Right out the gate, the Audi A8 had a very significant advantage over the Lexus LS 600h in Autoweek’s recent comparison test — After all, the A8 is £20,000 cheaper than the LS 600h, and £20,000 is a steep hill to climb:
More crucially, while the low 219g/km emissions are very impressive, it’s hard to get the [LS 600h] to run on battery power alone. And our average of less than 20mpg suggests there are few reasons to opt for the hybrid over the standard LS460, which performs as well and is only slightly less economical.
This poor result, combined with the fact the Lexus costs so much, means the Audi A8 earns an easy victory here. Not only is it £20,000 cheaper, it’s also better designed from superior materials, just as fast and around 10mpg more efficient.
There is an argument that the LS 600h should be going up against its competition’s top V-12 models (Audi’s A8L W12 in this case), but it’s doesn’t seem to be holding much weight with the automotive press.