Lexus IS vs Volkswagen GLI: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Volkswagen GLI burns about $2,050 of fuel annually against $2,900 for the Lexus IS. 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 and highway economy: the Volkswagen GLI leads in both cycles — 26 mpg city and 37 mpg highway against 22 and 32 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Lexus IS is recorded with 2 distinct engine configurations (SIDI & PFI, SIDI), the Volkswagen GLI with 1 (SIDI). Across 52 recorded Lexus IS configurations and 11 for the Volkswagen GLI, 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 Lexus IS is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, the Volkswagen GLI with Front-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 Compact Cars and Compact 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 Volkswagen GLI emits 297 g/mile of CO2 versus 345 g/mile for the Lexus IS. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.