and split-folding third row.
- AIRMATIC air suspension, all-wheel drive and a 90-litre fuel tank.
- 360-degree camera, auto parking and rear-seat entertainment with two 11.6-inch monitors.
- Slower than the LC, reaching 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds versus 4.4 seconds.
- Less power and torque: 362 hp and 500 Nm versus 470 hp and 540 Nm.
- Four-year unlimited-mileage warranty, one year shorter than the LC’s.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM1,379,000 | RM999,888✓ |
| Body type | Coupe | SUV |
| Segment | Luxury | Luxury |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM10,991 | RM1,638✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 32-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, naturally-aspirated, Otto/Atkinson Cycle with variable valve timing | 24-valve DOHC with direct fuel injection, twin turbochargers and variable valve timing |
| Capacity | 4,969 cc | 2,999 cc |
| Horsepower | 470 hp✓ | 362 hp |
| Torque | 540 Nm✓ | 500 Nm |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore | 94 mm | 83 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 12.3 | 10.5 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Direct Shift | 9G-Tronic |
| Gears | 10 | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Aisin | Mercedes-Benz |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 4.4 seconds✓ | 6.1 seconds |
| Rated Economy | 8.6 L/100 km | — |
| Top Speed | 270 km/h✓ | 250 km/h |
| Co2 | 267 g/km | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,770 mm | 5,207 mm |
| Width | 1,920 mm | 2,157 mm |
| Height | 1,345 mm | 1,823 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,870 mm | 3,135 mm |
| Weight | 1,965 kg | 2,385 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 82 litres | 90 litres |
| Doors | 2 | 5 |
| Seats | 4 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 197 litres | 355 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 245/40R21 | 285/45R22 |
| Rear Tyre | 275/35R21 | 285/45R22 |
| Factory Tyres | Bridgestone Potenza S001L Run-flats | Continental PremiumContact 6 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Japan (CBU) | United States (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | Multi-link | Double Wishbones with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 21" Alloy | 22" AMG Multi-Spoke Light Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 21" Alloy | 22" AMG Multi-Spoke Light Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Adaptive F Suspension - Sachs | AIRMATIC with Adaptive Damping System (ADS PLUS) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Front Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain | Driver and Passenger, Driver's Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | — | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 4 Three-point | 7 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on two rear passenger seats | Available for Two Outer Rear Passenger Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, PRE-SAFE Brake, Full Auto Brake |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | For All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), TPMS | — |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projectors | Multibeam LED Projector |
| 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 Sports Seats with Memory Function and Adjustable Lumbar |
| Rear Seats | — | 40:20:40 Split-Folding and Sliding 2nd Row, 50:50 Split-Folding 3rd Row |
| 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 System |
| Sunroof | — | Panoramic, Front Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Last Row, 1 Boot |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights | Map Lights and Active Ambient Lights (64 Colours) |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Last Row |
| Sun Shade | — | Powered Rear Door Window Shades |
| Audio | 10.3" Lexus Premium Audio Remote Touch Controller with 13-speaker Mark Levinson Premium Sound System, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay | 12.3" MBUX, COMAND Controller, Touchpad, Burmester Sound System with 13 Speakers (590W) and rear seat individual entertainment system, including two 11.6-inch monitors with wireless headphones, rear center armrest control/USB/audio interface |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Two Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up & Down with Anti-pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | — | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Active Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist and Stop and Go |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Operation | Powered Boot, with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor |
| Auto Parking | — | Yes, for Parallel and Perpendicular Parking |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | — | ✓ |
| 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, Qi Wireless Charger |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 5 years✓ | 4 years |
| Warranty Notes | 5-year/100,000 km free service | — |
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 & GLS for sale
LC vs GLS FAQ
Is the Lexus LC or Mercedes-Benz GLS better?
The LC is better for performance, with 470 hp and a 4.4-second 0-100 km/h time. The GLS is better for family transport, with seven seats, five doors, 355 litres of boot space and all-wheel drive.
What is the price difference?
The Lexus LC costs RM379,112 more than the Mercedes-Benz GLS. That gap buys substantially quicker acceleration and 108 hp more, while the GLS brings seven-seat practicality and more convenience equipment.
Which costs less to tax each year in Malaysia?
The Mercedes-Benz GLS does. Its annual road tax is RM1,638, compared with RM10,991 for the Lexus LC, a difference of RM9,353 per year.