Hyundai Ioniq vs Lexus LC
What's the difference?

Hyundai Ioniq

$19,395 - $42,950

2021 price

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Lexus LC

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2021 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Summary

2021 Hyundai Ioniq

2021 Lexus LC

By Tom White

By Andrew Chesterton

Safety Rating

Electric motor type

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V8, 5.0L

Vehicle type

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Premium Unleaded Petrol

Electric range

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12.7L/100km (combined)

Energy consumption

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Battery capacity

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Seating

Likes

Well-tuned electric drive
Range is about right
Excellent energy consumption

Punchy engine
Throaty exhaust
Climate-controlled cabin

Dislikes

Feels very heavy
Design won't be for everyone
Still a little too pricey for mass adoption

Disconnect from the drive experience
Lexus trackpad tech persists
Thirsty

2021 Hyundai Ioniq Summary

Hyundai's Ioniq range is nothing if not a flex in the face of Toyota.

Sure, Toyota has a dominating position in the Australian market, with its well-received range of hybrid models, but what happens after hybrid? Hyundai takes on the blocky Prius formula with not only a directly competing hybrid model, but a plug-in and a fully electric version, too.

This expansive range is as though Hyundai is trying to demonstrate it's ready for any future, near or far, and guess what, Toyota? Anything you can do; the Korean juggernaut thinks it can do better.

These cars aren't really designed to sell so much as they are offerings for early adopters, but a few years after its launch, with a host of rivals set to take it on, and an entire sub-brand based on the Ioniq just around the corner, is Hyundai's top-spec Ioniq electric worth a look? I took one for a week to find out.

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2021 Lexus LC Summary

Being a true Jack of all trades in the car world is rare.

Generally speaking, a vehicle is either capable or comfortable. Attractive or aerodynamic. Practical or performance orientated. And problems arise when cars try to do all those things well, all at the same time.

Which make the Lexus LC 500 Convertible such an interesting proposition. Because it is, without doubt, stylish, and lavishly equipped. It’s also rather large and rather heavy. All of which is perfect for cruising the Bondi foreshore.

But it’s also equipped with a thumping V8 engine and a throaty exhaust that sounds like bricks in a blender on the overrun. It’s stiffer than the LFA supercar, and plenty powerful, which should deliver one of Lexus’ sportiest-ever drives.

So can the LC 500 really do it all? Let’s find out.

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Deep dive comparison

2021 Hyundai Ioniq 2021 Lexus LC

Verdict

Just like the Kona EV, Hyundai's Ioniq is still one of the best EV options on the market today. It strikes an excellent balance by offering significantly more range and better energy consumption than the more affordable Nissan Leaf or MG ZS EV, while providing the familiarity of the Hyundai spec and drive experience at a price only a little higher than a top-spec Prius.

Its relatively high score is a product of these factors, but also the way in which its interactivity offers the early adopters the engagement they will be searching for.

Verdict

Stunning to behold, and even more so to listen to, the LC 500 Convertible with no doubt turn as many heads as its owners surely want it to. It's not the final word in performance, but it's a lavishly equipped transporter none the less.

Hyundai Ioniq vs Lexus LC What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Hyundai Ioniq vs Lexus LC
What's the difference?