BMW i8 vs. Lexus LC 500
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the BMW i8 and Lexus LC 500 contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the BMW i8 and the Lexus LC 500.
When comparing the BMW i8's and the Lexus LC 500's specifications and ratings, the BMW i8 has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and fuel efficiency. The Lexus LC 500 has the advantage in the areas of reliability, resale value, overall quality score and base engine power. Based on this comparison of the BMW i8's and the Lexus LC 500's specifications and ratings, the Lexus LC 500 is a better car than the BMW i8.
Pricing: A used 2020 BMW i8 ranges from $64,955 to $94,528 while a used 2020 Lexus LC 500 is priced between $67,067 to $81,876.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the BMW i8 loses 45.6 percent of its value and the Lexus LC 500 loses 37.7 percent of its value. This means the Lexus LC 500 retains 7.8 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the BMW i8.
Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the BMW i8 is 7.1 out of 10 while the Lexus LC 500's quality rating is 7.6 out of 10. This results in the BMW i8 being ranked 5 out of 8 Best Hybrid Luxury Sports Cars and the Lexus LC 500 being ranked 13 out of 29 Best Luxury Midsize Cars.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the BMW i8 is 6.6 out of 10. For the Lexus LC 500 the reliability rating is 7.0 out of 10. This gives the Lexus LC 500 a slight advantage in reliability compared to the BMW i8.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the BMW i8’s base engine makes 369 horsepower, and the Lexus LC 500 base engine makes 471 horsepower. The i8 is rated to deliver an average of 27 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 337 miles. The LC 500 is rated to deliver an average of 19 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 543 miles.This gives the BMW i8 the advantage in fuel efficiency and the Lexus LC 500 the advantage in maximum range. The i8 uses electricity, premium unleaded, and the LC 500 uses premium unleaded.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
$147,500
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Hybrid Sports Cars)
$143,683
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Hybrid Sports Cars)
$103,800 - $163,300
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
$92,950
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
$63,037
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
$25,370 - $130,000
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$83,233
Price Range:
$64,955 - $94,528
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Hybrid Sports Cars)
$76,713
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Hybrid Sports Cars)
$68,156 - $83,233
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
2
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
27,425
# Good or Great Deals:
0
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$73,747
Price Range:
$67,067 - $81,876
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
$44,278
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
$23,996 - $77,843
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
5
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
36,411
# Good or Great Deals:
0
BMW i8 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.1 / 10
Reliability:
6.6 / 10
Retained Value:
7.7 / 10
Safety:
Not available
Lexus LC 500 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.6 / 10
Reliability:
7.0 / 10
Retained Value:
8.2 / 10
Safety:
Not available
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for BMW i8
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
11
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
N/A
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
N/A
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0%
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Lexus LC 500
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
7.2
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
4 - 10.6
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
4.6
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Hybrid Sports Cars)
3.9
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Hybrid Sports Cars)
0.3 - 26.1
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
1.6
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
3
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
0.6 - 32.7
BMW i8 Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 8Ranking
1 out of / 8Ranking
1 out of / 8Ranking
2 out of / 20Ranking
3 out of / 28Ranking
3 out of / 20Ranking
5 out of / 8Ranking
5 out of / 8Ranking
6 out of / 20Ranking
7 out of / 28Ranking
7 out of / 28Ranking
7 out of / 20Ranking
7 out of / 8Ranking
9 out of / 20Ranking
13 out of / 28Ranking
14 out of / 20Ranking
16 out of / 28Ranking
16 out of / 20Ranking
19 out of / 28Ranking
20 out of / 28Lexus LC 500 Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 29Ranking
2 out of / 5Ranking
8 out of / 29Ranking
13 out of / 29Ranking
17 out of / 20Ranking
18 out of / 29Ranking
19 out of / 29Ranking
23 out of / 29Ranking
28 out of / 29Available Body Styles
Convertible, Coupe
Available Body Styles
Coupe
Available Drivetrain Options
Plug-In Hybrid
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
BMW i8 Trim Levels
Not yet available
Lexus LC 500 Trim Levels
Base
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
6 years / 70000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
369 hp @ 5800 rpm
Torque:
420 foot-lbs @ 3700 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.105 hp per pound
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
471 hp @ 7100 rpm
Torque:
398 foot-lbs @ 4800 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.110 hp per pound
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
1.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
3
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
26 / 29 / 27
Range (city/hwy):
304 / 337 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Electricity, Premium Unleaded
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
5 liters
Engine Configuration:
V
Number of Cylinders:
8
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
RWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
16 / 25 / 19
Range (city/hwy):
347 / 543 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Quad Seats:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
N/A
Air Suspension:
N/A
Android Auto:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Bench Seats:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Sunroof/Moonroof:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wifi:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Available
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Power outlet:
Standard
Quad Seats:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Air Suspension:
N/A
Android Auto:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Bench Seats:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Standard
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Internet Radio:
Standard
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wifi:
Standard
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Safety Features
360-Degree Camera:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Backup camera:
N/A
Blind Spot Monitoring:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Lane Departure Warning:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
38.7 inches
Front Leg Room:
43.1 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
56.7 inches
Rear Head Room:
32.4 inches
Rear Leg Room:
28.2 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
49.6 inches
Cargo Space:
4.7 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
Not yet available
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
37.2 inches
Front Leg Room:
42 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
56.5 inches
Rear Head Room:
32.2 inches
Rear Leg Room:
32.5 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
48.9 inches
Cargo Space:
5.4 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
85.9 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3501 lbs
Width:
87.3 inches
Height:
50.9 inches
Length:
184.9 inches
Wheelbase:
110.2 inches
Ground Clearance:
4.6 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
4280 lbs
Width:
75.6 inches
Height:
53 inches
Length:
187.4 inches
Wheelbase:
113 inches
Ground Clearance:
5.2 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
20.0 x 7.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
215/45R20
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
20.0 x 8.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
245/45R20
Exterior Colors
Brown
E-Copper Metallic w/ Frozen Grey Accent
Gray
Donington Grey / Sophisto Grey Metallic w/ BMW i Frozen Blue Accent / Sophisto Grey Metallic w/ E-Copper Accent / Sophisto Grey Metallic w/ Frozen Grey Accent
White
Crystal White Pearl Metallic w/ BMW i Frozen Blue Accent / Crystal White Pearl Metallic w/ Frozen Grey Accent
Black
Not available
Blue
Not available
Green
Not available
Red
Not available
Silver
Not available
Yellow
Not available
Exterior Colors
Brown
Not available
Gray
Smoky Granite Mica
White
Ultra White
Black
Caviar / Obsidian
Blue
Nightfall Mica
Green
Nori Green Pearl
Red
Infrared
Silver
Atomic Silver / Liquid Platinum
Yellow
Flare Yellow
Interior Colors
Brown
E-Copper Exclusive / Terra Exclusive Dalbergia Brown
Gray
Giga Amido
White
Giga Ivory White
Beige
Not available
Black
Not available
Red
Not available
Interior Colors
Brown
Toasted Caramel w/Satin Metallic Trim
Gray
Not available
White
Bespoke White w/Satin Metallic Trim
Beige
Bespoke Saddle Tan w/Black Amber Trim
Black
Black w/Satin Metallic Trim
Red
Rioja Red w/Satin Metallic Trim
