Verdict
The Lexus LM makes the clearer Malaysian family choice: seven seats, a 3,000-mm wheelbase and powered sliding doors make its MPV brief explicit. Its 110-litre boot is tiny, though. The Porsche Panamera is a five-seat grand tourer with a far more useful 494-litre boot, 348 hp and 500 Nm, plus all-wheel drive and air suspension. The RM72,000 gap buys the Porsche, but annual road tax rises from RM835 to RM1,865. Lexus’s five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty is stronger than Porsche’s four-year/100,000-km cover.
Pick the Lexus LM if you need seven seats, powered sliding doors and lower RM835 annual road tax.
Pick the Porsche Panamera if five seats are enough and you want 348 hp, 500 Nm, all-wheel drive and a 494-litre boot.
Key differences
- Price: Lexus LM RM1,228,000; Porsche Panamera RM1,300,000.
- Seats: Lexus LM 7; Porsche Panamera 5.
- Boot space: Lexus LM 110 litres; Porsche Panamera 494 litres.
- Petrol engine output: Lexus LM 188 hp and 236 Nm; Porsche Panamera 348 hp and 500 Nm.
- Driveline: Lexus LM front-wheel drive; Porsche Panamera all-wheel drive.
- Annual road tax: Lexus LM RM835; Porsche Panamera RM1,865.
LM
- Seven seats and powered sliding doors.
- Five-year unlimited-mileage warranty.
- 14-inch touchscreen and 10 speakers.
- 110-litre boot versus the Panamera’s 494 litres.
- 188 hp and 236 Nm petrol engine versus 348 hp and 500 Nm.
- Front-wheel drive rather than all-wheel drive.
Panamera
- 348 hp, 500 Nm and all-wheel drive.
- 494-litre boot.
- Adaptive two-chamber air suspension, head-up display and auto parking.
- Five seats versus the LM’s seven.
- RM72,000 higher purchase price and RM1,030 more annual road tax.
- Four-year/100,000-km warranty versus five years with unlimited mileage.
What the Panamera has over the LM
Based on the published spec sheets of the selected variants — a blank field on one side can also mean unlisted data.
The LM's wheelbase is 50 mm longer, which usually translates to more rear legroom. The Panamera is 47 mm wider — more shoulder room, but a tighter fit in parking bays. Boot space favours the Panamera: 494 litres against 110.
Representative body-type outlines, drawn to scale from each car's length and height.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM1,228,000✓ | RM1,300,000 |
| Body type | MPV | Sedan |
| Segment | Executive | Grand Tourer |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM835✓ | RM1,865 |
| Monthly instalment (est.) | RM12,535/mo✓ | RM13,270/mo |
| Insurance / year (est.) | RM32,275✓ | RM34,147 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC, naturally-aspirated, Atkinson cycle with variable valve timing | 24-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, twin-turbo with variable valve timing |
| Capacity | 2,494 cc | 2,894 cc |
| Horsepower | 188 hp | 348 hp at 6,800 rpm✓ |
| Torque | 236 Nm | 500 Nm at 1,900 rpm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | V 6 |
| Fuel | Petrol Hybrid/REV | Petrol |
| Bore × Stroke | — | 84.5 mm × 86 mm |
| Number of Motors | 1 | — |
| Motor Horsepower | 180 hp | — |
| Motor Torque | 270 Nm | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | eCVT Automatic | Dual-clutch Automatic (Wet) |
| Transmission Name | E-CVT | PDK |
| Gears | — | 8 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Porsche |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | — | 5.1 seconds |
| Top Speed | — | 272 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,125 mm | 5,052 mm |
| Width | 1,890 mm | 1,937 mm |
| Height | 1,955 mm | 1,423 mm |
| Wheelbase | 3,000 mm | 2,950 mm |
| Weight | — | 1,980 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 60 litres | 90 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 7 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 110 litres | 494 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 225/55R19 | 265/45R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 225/55R19 | 295/45R20 |
| Spare Tyre | Tyre Repair Kit | — |
| Factory Tyres | Michelin Primacy SUV+ | — |
| Wiper Blade (Driver) | — | 24 inch |
| Wiper Blade (Passenger) | — | 21 inch |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Japan (CBU) | Germany (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | Double Wishbones with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Double Wishbones | Multi-link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 19" Multi-spoke Mesh Aluminium Alloys | 19" Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 19" Multi-spoke Mesh Aluminium Alloys | 19" Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | Porsche Active Suspension Management with Adaptive two-chamber air suspension and two-valve dampers |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 6 (Driver and Passenger, Driver Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain) | 8 (Driver and Passenger, Driver and Front Passenger Knee, Front Side, Front Curtain) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | Electric for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 7 Three-point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on Two Outer Rear Passenger Seats | Two Outer Rear Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, with Pedestrian Detection |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | For All Seats | For All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector with Adaptive High Beam and Sequential Indicators | Matrix LED Projectors |
| Taillamps | Full LED with Sequential Indicators | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | 18-way Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory Function, Ventilated | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Memory Settings, Heating & Ventilation |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding Middle Row, 50:50 Split-folding Last Row with Power Fold | 40:20:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control with Lexus Climate Concierge | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System with Lexus Climate Concierge | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Rear Panoramic Roof | Panoramic Glass Roof |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front 12-volt, 4 Front USB, 2 Rear USB | 1 Front, 1 Rear, 1 Boot; 2 USB-C Ports Rear |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 4 Last Row | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Powered rear sun shade and rear door window shades | Side Window Sunshades, Panoramic Glass Roof Shade |
| Audio | 14" Lexus Premium Audio Touchscreen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and 10 Speakers | 12.3-inch Touchscreen with Porsche Communications Module, Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four 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 | Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Powered Boot with Contactless Opening | Powered Boot with Contactless Opening |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with Surround View Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor |
| Auto Parking | — | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | — | ✓ |
| Power Door | Power Sliding with Soft-close Function, One-touch Auto Close, Anti-pinch | Yes |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited✓ | 100,000 km |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 5 years✓ | 4 years |
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. Running-cost estimates assume 20,000 km/year. Fuel at RM1.99/litre (RON95, subsidised). Insurance: comprehensive motor tariff, no NCD. Instalment: 10% down, 2.5% flat rate, 9 years. Prices checked November 2026.
Used LM & Panamera for sale
Our reviews & guides
LM vs Panamera FAQ
Is the Lexus LM or Porsche Panamera better?
The Lexus LM is better for carrying up to seven people and benefits from lower annual road tax. The Porsche Panamera is better for a five-seat buyer prioritising 348 hp, all-wheel drive, air suspension and its 494-litre boot.
What is the price difference?
The Porsche Panamera costs RM72,000 more than the Lexus LM. Its annual road tax is also RM1,030 higher: RM1,865 against RM835.
Which has more luggage space?
The Porsche Panamera has 494 litres of boot space, substantially more than the Lexus LM’s 110 litres. The LM instead provides two extra seats, with seating for seven rather than five.
Which has the better warranty?
The LM carries a 5-year manufacturer warranty against 4 years for the Panamera.