Lexus LX500D vs Audi S3

What's the difference?

The Lexus LX550d Overtrail holds plenty of appeal for those who’d like to bookend a work week of refined daily driving with a weekend of fun and adventure undertaken in style.

With a full complement of standard features, as well as offering premium comfort and understated design, the Overtrail makes a lot of sense as a potential purchase.

It’s luxurious on the road, capable off-road and the Overtrail holds up quite well if cross-shopped against the likes of Land Rover Defender, Toyota LandCruiser 300 or Nissan Patrol.

The updated Audi S3 Sportback is a fun-sized dynamo with impressive outputs and athletic road manners. It’s missing a few premium features, but its compact size paired with a gutsy engine makes it a compelling option for drivers who don’t want to compromise on performance (just space).

The LX500d Overtrail is 5100mm long (with a 2850mm wheelbase), 1990mm wide, and 1895mm high. It has a listed kerb weight of 2690kg.

It has an almost straight-up-and-down, old-school appearance, and leans more towards the retro-cool end of the design spectrum rather than the sleek end – and that styling, which is THE Overtrail look based on the GX Overtrail, works.

Adding to this 4WD wagon’s overall large-and-in-charge presence are its big front grille, bulging wing mirrors, side steps and those all-terrain tyres.

The Overtrail has black exterior touches (door handles and mirrors, window mouldings, wheel-arch trims), black front and rear bumpers, and bridge-type roof rails that top off its rugged look and further set it apart from its LX stablemates.

There are a lot more identifiably-Lexus, premium-style touches going on inside the Overtrail, including Overtrail-specific premium leather-accented front seats with Monolith colour stitching, Ash Sumi Black ornamentation, a plethora of soft-touch surfaces and a helpful does of durable plastic.

The S3 Sportback may be a small car, but its S design features, like the stylised blackout grille, matrix LED headlights, and 19-inch alloys with red brake calipers, give it a distinctly athletic and fun-loving vibe. It’s compact, but definitely not diminutive and carries serious road presence. It’s hot hatch meets fun-size.

Inside, the S3 looks fabulous. Integrated ambient lighting, a sharp dashboard treatment and a driver-focused cockpit all lend it a premium feel.

The front seats look properly sporty with their integrated headrests, and the quilted Nappa leather upholstery feels great, especially with the eye-catching red contrast stitching.

As for technology, it’s as high-end as you’d expect with a 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia display and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster taking centre stage.

The only drawback? No sunroof. Combined with the black headliner and compact cabin, it can feel a little gloomy at times. Still, it’s a cabin you’ll enjoy spending time in.

Overall, the interior is functional, the build quality is impressive and this is a Lexus so, of course, there are lashings of prestige.

For starters, the seats are comfortable. The 2026 Lexus LX500d Overtrail has a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat and both have four-way Lumbar power adjustment and massager.

The second-row seats in this five-seater are in a 60:40 split folding configuration and are also on the right side of comfortable, which is not always necessarily the case in a 4WD wagon.

The 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen system dominates the upfront layout and shows navigation, your smartphone desktop, reversing camera view, etc and when off-roading it displays multi-terrain monitor showing the road surface and other conditions.

Underneath that main screen is a 7.0-inch touch display that displays drive modes, adaptive variable suspension, air-conditioning controls and the like.

Both are easy enough to use without hassle.

The driver also gets a head-up display, projected onto the windscreen right in front of the driver, but say hoo-roo to that info once you’ve donned polarised sunnies.

The Overtrail has a powered sunroof/moon roof, whatever you want to call it.

It has plenty of charge points – including two USB-Cs upfront and two for the second-row passengers, and a wireless phone charging pad in front of the cooled centre console – and there are 12-volt outlets front and rear, and a 220V outlet in the rear cargo area.

There are numerous cupholders – upfront and in the second-row armrest – and bottle holders in the doors.

The five-seater Overtrail’s rear cargo area has a 220V/100W socket (to run camp lights, fridge etc), a cargo blind, tie-down points and cup holders on both sides, left over from the seven-seat layout.

Rear cargo space is listed as 1109L with all seats in use, and cargo space is 1960 litres if the second row is folded down.

The rear tailgate is powered and lifts to open rather than swings to the side as the barndoor-style doors do.

Minor gripe: You’d think with the amount of cash you spend on an Overtrail that Lexus would equip the off-road-focused LX with rubber floor mats because its interior should be ready to cop more than its fair share of dirt, sand and mud during its driving days.

Like most hatches, the front row enjoys the most space. While it’s cosy, it never feels cramped. The seats are firm yet comfortable, thanks to their adjustability and expandable under-thigh supports. Access is fairly easy with wide door apertures, though the low seating position might earn a few grunts, especially from taller folks.

Storage up front is well sorted, with a glove box, a small centre console, a dedicated phone cradle and a couple of cup and bottle holders. It’s about what you'd expect for a car this size, but it's enough to keep things tidy.

There are plenty of charging options, with two USB-C ports in each row and a wireless charging pad up front.

The multimedia system is intuitive and easy to use. The touchscreen is responsive, and wireless Apple CarPlay connected without fuss and stayed connected all week. Wireless Android Auto is available, too.

Built-in sat nav is clear, and I love the way directions pull through to the digital instrument panel. The Sonos sound system? Pretty darn good. My son and I had more than one mini-concert on the school run.

As for the rear row, it definitely reminds you this is a small car. At 168cm, I found it on the cramped side of cosy and my husband just laughed when I asked him to try it! The wheel arch also cuts into the door aperture, making access a little awkward. Best to think of it as occasional adult seating. But given the size, that’s no surprise.

Amenities in the back are decent with a couple of map pockets, cup and bottle holders, as well as a fold-down armrest, those USB ports and rear temperature control (but curiously, no fan control). The seats are comfortable enough, but space is limited. Realistically, it’s best suited for two passengers, not three.

Boot space is quite practical. The wide opening and manageable load lip height make it easy to slide items in and out. It offers 325L of space, less than its key rivals, but expands to 1145L with the rear seats folded flat. The handy 40/20/40 split also adds versatility. Under the boot floor, you’ll find a tyre repair kit.

The A3 Sportback comes in three trim levels, with the S3 technically sitting in the middle, just below the performance-focused RS 3. It's priced from $78,800, before on-road costs, and it shares the same platform and underpinnings as the Volkswagen Golf R. Surprisingly, our test vehicle isn’t significantly more expensive than its Golf R rival which comes in at $70,990 MSRP.

That makes it a more affordable option when compared to premium rivals like the BMW M135 xDrive which starts at $83,600 MSRP and the Mercedes-AMG A35 which comes in at $89,700 MSRP.

The update sees engine outputs improve with it gaining 17kW and 20Nm of torque, resulting in a total of 245kW and 420Nm.

Feature highlights include 19-inch alloy wheels, red brake calipers, electrically-adjustable and heated front seats (with expandable under-thigh support), rear privacy glass, quilted Nappa leather upholstery and 'S Sport' suspension with damper control which lowers the ride height lowered by 15mm.

The updated technology is well-rounded and now comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There's also three-zone climate control, a 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia display, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, digital radio, four USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad, built-in satellite navigation and a 15-speaker Sonos 3D sound system.

Still, despite its premium hot hatch status, this grade skips a few luxury touches. Ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated rear outboard seats and a sunroof are all missing. The BMW M135 xDrive, notably, includes all of these as standard.

Even the powered tailgate with kick-functionality is an optional extra here, adding $660 to the price. At this level that should be standard.

Our test vehicle has a 3.3-litre turbo-diesel engine – producing 227kW at 4000rpm and 700Nm at 1600-2600rpm – a 10-speed automatic transmission and a full-time 4WD system.

This is a big wagon so it takes some encouragement to get going off the mark – it is sluggish rather than zippy around town – but once underway on an open road, especially on a highway, it punts along nicely.

I drove the seven-seater Lexus LX600 Sports Luxury – with a 3.5-litre petrol engine (305kW and 650Nm) – immediately after this test and – with the same dimensions, but 10kg lighter than the Overtrail – it’s more punchy off the mark.

The Lexus LX500d Overtrail has a variety of drive modes including Custom, Comfort, Eco, Normal and Sport S and Sport S+ for on-road driving.

It has front and rear locking diffs, and Multi-Terrain Select (MTS) drive modes for off-roading. Those modes include Auto, Sand, Mud and Rock. Each off-road driving mode adjusts throttle response, transmission shift patterns, wheel-slip control, engine power delivery and braking to best suit the specified terrain.

The S3 Sportback wears the quattro badge proudly, meaning it’s all-wheel drive and it pairs a tweaked seven-speed automatic transmission with a 2.0-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder petrol engine.

This update brings a bump in performance over the previous model, including the addition of a rear torque splitter. Power is now up to a gutsy 245kW and 420Nm of torque, launching the S3 from 0 - 100km/h in just 4.7 seconds. That’s proper hot hatch territory.

Official fuel consumption is listed as 8.9L/100km (on a combined cycle), but on this test, I recorded 12.8L/100km.

The Overtrail has 110L fuel capacity (80L main tank, 30L sub tank) so, going by my on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 860km from a full tank.

However, as with any vehicle, once you’ve loaded it with real-world burdens (e.g kids, dogs, camping gear etc) you’ll soon see fuel-use figures increase.

The S3 Sportback has an official combined fuel consumption figure of 7.9L/100km and a 55-litre fuel tank, giving it a theoretical driving range of up to 696km.

Its key rivals hover around similar numbers, so it's right on the mark for the segment. After a mix of long-distance drives and my usual urban errands, my real-world figure came in at 8.0L/100km - very close to the claim, which I’m pretty happy with.

On-road, the Overtrail is impressive: refined, comfortable, unstressed and it offers up controlled ride and handling.

The Overtrail sits nicely on sealed road surfaces – it has a wide wheel track and long wheelbase – and it maintains that composed posture even on gravel or dirt tracks.

It does exhibit some body-roll when pitched through country bends but in a large 4WD wagon that characteristic is no real surprise.

Ride quality is impressive and the suspension set-up, including the Overtrail’s adaptive variable suspension which adjusts damping force according to the drive mode selected, manages to smooth out the worst of most surface irregularities. Active height control is worth mentioned here because it's designed to optimise the spring rate to keep this wagon stable during turning, acceleration, and braking.

The 3.3-litre turbo-diesel engine and 10-speed auto are a smooth combination producing plenty of power and torque across a broad rev range.

It's mostly quiet in the cabin though wind noise does emanate from the chunky wing mirrors.

One thing I’m not a big fan of is the digital rear-view mirror. I understand the reasoning behind it as it helps establish visibility where you may not have it – for example, if something you’ve packed in the rear blocks your vision, or a second-row passenger’s massive head blocks your vision – but the slightly distorted view depicted on the mirror isn’t altogether helpful and tends to push me into headache territory on longer drives. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Maybe my old eyes need testing?

So, how does the Overtrail perform off-road?

Well, you’d expect it to go pretty well, especially as it is equipped with front and rear locking diffs, and a raft of off-road drive modes.

And it does. Mostly.

Steering is nicely balanced and the driver is afforded so much visibility of the track ahead that, even with a massive bonnet in front of you, it’s easy to get your wheel placement spot-on. The Overtrail also has a 360-degree camera system, so that maximises your chances of putting the vehicle on exactly the correct line.

Courtesy of its off-road modes, diff locks etc, the Overtrail drives with impressive composure through most off-road situations, whether that’s along corrugated dirt tracks, up steep rocky hills or through shin-deep mudholes.

It offers a reasonable amount of wheel travel for a large wagon and it has decent all-terrain tyres – Toyo Open Country (265/70R18) – and they provide plenty of grip on a variety of surfaces: sand, loose gravel, shale, even rain-soaked mud which can be very slippery and can quickly fill up tyre tread.

The LX500d Overtrail has 205mm ground clearance which is industry standard for a larger or upper large SUV, but it isn't great for a vehicle that’s intended as an off-road machine. However, worth mentioning again here is the addition onboard of active height control, which automatically adjusts vehicle height – Normal, High 1, High 2, and Low (for easy ingress and egress) – to match the drive mode you select and the driving conditions at any time.

And while the off-road angles – approach (23 degrees), departure (22) and rampover (22.7) – aren’t fantastic, those measurements are industry standard for a larger and upper large SUV, but again, in a vehicle billed as an adventure machine, those angles could be a lot better. In the Overtrail’s favour the underbody is well protected by substantial bash-plates and the Overtrail’s full-size spare is mounted to the underbody.

Wading depth is an estimated 700mm, which is also in the vicinity of standard for an unmodified 4WD wagon.

The side steps protrude and if you fail to drive with consideration then they'll probably cop a scrape and maybe even a bit of a dent.

Towing capacities are 750kg (unbraked) and 3500kg (braked). Payload is 590kg, which is not a lot once you throw in your kids, dogs, and camping equipment – not to mention anything you might be towing at the time. For reference, a 300 Series LandCruiser's payload, depending on the variant, is between 650kg (VX/Sahara/GR Sport) and 785kg (GX).

The Overtrail’s listed kerb weight is 2690kg, gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 3280kg, and gross combined mass (GCM) is 6780kg.

The S3 Sportback sounds as mean as it looks, and it delivers on that promise with effortless grunt. Acceleration is immediate, with plenty of power on tap when you need it. It’s just fun all around.

The lowered sports suspension and wide tyres do bring some extra noise into the cabin, even at lower speeds. You might find yourself repeating things to rear passengers now and then, but it never feels overwhelming.

Steering and suspension are on the firmer side, so yes, you’ll feel the bumps but the payoff is sharp, responsive handling. Quick lane changes and winding coastal roads are where this car shines.

Visibility is about what you’d expect from a low-slung hot hatch. The pillars don’t obstruct the view, but sitting beside a towering SUV at the lights can make you feel a bit... compact.

Cornering is a strong suit, thanks to the car’s wide stance and AWD system. It feels confidently planted in most conditions. That said, I noticed the occasional wobble through the rear frame on rough sections in heavy rain.

Its compact size makes parking a breeze, especially with the help of multiple sensors. The reversing camera is crisp, but at this price point, the lack of a 360-degree camera view feels like a missed opportunity.

The S3 isn’t covered by its 2WD sibling's maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating but it is well-equipped with safety features all the same.

Safety equipment includes blind-spot monitoring, side exit assist, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, park assist, reversing camera, front/rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control with stop and go function. 

It also has six airbags but misses out on a front centre airbag. None of the driver assist systems are intrusive to daily driving, which I always like.

The rear row has ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top-tether anchor points but only two child seats will fit.

The 2026 Lexus LX500d Overtrail is covered by a five year/unlimited km warranty.

Capped-price servicing applies for five years/100,000km for a maximum of 10 services.

Servicing is scheduled for every six months or 10,000km, whichever occurs soonest and cost per service, at time of writing, is $595.

Audi backs the S3 Sportback with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is on par with its European rivals. A five-year pre-paid servicing plan is available for $2890 which is cheaper than pay-as-you-go and reasonable for the class.

For those looking to go the extra mile, the 'Audi Advantage' package lets you extend the warranty and capped-price servicing by an additional two years, which represents solid value overall.

Servicing intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.