BMW 7 Series vs Lexus LC: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Lexus LC burns about $2,550 of fuel annually against $2,700 for the BMW 7 Series. That $150 yearly gap compounds to roughly $750 over five years and $1,200 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Lexus LC leads in both cycles — 27 mpg city and 35 mpg highway against 25 and 31 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the BMW 7 Series is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (SIDI & PFI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI; PHEV), the Lexus LC with 2 (SIDI & PFI, SIDI & PFI; Hybrid). Across 69 recorded BMW 7 Series configurations and 23 for the Lexus LC, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the BMW 7 Series is offered with Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive, the Lexus LC with Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Large Cars and Subcompact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the BMW 7 Series emits 130 g/mile of CO2 versus 298 g/mile for the Lexus LC. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.