Verdict
The RM112,000-cheaper Lexus LS brings more output from its 3.445-litre V6, with 415 hp and 600 Nm versus the Panamera’s 348 hp and 500 Nm, and is marginally quicker to 100 km/h at 5.0 seconds. It is also the better rear-seat limousine, with 18-way powered rear seats and a 3,125-mm wheelbase. The Porsche Panamera counters with all-wheel drive, 175 kg less mass, five doors and a 494-litre boot. For Malaysian running costs, its RM1,865 annual road tax is far easier to swallow than the LS’s RM4,133.
LS
Pick the Lexus LS if rear-passenger comfort, 415 hp and 600 Nm, plus a five-year unlimited-mileage warranty matter more than hatchback-style practicality.
Panamera
Pick the Porsche Panamera if you want all-wheel drive, five-door access, a larger 494-litre boot and substantially lower annual road tax.
Key differences
- Price: Lexus LS RM1,188,000; Porsche Panamera RM1,300,000.
- Output: Lexus LS 415 hp and 600 Nm; Porsche Panamera 348 hp and 500 Nm.
- Driveline and weight: Lexus LS rear-wheel drive and 2,155 kg; Porsche Panamera all-wheel drive and 1,980 kg.
- Practicality: Lexus LS has four doors and a 480-litre boot; Porsche Panamera has five doors and a 494-litre boot.
- Road tax: Lexus LS RM4,133 per year; Porsche Panamera RM1,865 per year.
- Warranty: Lexus LS five years with unlimited mileage; Porsche Panamera four years or 100,000 km.
LS
- 415 hp and 600 Nm, with a 5.0-second 0-100 km/h time.
- 28-way front seats and 18-way heated, ventilated rear seats with a rear touchscreen.
- Five-year unlimited-mileage warranty.
- RM4,133 annual road tax versus RM1,865.
- Rear-wheel drive and 175 kg heavier than the all-wheel-drive Panamera.
- Four doors and a 480-litre boot versus five doors and 494 litres.
Panamera
- All-wheel drive and 1,980 kg kerb weight.
- Five doors, 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats and a 494-litre boot.
- 272 km/h top speed, plus auto parking and Matrix LED headlamps.
- Costs RM112,000 more than the Lexus LS.
- Produces 348 hp and 500 Nm, down on the LS’s 415 hp and 600 Nm.
- Four-year/100,000-km warranty trails the LS’s five-year unlimited-mileage cover.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM1,188,000✓ | RM1,300,000 |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Luxury | Grand Tourer |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM4,133 | RM1,865✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 24-valve DOHC, twin-turbocharged with direct fuel injection and variable valve timing | 24-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, twin-turbo with variable valve timing |
| Capacity | 3,445 cc | 2,894 cc |
| Horsepower | 415 hp at 6,000 rpm✓ | 348 hp at 6,800 rpm |
| Torque | 600 Nm at 1,600 rpm✓ | 500 Nm at 1,900 rpm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | V 6 | V 6 |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore × Stroke | 85.5 mm × 100 mm | 84.5 mm × 86 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 10.476 | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Dual-clutch Automatic (Wet) |
| Transmission Name | 10-Speed Direct Shift | PDK |
| Gears | 10 | 8 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Aisin | Porsche |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 5 seconds✓ | 5.1 seconds |
| Rated Economy | 9.5 L/100 km | — |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | 272 km/h✓ |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,235 mm | 5,052 mm |
| Width | 1,900 mm | 1,937 mm |
| Height | 1,450 mm | 1,423 mm |
| Wheelbase | 3,125 mm | 2,950 mm |
| Weight | 2,155 kg | 1,980 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 82 litres | 90 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 480 litres | 494 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 245/45RF20 | 265/45R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 245/45RF20 | 295/45R20 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Japan (CBU) | Germany (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension | Double Wishbones with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 20" Alloy | 19" Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 20" Alloy | 19" Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) | Porsche Active Suspension Management with Adaptive two-chamber air suspension and two-valve dampers |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 10 (Driver and Passenger, Front Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Rear Side) | 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 | 5 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 |
| Safety Notes | Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) with Auto Brake and Rear Pedestrian Detection with Auto Brake | — |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector | Matrix LED Projectors |
| 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 | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Memory Settings, Heating & Ventilation |
| Rear Seats | 18-way Power Adjustable Seats with Centre Armrest, Rear Touchscreen, Heating and Ventilation | 40:20:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System 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 | Front, Tilt and Slide | Panoramic Glass Roof |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 2 Rear | 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 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Powered Rear Sun Shade and Rear Door Window Shades | Side Window Sunshades, Panoramic Glass Roof Shade |
| Audio | 12.3" Display with Lexus Remote Touch Controller, Navigation, USB, Bluetooth, WiFi and Pioneer 12-speaker Sound System | 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 | 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 | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with Panoramic View Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor |
| Auto Parking | — | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | ✓ |
| Power Door | Soft close function, all doors | 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.
Used LS & Panamera for sale
LS vs Panamera FAQ
Is the Lexus LS or Porsche Panamera better?
The Lexus LS is the better choice for chauffeured comfort, stronger V6 output and warranty cover. Choose the Porsche Panamera for all-wheel drive, a five-door body and lower annual road tax.
What is the price difference?
The Porsche Panamera costs RM1,300,000, which is RM112,000 more than the RM1,188,000 Lexus LS.
Which is more practical for luggage and passengers?
The Porsche Panamera is more versatile, with five doors, 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats and a 494-litre boot. The Lexus LS has a 480-litre boot, but gives rear occupants powered, heated and ventilated seats.
