Ford Bronco vs Lexus LX: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Ford Bronco burns about $2,950 of fuel annually against $3,800 for the Lexus LX. That $850 yearly gap compounds to roughly $4,250 over five years and $6,800 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 versus highway split: the Ford Bronco is the stronger commuter at 20 mpg city, while the Lexus LX pulls ahead on the interstate at 22 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Ford Bronco is recorded with 2 distinct engine configurations (SIDI & PFI, SIDI), the Lexus LX with 3 (SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, SIDI & PFI, 5.7). Across 66 recorded Ford Bronco configurations and 14 for the Lexus LX, 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 Ford Bronco is offered with Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, the Lexus LX with All-Wheel Drive, 4-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 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Ford Bronco emits 424 g/mile of CO2 versus 439 g/mile for the Lexus LX. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.