When buying a vehicle large enough to carry your family around in comfort, as well as carry whatever cargo they're fancying, the usual solution is to drop your hard-earned cash on some variation of crossover or SUV. Take the Toyota RAV4 as a good example, with the machine providing the kind of bulletproof reliability Toyota is legendary for, while also being easy to drive and extremely practical. You can get a new base version for a shade under $32,000 in 2026, which is a pretty solid deal, seeing as the average new car price sits at around $50k at the moment.The trouble is, that devil on your shoulder won't let you forget about the fact that you can pick up plenty of more interesting options on the used market. We're not saying that we have horns and a tail, but you could have a well-stocked 2018 Lexus LS 500 for around the same price as an entry-level Toyota RAV4. It may lack the ground clearance and trunk space of the RAV4, but Lexus' range-topping sedan makes up for it in other ways. Lexus' LS Is A Much Nicer Place To Be LexusLet's not beat around the bush here, the main reason you'll want to search for a used Lexus LS 500 is because of the luxury it'll afford you versus a similarly priced 2026 RAV4. The LS 500 was designed to be Lexus' range-topping luxury sedan, so it comes boasting a cabin treated with only the nicest-feeling and best quality materials the Japanese brand's designers could get their hands on. Its supple leather seats and steering wheel are coated in beautiful leather, while the former are both fully power adjustable, and treated with heating and ventilating functionality.The vehicle also comes with extras like a power moonroof, a premium audio system that helps transport you away from the real world, as well as a rear sunshade and upmarket wood trim. A key attribute of ultra-luxury is quietness, and the LS goes further than providing thick windows and plenty of noise-deadening material. The car comes as standard with Active Noise Cancellation, which helps to obliterate annoying external engine and road sounds that can mess with your zen. In addition, you'll have access to the LS's fantastic suspension setup that provides excellent ride quality while keeping the vehicle nice and flat through the bends. Look around, and you may find a version with the optional air suspension setup, which not only affords you a cloud-like ride, but also even better handling. The LS' Cabin Is Roomy, But You'll Have To Forego Trunk Space LexusAchieving luxury isn't only about having a cabin filled with upmarket materials and being built without compromise, as it's also about making the cabin feel spacious enough to convince occupants that they're not trapped within the confines of a small car. The LS also performs well in this regard versus the RAV4, as its long body affords it an extra inch or so of rear legroom, even if the front leg space is identical in both machines. The front seats are also wider and provide more shoulder and hip room in the Lexus, even if the Toyota strikes back with more spacious rear seats.The RAV4 does pull away beyond this though, as its taller silhouette brings with it more headroom. Its hatch-styled trunk is also vastly more practical than the LS's, with its 37.8 cubic foot trunk completely decimating the Lexus' 17 cubic foot space. The RAV4 may be superior when it comes to family excursions, but it lags far behind even a used LS 500 when it comes to cabin plushness and lowering your heart rate after a tough day in the office. Higher-Mileage LS 500's Can Be Found At Lower-End RAV4 Values LexusSeeing as it's a Toyota product, the LS 500 has managed to fend off the advances of depreciation better than many high-end luxury sedans. Even higher-mileage 2018 LS 500s, the first of the fifth-generation LS family, largely out-value entry-level 2026 RAV4s. The CarBuzz Marketplace reports that the average worth of the model currently stands at just north of $35,000 in LS 500 RWD guise, around $3k up on a 2026 RAV4 LE FWD. That said, decent examples with a clean title but with well over 100,000 miles on the clock can be had for around the $32k mark, so securing one is possible.You'll just have to be careful to investigate the vehicle and its service history thoroughly to ensure that it has been looked after properly during its near-decade in service. If you want a lower-mileage machine, and possibly with options, you'll need to hand over closer to $35k. This is still strong value against the RAV4 though, seeing as this kind of cash will only net you an SE FWD variant, which is just a single level above the base variant. Ultimately, if you're willing to spend the money needed to get a higher-end RAV4 XSE, just over $41,000, you can net yourself an LS 500 in excellent condition and with less than 40,000 miles on the odometer. You'll Have Plenty More Power To Play With LexusThe LS 500 already looks like pretty great value alongside the cheaper-built and far less plush RAV4, but there is another key benefit alongside the superior cockpit. The LS 500 comes packing a beefy twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that provides vastly more pulling power than a RAV4 can muster, with the powerplant sending 416 horsepower to the rear wheels via a smooth ten-speed automatic transmission. The Toyota does offer the option of all-wheel drive, which provides extra traction that can make a big difference in nasty weather or off-road, but its hybrid-boosted 2.5-liter inline-four only comes with a combined 183 hp.Being a high-riding SUV, its heightened center of gravity also makes it more lairy in the corners than the LS 500, which has its weight localized lower to the road. You'll Have To Give Up Efficiency Lexus That said, bear in mind there is a price to pay for all that grunt under the hood of the Lexus. You'll be averaging around 23 MPG, a figure that'll easily drop if you get a little too familiar with the extremities of the throttle pedal. By contrast, the hybrid RAV4, which also gets a fuel-saving CVT transmission, can achieve a vastly superior 44 MPG, even in AWD spec. Even the sportier models like the XLE, which get larger wheels, can still manage 42 MPG on the combined cycle. As a result, you'll have to budget for plenty of extra trips to the gas station if you opt for the luxury lifestyle. The LS 500 Is Reliable, But Will Cost More To Maintain LexusWhen buying a high-end luxury sedan such as the LS 500, the initial outlay tends to only be the start. Their advanced powertrain and underpinnings are extremely smooth and effective, but they usually cost a fortune to repair or replace. As a result, even if they may seem like a good deal on paper, they can soon cost you thousands in maintenance and repair bills. Something cheaper and simpler, like the RAV4, on the other hand, should be much cheaper to keep running sweetly. Happily, the LS 500 has proven to be an exception to this rule.Its V6 and transmission combo has suffered from few consistent issues, with an early ECU problem affecting the engine sorted out by a recall. Stay away from an example equipped with air suspension, which will cost a fortune to put right when it eventually goes wrong, and the LS isn't much more bank-draining than a sensible RAV4. CarEdge reports that you'll only have to expect to spend around $6,661 to keep an LS 500 fresh over a ten-year period, a figure just over $650 more than a RAV4 will set you back. The two cars have a similar chance of suffering a major issue as well, with the LS 500 being rated at 15.63%, and the RAV4 getting a slightly worse 16.61% figure.Servicing the LS 500 will cost more, primarily due to its larger engine that demands more frequent oil servicing and having more spark plugs to replace, but also because it's much heavier than the RAV4. This means it'll get through consumables like tires, brakes, and suspension components quicker than the RAV4 will. As far as high-end luxury sedans go though, a used LS 500 compares much more favorably to an affordable crossover SUV than you'd usually expect.
