Porsche Panamera vs Lexus LC500H

What's the difference?

The Panamera is the ‘have your Porsche and drive it too’ model.

It encompasses the fun of the 911 while still being a comfortable daily driver that can easily fit a family of four. The cabin is sumptuously styled and not hurting for features, either.

Could the ownership costs and storage be better? Probably, but if you’re looking at this model, those items will probably be lower priorities for you.

For my little family of three, the base model Panamera is a win.

A truly fuel-efficient performance car, who’d have thought? There are some obvious trade-offs for trying to exist in two seperate worlds, but the Lexus LC 500h largely handles its dual roles with aplomb.

This is more than just a new Panamera - it’s a new generation Panamera.

The outgoing model was sort of a mix between the 911 and Macan but didn’t really hit the mark with any of its borrowed elements.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but the redesign sees this model get an outward appearance that looks far more aggressive with a distinct profile that now sets it apart for all of the right reasons.

On the outside, the biggest changes include larger matrix LED headlights and a new front fascia that sits a bit higher with more pronounced curving in the bonnet.

The front gets extra air intakes but there are also larger 'air blade' vents behind the front wheel arches which help smooth the air flow around the wheels and add some extra sculpted sportiness to the car's sides.

The rear has been reshaped to look more like the 911 and isn't as pillowy as the outgoing model. There is a new long LED strip light running the width of the rear and an extra brake light for added dazzlement at night. The rear window now spreads to the width of the liftback lid which makes it appear frameless.

The optioned 21-inch alloy wheels look gorgeous in their painted bronze (or Neodyme) glory and feature the Porsche crest in full colour for added pizzazz. The bronze accent is also carried across to the quad exhausts.

All these factors make the exterior design look more cohesive than the previous model.

The interior has been reworked, too, and the dashboard now sports upgraded tech panels that makes the cabin feel cinematic. The optioned passenger display screen only adds to this effect.

Purists will pout, but like the new 911 the analogue cluster and turn-key operation have died a quiet death. You now get a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and push-button starter. Plus, the gearshift has been repositioned from the centre console to the dash.

The optioned Sports Chrono and Neodyme accent packages of our test model means the dashboard gets a race clock (superfluous for every day driving but fun to look at) and the door handles, steering wheel and dashboard feature the same bronze highlights.

The only elements that don't look the part are the shiny piano black panels mainly found in the centre console. They're too easily scratched/marked for a car at this price point.

The cabin may not be as flashy as its competitors but it's still sumptuous.

It's a little curious, the LC 500h. For mine, it's stunning from a distance. All gleaming alloys and bulging rear arches and sharp snout angled downward like its caught the scent of its prey.

But weirdly, it can start to look a little less impressive the closer you get to it - a little swollen and vague in its lines. It's very likely it's eye-of-the-beholder stuff (fellow CarsGuide scribe Richard Berry adores it from every angle, for example).

Inside, the front of the cabin is a busy but stylish space, with multiple textures layered on top of each other to produce a premium-feeling, sporty space. The low-feeling dash juts out, giving the front passengers an ensconced, cockpit feel.

Everything is predictably leather-wrapped and lovely, and while it's not as streamlined as, say, an Audi interior, it's not without a genuine sense of Japanese charm in the cabin.

The cabin feels spacious in both rows and the rear row can comfortably fit those who are above six foot (182cm) with a caveat.

Despite being optioned with the '4+1' seating, don't be fooled; the middle rear seat is nothing more than extra room for the out-boarders as the rear centre console takes up all legroom a middle seater might need. Not even a kid will be happy in the middle for long.

Amenities in both rows are good. The heating/cooling and massage functions on the front seats are great and the four-zone climate control means everyone can get comfortable.

Access to both rows is surprisingly good with doors that open widely but the rear footwell lip is high and the well narrow. So, if you have clunky boots on you may feel clumsy getting into position.

My seven-year old found the doors heavy to open and it took him a while to realise he didn’t have to slam the doors shut thanks to the soft-close feature.

Individual storage is better than you usually get in a sports car but all cubbies still fall on the shallower side. There are four cupholders, four drink bottle holders, a glove box, a middle console and two small net map pockets. There is also a dedicated phone cubby housing the wireless charging pad.

The boot aperture is wide and it’s super easy to reach things in the back thanks to the liftback lid but that sloping roofline means you lose out on height for larger items.

Stack bigger things right behind the back seat if you want to fit them. Capacity is below average compared to its rivals at 460L.

The rear row has a 40/20/40 split to open up storage options and there is a very deep cubby underneath the floor with the tyre compressor/repair kit.

Device charging options are great with a total of four USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad and three 12-volt sockets to choose from.  

The upgraded multimedia system looks fantastic and is user-friendly. The built-in satellite navigation is simple to use and the multimedia system, head-up display and instrument cluster can be highly customised.

The base Panamera model now comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Connecting to the CarPlay is easy and the connection remains seamless.

The optional passenger display panel allows the front passenger to control their climate and seat comfort, see a duplicate of the instrument panel or just watch a movie on a long trip.

The screen has a privacy filter, which means the driver can’t see what’s on it and is thus not a distraction. However, no one in my family bothered to use it.

It's not really. Especially in the backseats, which would make more sense if they were painted on. I'm no giant, but even my 175cm-tall head was pushed into the ceiling, and while there’s ample shoulder space for two adults, you’re unlikely to be able to convince two to get back there. 

Lexus has included something called the "Easy Access" function for 2020, which sees the front seats slide forward automatically to help with accessing the rear seats, and they do lower the Cirque du Soleil antics required to get back there, but this realistically not a car for carrying more than two adults, save an emergency. There are two ISOFIX attachment points in the rear, so child seats can be locked in there. 

That's not necessarily a drawback, though. This is a two-door sporty coupe, after all, and elsewhere, the sizeable dimensions (4770mm length x 1920mm width x 1345mm height) provide plenty of space for up-front riders.

You'll also find hidden cupholders, bottle holders in the doors, and all the power and connection points you need. 

A word on the tech, though. The LC 500h is crying out for a touch screen, though the brand's traditional mousepad system is improving.

Value is all about perspective, of course, and viewed the right way, the $195k sticker price of the Lexus LC 500h does provide a certain amount of value.

Yes, it's a lot of money. But Lexus' flagship coupe doesn't just get a performance-focused hybrid setup (pairing with a thumping V6 engine), but also just about every high-end feature the brand has in its deep bag of tricks.

It starts outside with giant 21-inch alloys, a glass roof with a sun blind,  LED headlights with cornering lights, hidden door handles, keyless entry, and rain-sensing wipers.

Inside, you'll find leather-accented seats, a colour head-up display, a 10.3-inch multimedia screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, another 8.0-inch screen in the driver's binnacle, a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats, DAB+, satellite navigation system with live traffic, and a killer 13-speaker, 918-watt Mark Levinson stereo.

The base Panamera doesn’t have a hybrid powertrain like its siblings and sports the 2.9L V6 twin-turbo petrol engine of the outgoing model. But it’s been retuned and now produces 260kW and 500Nm – both figures up from the previous model.

The Sport Chrono Package means the 0-100km/h sprint improves from 5.1-seconds to a tummy-sucking 4.8-seconds and my son gave a whoop of delight whenever we had to get up to speed.

The Panamera has an eight-speed, dual-clutch auto transmission and is the only RWD for the Panamera line-up. It also sports a top speed of 272km/h. So, suffice it to say, the engine has the sports cred you expect from a Porsche.

The LC 500h is powered by a hybrid setup that combines a 3.5-litre V6 engine with a 650-volt "Lexus Hybrid Drive" system and a lithium-ion battery. That setup delivers 264kW of power, and somewhere north of 350Nm in torque when the engine and motor outputs combine.

That power is sent to the rear wheels via a CVT automatic, and will produce a sprint to 100km/h of around 5.0 seconds. 

According to Lexus, 10 clear improvements were made the way the 2020 LC 500h drives, including a new transmission tune, more structural bracing added for rigidity, new suspension components and spring rates, and altered stabiliser bars. 

Has it made a difference? Read on. 

The official combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel-cycle consumption figure is 9.5L/100km, which is pretty low for a high-performance vehicle (and a big one at that) but after a lot of open road and urban driving my real-world usage came out at 10.9L/100km.

That's the result after not being skimpy with using the power, either, so it's not as thirsty as you might expect.

When it comes to times between fills, the Panamera might surprise you. Based on the official combined fuel cycle and large 90L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of up to 947km (825km using our on-test figure) – which is a great driving range for a performance vehicle, let alone a family one.

The Porsche Panamera only drinks the best, so while the driving range is great you won't be able to fill 'er up with anything but premium 98 RON unleaded petrol.

Lexus says the LC 500h will sip 6.8 litres per hundred kilometres on the combined cycle - very impressive for what is ostensibly a performance coupe - and emit 152g/km. 

The LC 500h is equipped with an 82-litre fuel tank. 

Some people might not understand the obsession or loyalty Porsche owners have towards their cars  but if you’re a fence sitter, get in the Panamera. It will make you understand because after driving one... you'll hear yourself say 'I get it'.

The base model has the goods with the engine outputs to ensure the driving experience remains fun and responsive.

The Panamera is no wild bronco, it's a cool customer. The composure for power delivery is unlike other performance sedans you may have driven. Acceleration is effortless without any twitchiness. You never feel out of control.

The air suspension means you hear the bumps more than you feel them but you still get excellent road feedback as a driver.

Passenger comfort is high, despite the cabin being quite loud with road and engine noise, because the seat and ride comfort remains well-cushioned. Fatigue and jostling are at a minimum.

The handling of the Panamera when it comes to cornering and steering feels dynamic and agile. I made a point of doing multiple mini roadies this week, simply for the joy of driving it.

While the Panamera is the most fun on a winding mountain road, it's a pleasant open-road cruiser as well.

The base Panamera has three driving modes - 'Normal', 'Sport' or 'Sport Plus' with a 20-second power booster available when you need extra oomph.

The Normal mode is sufficient for daily driving and the Sport Plus offers stiffer suspension and handling but the preference is to keep it in Sport mode.

Mainly because in this mode you get an awesome throatiness from the exhaust as well as the dynamics you expect from a sports car.

It’s a bit deceptive but the Panamera is massive and sits at 5052mm long and 2165mm wide - so, it definitely fills out a parking space!

However, the 360-degree view camera system is one of the best in the segment but you may still get choosy with where you park it.

There’s something very strange about hitting the start button in what is ostensibly a sports car, and being greeted not by the bark of an exhaust, but by the gentle whirring on the car’s electronics coming to life.

But then, the Lexus LC500h is not your average performance car.

It essentially trades the out-and-out grunt of its V8-powered sibling (which produces a monstrous 351kW and 540Nm) for a kind of best-of-both-worlds approach that pairs the punch of the V6 engine with the fuel efficiency of a hybrid powertrain. 

If that sounds like an compromised approach to pure performance, you're right. But reframe the way you look at the LC 500h and it all starts to make a bit more sense.

Remember, this isn't a track-attack weapon, but a potent on-road bruiser, and the flow of power on offer always feels ample, and you never want for too much more off-the-line pace on public roads. 

Among the biggest selling points of the LC 500h is the sheer distance between its various personalities. Engage Eco, or even Normal, drive modes, and it’s a quiet, mostly very comfortable (though it can be unsettled by bigger bumps) kilometre-eater, but engage Sport or Sport Plus and it rightly transforms into something significantly angrier.

It might not be the absolute sharpest tool in the performance car shed, but the LC 500h does bristle nicely when those modes are engaged, the hybrid factor seemingly replaced by a satisfyingly meaty exhaust note and an accelerator that’s suddenly far more sensitive to the touch.

The steering feel is nice and the inputs direct, but there is something about the car’s 1980kg weight that doesn’t inspire the deepest of confidence, at least not on the rain-slicked roads we were travelling along .

A pure performance coupe? Perhaps not. But a sporty, stylish and, when you want it to be, comfortable cruiser with the ability to turn the volume up when you come across a twisting road? Bingo.

The Lexus LC 500h is yet to be ANCAP tested (the price would likely prove a sticking point), but the Japanese brand has fine form in attracting top marks, and there's certainly no shortage of safety features on offer here. 

There's a total eight airbags and a reversing camera and parking sensors, as well as a host of high-tech kit like AEB, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring, active cruiser control and a bonnet that will sense pedestrian and pop up before impact in an attempt to minimise injury. 

Porsche offers the Panamera with a three-year/unlimited km warranty, which is less than its competitors. It's more typical to see a five-year/unlimited km warranty in this segment.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12-months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first and pricing varies per dealership.

The one I contacted (in Sydney) confirmed the first four years of servicing costs $8605 for an average of $2151.25 per workshop visit.

Worth noting the fourth year is a biggie at $4875, this major service including everything from an air-conditioning clean and transmission oil change to spark plug check/replacement and safety checks.

The Panamera is up there for service costs, even for the class but this kind of outlay comes with the territory when you're considering a car worth almost $300K. 

So, to ownership. Let's start with the basics first, before we move onto the new Encore Platinum benefits. 

The LC 500h is covered by a four-year/100,000km warranty, and servicing (capped for three years at $595 a pop) is required every 15,000km.

You will know already the Lexus's stellar Encore ownership program includes handy features like valet (pick-up and drop-off) servicing, but the new Encore Platinum level for owners of its more exclusive models unlocks some seriously cool stuff. 

One is a new On Demand service, which allows owners to book a different style of car when heading off on a holiday or business trip. So, say you own the LC 500h, but want to take the family to the snow and need a seven-seat 4WD like the RX L, then Lexus will lend you one at no charge, which you can keep for eight days.

The loans are available in your state or somewhere else in Australia if you're travelling, with your car waiting for you at Qantas Valet for you when you arrive. 

The One Demand service is available on four occasions over your first three years of ownership (which is also the length of the Encore Platinum membership). 

The Platinum level also provides eight examples of free valet parking at select shopping centres, as well as hotel and restaurant benefits, and invitations to Lexus' drive days around the country.