Lexus LS500H vs Mercedes-Benz GLB

What's the difference?

The Lexus LS 500 and 500h are both exceptional cars. The ‘obnoxious’ styling especially to the grille makes the offerings from BMW, Benz and Audi look bland and overly corporate inside and out. It’s really in the dynamics department that the LS falls short of its rivals and only the LS 500 is enjoyable if you like to drive with a degree of conviction. 

Both the LS500 and 500h, though, have wonderfully comfortable rides and this together with those sumptuous interiors makes these the perfect place to be if you’re in the back being swiftly and quietly taken to you next meeting.

For me the sweet-spot pick would be the LS 500 F Sport for its value and dynamic ability.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB is an oddball. While it isn’t my definition of beauty, it's a surprisingly capable and spacious small-to-medium SUV.

The entry-level GLB200, while comfortable, feels a bit underdone in the engine department. Therefore the mid-spec GLB250 with the more-powerful 2.0-litre turbo and mild-hybrid assistance plus all-wheel drive grip is the better pick.

“You’re either going to love them or hate them.” You can bet that whenever you’re told this just before being introduced to somebody then that somebody is going to be downright obnoxious. The same goes for the LS, well it’s face anyway, because those are the kinds of statements made about that grille.

The thing is, the LS needs an obnoxious face because its up against The Establishment -  the Mercedes-Benz S -Class, BMW 7 Series and Audi A8, and given there’s no way they’ll ever let Lexus into their little ‘club’ it’s good that the LS has steered clear of imitating them and is boldly different.

This was also the type of thinking which inspired the grille’s creator, Tokuo Fukuichi. The so called ‘spindle grille’ first appeared in 2010 on the CT200h before rolling out to the rest of the Lexus line-up. The look polarised the opinions of fans and even executives inside Lexus. But Fukuichi was adamant the key to the brand’s survival and success was to not to be boring.

That massive gaping mouth is anything but boring, and for this new-generation LS the spindle grille has been overhauled. Yes, some car companies might make a few tweaks to a grille, but not Lexus. Using a CAD computer program, it took designers six months to refine each of the 5032 surfaces on the F-Sport’s grille and the more than 7000 on the Sports Luxury’s. If only you didn’t have to slap a number plate on these exquisitely spun net-like structures.

New LED headlights and the ‘Zorro blade-slash’ LED running lights are equally obnoxious and therefore perfectly suited for the LS’s face. So too are the enormous air inlets below them in the bumper. If only the rest of the car’s exterior was as wild and not mild and milder the further you get from the grille. The rear looks stately, modern and sleek but could have done with something more adventurous (similar to IS’s taillights).

But the LS’s insides make up for that dullness, with a cabin that’s decadent and alien at the same time. A dash which sweeps from door to door features asymmetrical string-like design elements which are a theme carved through wood and glass and stitched into leather throughout the cabin. The quality is superb, while the fit and finish is better than I’ve seen on some of its competitors.

There are four no-cost interior packages on the Sports Luxury ranging from 'Moon White' trim with walnut decorative inlays to black trim with 'Crafted Latte' inserts. But it’s the $9800 optional 'Black with hand-pleating' and 'Kiriko' glass which is a stand out. It’s an intriguing look, the pleated fabric which cascades around the hand-cut Japanese glass.

The F Sport’s cabin is less decorative with seats that hold you tighter in three no-cost option leathers from 'Moon White' to 'Flare Red' with aluminium door and dash decorative elements.

Both cabins are sumptuous, although they fall a little short in gob-smacking tech like those amazing, expansive, floating dash screens and the virtual instrument cluster in the S-Class. Yes, there’s the large screen up front and the seat-back screens in the rear but the styling of the graphics and typeface reveal the Toyota DNA.

The LS has the presence a prestige brand’s flagship car should - imposing, long and wide. Look at the LS’s dimensions. At 5235mm end-to-end and 1900mm across, the LS is longer and wider than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but swoops in lower at 1450mm. The LS’s wheelbase is longer than a regular S-Class’s at 3125mm, too.

Apart from the grille you can tell an F Sport from a Sports Luxury by its black brake calipers and black elements in the front bumper, boot lid and sill.

To tell a 500 from a 500h, the difference is subtle. There are the badges, of course, but the 500's rear bumper also has a different design with chrome exhaust surrounds.

This isn’t the prettiest car ever. It has the Mazda CX-8 or CX-80 effect where you can tell a smaller car has been stretched and extended to create more interior space. It just looks a little awkward as a result.

The rear section of the GLB in particular is much higher and boxier than the GLA which makes it look rather back-heavy. Thankfully roof rails are standard which toughens the look somewhat.

The facelift that was introduced in 2023 brought an updated front bumper, as well as tweaked LED headlight and tail-light signatures. The changes aren’t wildly different from the original car that launched in 2019 but it’s still fresh enough.

Inside is where this car is starting to look its age. While Mercedes-Benz was one of the first to introduce a wraparound screen set-up combining the digital instrument cluster and touchscreen multimedia system into a single unit, many have copied this and it no longer looks unique.

It doesn’t help that the dual 10.25-inch screens are small now in comparison to newer rivals. It’s standard for a digital instrument cluster to be closer to 12.3-inches in diameter now.

A main interior change with this facelift included the removal of the touchpad controller on the centre console. In its place is now a shallow storage area which doesn’t really serve a purpose.

There’s also a new AMG-style steering wheel as standard which has fiddly gloss black touch sliders that get grimy upon use.

While the changes are welcome, the ageing roots are still present. You can’t escape the blingy touches that just end up looking cheap and tacky.

A key example of this are the air vents which have obnoxious interior ambient lighting in them to try and make the cabin look cool.

I’m also not a huge fan of the star pattern trim on the dashboard and the swathes of stainless steel-looking inlays.

Anything with a 3.1m wheelbase has to be practical right? Well, legroom in the back is excellent, but I can’t properly stretch out in that reclining rear seat with the ottoman without my feet hitting the seatback.

Headroom is also a bit a restricted in that rear row for me, too. That’s something to keep in mind for taller passengers (I'm 191cm tall).

A cargo capacity of 480 litres is 30 litres shy of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, while the cooler box in the rear (that comes with the Sports Luxury trim) eats into the boot space and drops the total to 440 litres.

The LS is a five-seat sedan, but that centre rear seatback folds forward to become the armrest and houses the controls to the massage and reclining functions, plus two cupholders.

There’s another two cupholders up front and pockets in all the doors. While the storage area under the centre console armrest in the front and back is good – that’s about it for storage.

An access mode will raise the car by 30mm when getting in and lower it by 10mm when getting out. Those wide opening doors also make entry and exit easier.

Up front the driver’s seat is comfortable, offering electric adjustability and lumbar support, extendable thigh support and heating. Some extra bolstering on the seat base would be nice though as it’s a little flat for my liking.

While the glossy piano black touch sliders on the steering wheel aren’t the most intuitive, I love holding this leather-wrapped wheel as it straddles the line of being thick enough but not too thick. BMW should take note…

The thin stalks behind the steering wheel are a joy to use and have a nice thwack to them. I appreciate the column-mounted gear selector as this frees up more space on the centre console, though it could be utilised better. More on this in a bit.

The digital instrument cluster offers a range of different themes to select from, though the standard version looks the nicest and offers the most customisation. It’s nice being able to put a full-width map display on the instrument cluster.

The touchscreen multimedia system offers a clean and intuitive interface that’s hard to get lost in. For the most part, however, I ended up using smartphone mirroring. Thankfully this update brought wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It’s nice having the row of physical climate control switchgear within easy reach especially as carmakers are now integrating these into the touchscreen interface. Even Mercedes-Benz is guilty of this in its newer cars.

There isn’t a tonne of general storage on the centre console beyond the deep central box which has a split-opening lid. The wireless charger barely fits my iPhone 15 Pro Max, the cupholders are on the small side and the aforementioned storage section where the touch slider once was is useless from a storage standpoint.

Moving to the second row, it’s rather spacious for a small-ish SUV. At a leggy 182cm tall, I have plenty of leg and headroom behind my own driving position.

You’re able to slide and recline each individual seat in the second row to prioritise second-row comfort or allow more space for third-row passengers. It’s needed because third-row space is tight!

Second-row amenities include air vents mounted on the back of the centre console, various storage spaces, two USB-C ports, as well as a fold-down armrest with cupholders. Also if you stare at the back of the centre console it looks very much like a screaming face.

As already mentioned, the third row isn’t the most spacious ever, although this is a small-ish SUV so best not to expect palatial levels of room. It’s likely more for occasional use by children and it’s good to note there is airbag coverage back there.

Amenities are few and far between in the third row, limited to just a few storage spots and a USB-C port on both sides. Unfortunately there are no air vents.

At the back there’s a handsfree power tailgate which is handy if you’ve got your hands full. It opens swiftly, though with all three rows of seating upright there isn’t much room at all. Mercedes-Benz doesn’t even quote a boot capacity figure, but it’s only enough for a bag or two.

Thankfully if you’re not using the third row the benefit of this car is there’s much more boot space than the GLA. Mercedes-Benz claims there’s a generous 565L of boot space, which can further expand to 1800L with the second row folded.

Unfortunately there is no spare wheel in the GLB200 as it has run-flat tyres as standard, though regular tyres with a tyre repair kit is a no-cost option.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB200 is currently priced at $67,600 before on-road costs.

There aren’t many premium seven-seat SUVs that are this compact out there. The closest rivals would be the mid-size Volkswagen Tayron and related Skoda Kodiaq.

But for this price you can easily get something larger like a Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe or Mazda CX-80. You do have to ditch the premo badge though.

For your money you do get a generous amount of standard equipment. This includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, dual 10.25-inch screens, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, interior ambient lighting, as well as heated front seats with electric adjustment.

However our tester was optioned with a panoramic glass sunroof ($1900) and black leather upholstery ($1539), bringing the as-tested price to $71,039 before on-road costs. This is still around $18,000 off the cheapest GLC.

A nifty reason for opting for this car over the GLA is because there’s a third row of seating. It's not the most spacious row, but when folded there is more boot space. More on this later.

Let's talk engine specifications .The LS 500 has a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 making 310kW/600Nm, with drive being sent to the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. That's impressive horsepower, but this car is heavy is a weight of about 2.3 tonnes.

The LS 500h has a 220kW/350Nm 3.5-litre V6 (a different engine to the 500’s) plus two electric motors driving the rear wheels. The total power output is 264kW. Shifting gears in the 500h is a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Just a reminder, too, the LS 500h is not  a plug-in hybrid. Regenerative braking re-charges the lithium-ion batteries.  

If you're looking for a diesel, you won't find one here. Same goes for a manual gearbox. And, while buyers can choose an all-wheel drive (awd) Lexus LS in other markets around the world, ours are all front-wheel drive.  

The Mercedes-Benz GLB200 is powered by a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 120kW and 270Nm.

This engine also features in ‘200’ versions of the A-Class, CLA and GLA, plus versions of it also feature in the Renault Arkana, Captur, Duster, and Kangoo, as well as the Nissan Qashqai and now the new Mitsubishi ASX.

It’s mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with drive sent to the front wheels only.

Unlike the more powerful GLB250 and AMG GLB35 all-wheel drive trims, the GLB200 is the only model to go without 48V mild-hybrid assistance in Australia. It was originally promised when this facelifted model was announced in 2023.

Mercedes-Benz claims the GLB200 can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 9.3 seconds and top speed is 207km/h.

The LS 500 has an official fuel consumption of 9.5L/100km while the 500h’s is 6.6L/100km after open and urban road driving. We drove both cars on mainly country roads and saw an average of 10.1L/100km in the LS 500 and 9.1L/100km in the 500h.

Mercedes-Benz claims the GLB200 has a combined fuel consumption of 7.5L/100km.

During our urban and metropolitan-based testing, however, we saw an average of 9.0L/100km according to the trip computer which isn’t great but also not the worst I’ve seen. Expect this figure to balloon out further if you load more people onboard as the engine will have to work harder.

There is a 52L fuel tank which requires a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.

Using my as-tested fuel consumption figure, this means the GLB200 has a theoretical range of up to 578km.

My first experience of the new LS was from the back seat of a 500 Sports Luxury being driven from the airport to the venue where Lexus Australia would deliver the presentation on its fifth generation of the car.

Seat reclined, I was whisked quietly and comfortably through the traffic, barely any road or wind noise, the ride was superb on that air suspension, a little floaty but still damped well enough for it not to become bouncy, with minimal head sway (the movement that makes you car sick).

Cocooned in leather with seat-back screens for audio and DVD the ride and environment was just right for a limousine chauffeuring important business types who need swift and tranquil transportation. Not for weirdos like me who were only interested in the way the front and back multi-link suspension kept a 2.3-tonne car with a 3.1m wheelbase so civilised, even through roundabouts. I wondered if this was actually the best way to experience the LS – from the back seats, being driven?

When I did drive the 500 and 500h in the two trims later it more or less confirmed that first impression. The 500 in F Sport trim was the best to drive, while the 500 in Sports Luxury was the best to be driven in. Why? I’ll explain.

The LS 500’s 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 makes more power than the hybrid for starters, which is always a good thing when you need to move a car this heavy. Even then the LS 500’s acceleration isn’t super quick, and the engine needs to work hard when asked to get a wriggle on. That 10-speed automatic transmission is excellent though. 

The same can’t be said for the CVT in the 500h which under harder acceleration does what CVTs do in that situation, make more noise without seeming to get the drive effectively to the wheels.

The 500h’s naturally aspirated V6 is a good thing, but it seems the weight of the car and the CVT work against it being exciting to drive. After a couple of hundred kilometres in a 500h blasting through the countryside steering it became tiresome rather than rewarding with the engine constantly kicking in and whining incessantly when asked for more beans, please. 

This car is far better suited to slipping silently through city streets than it is galloping through the bush – that’s where the 500 is a lot more at home.

The 500 and 500h are rear-wheel drive cars, and this, along with an almost 50-50 balance, sets the ground work for good cars to pilot. The F-Sport trim adds an active rear stabiliser bar as standard equipment and brings a more sophisticated version of Lexus’s 'Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management' (VDIM) – a stability system using data from suspension, ABS, traction control, electric power steering, the stabiliser bar and rear steering. The result is the control of longitudinal, vertical, yaw, roll and pitch movements for better ride and handling.

The F Sport trims adds bigger brakes, too with 400mm x 36mm discs on the front and 359mm x 30mm at the back, plus staggered tyres with 245mm rubber at the front and 275mm at the rear.

The electric steering is light, which makes it easy to manoeuvre in carparks, and an 11.2m turning circle is great for the class. 

On the open road at speed the steering is pinky-finger light even in Sport+ mode, and while it’s smooth and accurate, I want to feel more connected to the wheels and where they’re pointed.

While the LS 500 is more the driver’s car than the 500h neither perform as well dynamically as Benz’s S-Class, but from the back seat the LS feels just as comfortable and even plusher.

While this 1.3-litre turbo engine may be sufficient in the smaller A-Class and GLA, it barely scrapes by in the GLB200.

Even with one person onboard the engine has to rev out the first few gears to around 3000rpm to keep up with traffic from the lights. It doesn't have the nicest engine note either.

It doesn’t help that the dual-clutch automatic can be a little vague from a standstill, taking a beat to kick into action. This is most noticeable when doing low-speed manoeuvres or reversing.

Although initial acceleration can be on the thrashy side, rolling acceleration while at speed is a lot more linear and calm thanks to peak torque coming on tap from 2000rpm. This means the car will only downshift when it needs to.

There are a few different drive modes you can select from, but the default ‘Comfort’ mode feels the most natural. ‘Eco’ does quell some of the rev flares during initial acceleration, though the engine feels much more tardy in general.

Linked with these drive modes are the adaptive dampers. This is a very comfortable car, especially on the standard smaller 19-inch alloy wheels as there’s plenty of tyre sidewall to absorb bigger bumps.

Coupled with this is sporty steering that’s direct and makes the car feel nimble despite its 1.7-tonne kerb weight.

It really is the best of both worlds because you get the fun and sporty characteristics from the steering, plus the comfort and supple feeling from the suspension. It’s hard to fault this set-up.

In terms of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), if you look beyond the sometimes shouty engine, this car is quiet and refined. There’s some tyre roar at higher speeds, but many European vehicles have this trait.

It’s also a benefit that this car is a little older as there aren’t many safety system-related bings and bongs that distract from the cabin ambience.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB received a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on Euro NCAP testing conducted in 2019.

It received 92 per cent in Adult Occupant Protection, 88 per cent in Child Occupant Protection, 78 per cent in Vulnerable Road User Protection and 76 per cent in Safety Assist.

As standard there are nine airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, as well as a surround-view camera.

A nifty safety feature is the Pre-Safe system which tightens the seatbelts and plays a tone when it detects an imminent crash.

There are ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the outboard second-row seats, as well as on the two third-row seats. All three second-row seats, plus the two third-row seats also have top-tether points.

The Lexus LS is covered by a four-year/100,0000km warranty. Servicing is recommended every 15,000km or 12 months. There is no capped price servicing program. Being a Toyota family product the Lexus LS also comes backed by the same reputation for reliability and you may experience lower maintenance costs than perhaps its German rivals. 

The GLB200 is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, like the rest of the Mercedes-Benz line-up.

Logbook servicing is every 12 months or 25,000km, whichever comes first, which is good if you do a lot of driving.

You can purchase a three-, four- or five-year service package which costs $3495, $4650 and $6185, respectively. With the latter this equals $1237 per service, which is expensive, although it is cheaper than the slightly larger GLC.