Verdict
These are radically different ways to spend money. The Lexus LC costs RM1,379,000, a RM831,000 leap over the RM548,000 Toyota Alphard, and its 470 hp, 540 Nm V8 drives the rear wheels to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. The Alphard answers with seven seats, a 510-litre boot and ottoman middle-row captain’s chairs, where the LC has four seats and 197 litres. For Malaysian ownership costs, the Alphard’s RM754 annual road tax is far easier to swallow than RM10,991. Buy the LC for the drive; buy the Alphard to carry people properly.
Pick the Lexus LC if a 470 hp rear-wheel-drive coupe, 4.4-second 0-100 km/h time and 21-inch wheels matter more than rear-seat space.
Pick the Toyota Alphard if you need seven seats, 510 litres of boot space, powered sliding doors and vastly lower annual road tax.
Key differences
- Price: Lexus LC RM1,379,000; Toyota Alphard RM548,000.
- Power and torque: Lexus LC 470 hp and 540 Nm; Toyota Alphard 274 hp and 430 Nm.
- Performance: Lexus LC reaches 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and tops out at 270 km/h; Toyota Alphard has no 0-100 km/h figure stated and tops out at 180 km/h.
- Seating and boot space: Lexus LC has four seats and 197 litres; Toyota Alphard has seven seats and 510 litres.
- Dimensions: Lexus LC is 4,770 mm long and 1,345 mm tall; Toyota Alphard is 5,010 mm long and 1,950 mm tall.
- Annual road tax: Lexus LC RM10,991; Toyota Alphard RM754.
LC
- 470 hp and 540 Nm from a 4,969 cc naturally aspirated V8.
- Rear-wheel drive, 10-speed automatic and 4.4-second 0-100 km/h time.
- 21-inch wheels, adaptive F suspension and 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio.
- RM831,000 more expensive to buy and RM10,237 more per year in road tax.
- Four seats and a 197-litre boot versus seven seats and 510 litres.
- No rear air-conditioning, powered sliding doors or middle-row ottoman captain’s chairs.
Alphard
- Seven seats, 510-litre boot and 50:50/60:40 split-folding rear rows.
- Ottoman middle-row captain’s chairs, rear climate control and powered sliding doors with soft close.
- RM754 annual road tax and a 75-litre fuel tank.
- Its 274 hp and 430 Nm trail the LC’s 470 hp and 540 Nm.
- Front-wheel drive and an 180 km/h top speed versus rear-wheel drive and 270 km/h.
- At 2,235 kg, it is 270 kg heavier than the LC.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM1,379,000 | RM548,000✓ |
| Body type | Coupe | MPV |
| Segment | Luxury | Executive |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM10,991 | RM754✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 32-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, naturally-aspirated, Otto/Atkinson Cycle with variable valve timing | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharger and Intercooler with Dual VVT-i |
| Capacity | 4,969 cc | 2,393 cc |
| Horsepower | 470 hp✓ | 274 hp |
| Torque | 540 Nm✓ | 430 Nm |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore | 94 mm | 87.5 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 12.3 | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Direct Shift | Direct Shift 8-speed Automatic with Sequential Shiftmatic |
| Gears | 10 | 8 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Aisin | Toyota |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 4.4 seconds | — |
| Rated Economy | 8.6 L/100 km✓ | 9 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 270 km/h✓ | 180 km/h |
| Co2 | 267 g/km | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,770 mm | 5,010 mm |
| Width | 1,920 mm | 1,850 mm |
| Height | 1,345 mm | 1,950 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,870 mm | 3,000 mm |
| Weight | 1,965 kg | 2,235 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 82 litres | 75 litres |
| Doors | 2 | 5 |
| Seats | 4 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 197 litres | 510 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 245/40R21 | 225/55R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 275/35R21 | 225/55R19 |
| Spare Tyre | — | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | Bridgestone Potenza S001L Run-flats | Michelin Primacy SUV+ |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Japan (CBU) | Japan (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | Multi-link | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Double Wishbone |
| Front Wheels | 21" Alloy | 19" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 21" Alloy | 19" Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Adaptive F Suspension - Sachs | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Front Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain | Driver and Passenger, 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 | 6 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on two rear passenger seats | Available on Two Middle Row Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, TSS Pre-collision Braking (4-120 km/h) with Pedestrian Detection |
| 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 | LED Projector with Auto High Beam |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| 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 Driver's Side Memory, Passenger Side Shoulder Switch |
| Rear Seats | — | Ottoman Captain's Chairs Middle Row, 50:50 Split-folding, 60:40 Split-folding Last Row |
| Front Air-con | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | — | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | — | Fixed Panoramic Glass Roof, Rear |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front | 2 Front, 1 Console Box, 2 First Row, 2 Second Row |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Last Row |
| Sun Shade | — | Powered Rear Sun Shades, Powered Panoramic Roof Shades |
| Audio | 10.3" Lexus Premium Audio Remote Touch Controller with 13-speaker Mark Levinson Premium Sound System, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay | 14" Display Audio with Touch Screen, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Connectivity, 15-speaker JBL Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Two Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch | Four Windows, Driver's Side Auto Up and 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 Stop and Go, Steering Assist and Curve Speed Reduction |
| 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 | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, With 360 Degree Camera |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | — | ✓ |
| Power Door | — | Power sliding with soft close function |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 5 years | 5 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 & Alphard for sale
LC vs Alphard FAQ
Is the Lexus LC or Toyota Alphard better?
The Lexus LC is better for outright performance, with 470 hp, rear-wheel drive and a 4.4-second 0-100 km/h time. The Toyota Alphard is better for passenger duties, providing seven seats, 510 litres of luggage space and powered sliding doors.
What is the price difference?
The Lexus LC costs RM1,379,000 and the Toyota Alphard costs RM548,000, so the Lexus is RM831,000 more expensive. Annual road tax is RM10,991 for the LC versus RM754 for the Alphard.
Which has more practical cabin space?
The Toyota Alphard is decisively more practical: it has five doors, seven seats and a 510-litre boot. The Lexus LC is a two-door, four-seat coupe with 197 litres of boot space.