Compare the2024 BMW i7VS 2024 Lexus LS

Both the i7 and LS have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The i7 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The LS’ child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the i7 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The LS doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The i7 has standard Active Front Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Front Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The LS doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the i7 and the LS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The BMW i7 weighs 824 to 1495 pounds more than the Lexus LS. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The i7’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the LS’ (12 vs. 6 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the i7 for 2 years and 26000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the LS (3/36,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 44 percent more BMW dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the i7’s warranty.

The i7 has more powerful engines than the LS:

As tested in Motor Trend the i7 xDrive60 electric motors is faster than the LS 500 3.4 turbo V6:

On the EPA test cycle the i7 gets better mileage than the LS:

The i7 can travel with zero emissions for 274 to 321 miles (dependent on model). The LS has to start its internal combustion engine after only .6 miles.

Regardless of its engine, regenerative brakes improve the i7’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. Lexus only offers a regenerative brake system on the LS 500h.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the BMW i7 higher (10 out of 10) than the Lexus LS (5 to 7). This means the i7 produces up to 19.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the LS every 15,000 miles.

The i7’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The LS doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the i7’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the LS:

The i7 stops much shorter than the LS:

For better traction, the i7’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the LS (F:255/45R20 & R:285/40R20 vs. F:245/45R20 & R:275/40R20).

The i7’s optional 255/40R21 front and 285/35R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the LS 500 F Sport’s 45 series front and 40 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the i7 offers optional 21-inch wheels. The LS’ largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The front and rear suspension of the i7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the LS, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The i7 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Lexus doesn’t offer an active suspension on the LS.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the i7’s wheelbase is 3.6 inches longer than on the LS (126.6 inches vs. 123 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the i7 is 1.3 inches wider in the front and .5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the LS.

The i7 xDrive60 handles at .95 G’s, while the LS 500h AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The i7 xDrive60 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.5 seconds quicker than the LS 500h AWD (24.5 seconds @ .78 average G’s vs. 27 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

The front grille of the i7 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The LS doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the i7 xDrive60 is quieter than the LS 500 AWD:

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the i7 a Large car, while the LS is rated a Mid-size.

The i7 has 12.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the LS (112 vs. 99.4).

The i7 has 2.5 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom and 3.9 inches more rear legroom than the LS.

The i7’s Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Control will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The LS’ automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

The BMW i7 outsold the Lexus LS by almost five to one during 2023.