Toyota Prius vs Lexus LC
What's the difference?

Toyota Prius

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2021 price

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Lexus LC

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2021 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Summary

2021 Toyota Prius

2021 Lexus LC

By Tom White

By Andrew Chesterton

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 1.8L

V8, 5.0L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

3.4L/100km (combined)

12.7L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Seamless hybrid drive
Incredible fuel efficiency
Comfortable and spacious

Punchy engine
Throaty exhaust
Climate-controlled cabin

Dislikes

Polarising exterior
Dorky central instrument cluster
Not so engaging to drive

Disconnect from the drive experience
Lexus trackpad tech persists
Thirsty

2021 Toyota Prius Summary

What to say about the Toyota Prius in 2021? A car that was once a technology trailblazer seems now to have become properly retro, even while it’s still being built and sold.

The awkward-looking wedge, an eco-punk icon, not only brought Toyota’s hybrid synergy drive to the masses, it also debuted the brand’s excellent TNGA architecture and set the scene for the company's absurd hybrid success, which now sees the RAV4 version topping the sales charts.

So, after all these years (25 to be precise), is the Prius’s time finally over? Or does this quaint hybrid hero still have more to offer? I took a top-spec I-Tech 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 Toyota Prius 2021 Lexus LC

Verdict

The Prius can rest its weary head. The Age of the Hybrid has begun. Even though this iconic eco car might have lost its ultimate purpose to more mainstream models in the last few years, it’s still the best execution of Toyota’s hybrid tech on the market and if you can look past its divisive-as-ever looks, it’s comfortable and practical, too.

The brand’s Australian division promises the Prius will stick around in one form or another, so we’re keen to see what its next iteration will look like. Plug-in? Fully electric? Time will tell.

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.

Toyota Prius vs Lexus LC What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Toyota Prius vs Lexus LC
What's the difference?