Genesis G70 vs Lexus LM 500H

What's the difference?

The updated Genesis G70 3.3T Sport Luxury is beautiful to look at and drive. It features premium features, trims and great power but the cabin is tight on space. Which makes it a little awkward to use, so this will suit a small family best or families where this may not be the primary mover. That said, I love the after-care program and it suited my small family of three, so it gets an 8.0/10 from us. 

The Lexus LM 500h is luxurious, comfortable, practical, easy to drive and expensive. While it may appear to be the ultimate family car, with only four seats it's limited in terms of how many kids and their friends you can carry. On top of that, the privacy screen introduces accessibility issues to the kids you wouldn't encounter on other vehicles. If you are thinking of a Lexus people mover as your next family car I'd suggest looking at the LM 350h which has seven seats and no privacy screen. If you’re looking at a business class executive van the LM 500h would be perfect. 

The G70 sedan is absolutely gorgeous to look at and the our test vehicle's 'Kawah Blue' paintwork makes the crisp pleating across the body stand out.

The G70 has a muscular stance, much like its BMW rival, but the rear is softer in its shaping.

The front looks sophisticated with the wide-set LED lights and black air-intake vents. The sporty 19-inch alloy wheels and red calipers behind them hint at what the powerful V6 engine can do.

The interior looks high-end with our test vehicle’s white quilted Nappa leather upholstery and a soft-touch black headliner. The dashboard looks solid and robust but the slick looking 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system and digital climate control panel elevate the overall design. 

The only thing I didn’t like about the design was the ambient lighting. It’s limited to two panels on the roof and is a little distracting when you drive at night. I think if it was scattered more throughout the cabin, it would be less intrusive.

The LM 500h doesn't look real. More like a concept vehicle with its vertical face wearing that enormous grille. Feels like if you watched it for long enough you’d catch it transforming into some kind of robot. Yet, at the same time its styling is elegant and prestigious.

I have a confession to make. I used this Lexus as my office. Its interior is that comfortable and spacious. I'm also a parent and there were times where it was the quietest place to get some work done.

It also let me observe people's reactions as they walked past with their dogs not knowing what was going on inside behind those tinted windows. The people that noticed were clearly car enthusiasts as they knew what they were looking at and couldn't pass without gaping it awe.

The LM 500h’s interior is superbly plush with thick carpets, beautiful copper metallic trim and nappa leather seats.

As I’ve said, the cockpit up front is less luxurious than the extravagant first class section in the back behind that dividing wall.

And yes, I’ve seen large screens before but nothing that stretches the width of the vehicle.

The practicality is hurt a little by the space available for passengers. The front row benefits the most when it comes to head- and legroom but if you’re ferrying passengers in the back seat, you’ll have to scoot your seat forward to accommodate them.

Especially if they’re tall because my knees brush the back of the driver’s seat when it’s in my driving position and I’m only 168cm tall!

The individual storage options throughout the car are okay for the class with the front enjoying a small middle console and glove box, two cupholders and two small drink bottle holders in each door.

The rear gets map pockets, two cupholders in a fold down armrest and two very small storage bins in the doors.

The other amenities are great in both rows and a high-level of comfort will be found for adults with the heat and ventilation functions on the front seats and the heat function on the rear outboard seats.

However, the width of the rear seat and the tall transmission tunnel means the middle seat should be strictly reserved for a kid. Think of the G70 as more of a four-seater if you have adults to carry.

The boot has a 330-litre capacity and it’s not too hard to reach to the very back if items roll that way. The back seat has a 60/40 split and there is a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor. 

In terms of technology, you get a USB-A and USB-C port up front, as well as, a 12-volt socket and wireless charging pad to choose from. Rear passengers get two USB-C ports and the boot features another 12-volt outlet.

The 10.25-inch multimedia system looks great and is easy to use with a responsive touchscreen. It also has built-in satellite navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the system now features over-the-air updates and Genesis Connected Services functionality.

The digital climate panel is responsive and very simple to operate, which is handy when on the go. The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is semi-customisable and it’s handy that the 8.0-inch coloured head-up display pulls through satellite navigation directions and traffic sign information. 

You might be able to take Lexus out of Toyota but it's very hard to take Toyota out of Lexus and this particularly applies to the practicality of the LM 500h.

Every day I discovered new compartments, tray tables and storage areas. There are so many cabinets, lockers and hidey holes that we almost left my belongings (an entire family of plushie toy capybaras) behind because there are so many places to check.

Of course, I'm talking about the rear compartment here because up front there's not much storage. In fact, it proved to be quite a problem in that I had nowhere to put my bag with somebody sitting next to me and no area behind the front seats to stow it, either.

Talking of seats, the LM 500h only has four of them, with two up front and two in the rear. Up front, the seats are supportive and large, but the rear seats - those are, well... have a look at the images.

We’re talking two large captain's chairs that look as though they’ve been removed from the first class section of a plane.

And while this might be suitable for businesses shuttling a couple of executives to and from meetings, for a family, even with two children, the extra couple of seats a third row offers would come in handy.

The LM 350h has seven seats over three rows and no privacy screen. A far better choice for families.

For device charging there are USB ports up front and in the rear. There are wireless phone chargers for those in the back seats but not up front.

The LM 500h has a cargo capacity of 752 litres with all seats in place.

The Lexus LM 500h sits at the top of its range and is without a doubt one of the most expensive people movers on Earth with its list price of $220,888.

As you would imagine the standard features list is as extensive as it is extravagant.

For starters, while the regular LM 350h has two rows of seating in the rear (seven seats all up, including the front two), the 500h has the third row removed and just two super luxurious and enormous fully reclining seats fill the entire space. It’s like a theatre back there.

That theatre theme keeps going with a media screen in the back so large it stretches the width of the vehicle. Seriously, it's a 48-inch screen to watch movies or connect to your device.

The sound system is probably the best I’ve experienced - a spine tinglingly incredible 23-speaker Mark Levinson set-up.

What else can I tell you? Those rear seats are upholstered in beautifully soft semi-aniline leather. They’re heated and ventilated with a massaging function and... ridiculously comfortable.

There’s four-zone climate control, windows which have an electronic shade that turns the glass opaque, there are wireless phone chargers in the doors and carpet throughout so thick you sink down into it as you step inside.

Our LM 500h was upholstered in the 'Solis White' leather which also brings contrasting and mesmerising copper metallic trim.

Oh, and there’s a wall with an electric glass screen that can be raised or lowered to separate the rear passengers from the driver.

I should have mentioned this earlier. The kids loved it, but these parents spent a lot of time telling the 10- and three-year old not to put the screen up again.

The rear occupants, aka the kids, can also lock the screen in place. Which they did, and so sound proof is the dividing wall that we can only just hear their uproarious laughter.

Up front, the cockpit is comfortable but it’s clear all the space and luxury is for those being driven around.

Still, the front seats are leather with heating and ventilation, there’s a 14-inch media screen and 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, plus a head-up display. Sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard.

The G70 3.3T Sport Luxury sedan has a 3.3-litre V6 turbo-petrol engine with a maximum power output of 274kW and 510Nm of torque. The G70 sedan is a rear-wheel drive and features an eight-speed auto transmission.  

The V6 engine responds eagerly, being able to do a 0-100km/h sprint time in just 4.7-seconds. Suffice it to say it’s fun to drive.

The LM 500h is a petrol-electric hybrid with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine which makes 202kW/460Nm and works in concert with two electric motors.

The front motor makes 64kW/292Nm and the rear makes 76kW/169Nm. The combined maximum power output of the two motors and the petrol engine is 273kW.

The LM 500h is all wheel-drive and has a six-speed automatic transmission.

The compromise for getting all of the power is that she’s a thirsty gal and the official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 10.4L/100km and my real-world usage came to 10.6L/100km.

However, that’s after mostly doing open-roading – expect the fuel usage to be higher in an urban setting.

Based on the combined cycle and the 60L fuel tank, expect a driving range of around 577km on average. Which means you’ll be filling up more on a longer journey than more efficient sedans.

Lexus says after a combination of urban and open roads the LM 500h should use 6.6L/100km. In our own testing we found consumption was higher at 9.4L/100km.

Worth noting my driving environment was mainly a hilly suburban one filled with school drop offs. Achieved some personal bests this week, with one long run to Sydney’s outskirts, only to return in nightmarish peak hour traffic.

Premium (95 RON) fuel is required and the tank size is 60 litres. In theory the driving range is a smidge more than 900km, which drops to around 640km using our real-world average.

The G70 sedan is a lovely car to drive with graceful handling and a good well of power to dip into.

That oomph is there when you need it and it’s as easy to drive in the city as it is on the open-road.

The responsive steering makes the G70 sedan feel nimble and well-balanced in turns, even when you accelerate out of a hair-pin corner.

The suspension is on the firm side and that can lead to a few grunts when you hit bigger bumps but the ride is not unpleasant, even for back-seaters. 

The cabin is generally quiet but you can get road/wind noise at higher speeds. It’s not enough to intrude on chatting but you don’t forget it’s there, either.

The G70 sedan is easy to park because it has an outstanding 11m turning circle. The 360-degree camera system is clear and the front and rear parking sensors make light work of a tight car park.

Quite simply, driving the LM 500h is like piloting a limousine on stilts. Superbly comfortable, but with an elevated driving position that offers outstanding forward and side visibility, the LM 500h is an easy vehicle to drive for long periods of time.

A digital rear vision mirror means visibility behind is good and unobstructed by the privacy screen or the seats.

The drawbacks are down to the lack of space up front, with the driver’s chair limited in its ability to recline or slide back due to the bulkhead behind it.

And that's compounded by the lack of cabin storage for bags if the front passenger seat is taken.

As for the rear passengers there aren't many people movers offering this level of comfort, except perhaps the Zeekr 009.

Variable suspension that adjusts continuously keeps the vehicle composed and provides a high level of comfort for those in the rear. At the same time, the LM stays nice and flat through roundabouts while remaining civilised over speed bumps.

And then there's the acceleration, which, while not supercar-like is incredibly brisk for a van. The all-wheel drive system provides outstanding traction in wet and slippery conditions, too. 

Our family used the LM daily for everything from school runs to shopping trips and weekends away and not only was it fun to drive, our lucky rear passengers enjoyed sitting high and being able to see clearly out their windows along with the luxury of a giant movie screen.

The Lexus  LM 500h is yet to be tested by ANCAP so it doesn't have a safety assessment score. There is, however, a high level of safety tech onboard including AEB which can detect pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other vehicles, emergency steering assist, lane keeping assistance, road sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors as well as six airbags.

For child seats there are ISOFIX points and top tether anchor mounts on the two rear seats. We have a forward facing child seat and found it easy to install.

A space-saver spare wheel is located under the boot floor.

The Genesis after-purchase program is hard to beat and such a treat because you get five years or up to 50,000km complimentary servicing with the G70. How good is that? 

The G70 also comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and the servicing intervals are every at 12-months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first. The interval could be annoying if you travel a lot but any annoyance will be softened by the fact that the services are free.

Lexus covers the LM 500h with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. 

The Lexus Encore Platinum program is complimentary for LM owners for three years, providing 24-hour roadside assist, a loan vehicle or pick-up/return service at service time, 'On Demand' vehicle evaluation options, valet and airport parking benefits as well as exclusive offers and event opportunities.

Servicing is recommended annually or every 15,000 kilometres, and impressively, pricing is capped at $695 per service over five years.