MPG Buddy Fuel economy and gas mileage for every car, 1984 to today

2003 Lexus LX 470: MPG and fuel economy

The 2003 Lexus LX 470 is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 13 combined MPG, with 12 MPG in the city and 16 MPG on the highway. That lands well below the average for cars in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class in the same model year.

This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2003 Lexus LX 470. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Key takeaways

  • The most efficient car in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the 2003 model year is the Toyota RAV4 4WD at 22 MPG.
  • EPA estimates this car costs around $12,250 more in fuel over five years than an average new vehicle of the same model year.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2003 Lexus LX 470. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

Combined MPG 13 MPG
City MPG 12 MPG
Highway MPG 16 MPG
Annual fuel cost $4,600
Tailpipe CO₂ 684 g/mi
Fuel type Regular

How the 2003 Lexus LX 470 compares

The 2003 Lexus LX 470 returns 13 combined MPG. Cars in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the same model year average 16.1 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 19%.

The most efficient car in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the 2003 model year is the Toyota RAV4 4WD at 22 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Lexus LX 470 alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.

For broader context, the average new car of the 2003 model year (across all classes) returns 18.4 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2003 model year is on its own page.

2003 Lexus LX 470
13 MPG
Class average, 2003
16.1 MPG
Class best, 2003
22 MPG
Average new car, 2003
18.4 MPG

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 1153.8 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).

Driving pattern Estimated annual fuel cost
Light driver, 7,500 miles per year $2,300
Average driver, 15,000 miles per year $4,600
Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year $7,667

Year-over-year MPG for the Lexus LX 470

The EPA has rated the Lexus LX 470 across 10 model years, from 1998 Lexus LX 470 through 2007 Lexus LX 470. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run, hovering close to 13 MPG.

Year Combined MPG Open year page
2007 13 MPG 2007 Lexus LX 470
2006 13 MPG 2006 Lexus LX 470
2005 13 MPG 2005 Lexus LX 470
2004 13 MPG 2004 Lexus LX 470
2003 13 MPG this page
2002 13 MPG 2002 Lexus LX 470
2001 13 MPG 2001 Lexus LX 470
2000 13 MPG 2000 Lexus LX 470
1999 13 MPG 1999 Lexus LX 470
1998 13 MPG 1998 Lexus LX 470

Compare against other Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD for 2003

If you are cross-shopping the 2003 Lexus LX 470, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

The Toyota RAV4 4WD leads this group at 22 MPG, 9 MPG ahead of the 2003 Lexus LX 470.

2003 Toyota RAV4 4WD
22 MPG 2003 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD Convertible
21 MPG 2003 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD Hardtop
21 MPG 2003 Chevrolet Tracker ZR2 4WD Convertible
21 MPG 2003 Ford Escape 4WD
21 MPG 2003 Honda CR-V 4WD
21 MPG
2003 Lexus LX 470
13 MPG

Specifications

The 2003 Lexus LX 470 runs a 4.7-liter 8-cylinder engine paired with a automatic 5-spd, sending power through 4-wheel or all-wheel drive.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class
Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine
4.7L 8-cylinder
Transmission
Automatic 5-spd
Drivetrain
4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Fuel type
Regular
Annual petroleum use
22.9 barrels per year

Common questions about the 2003 Lexus LX 470

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2003 Lexus LX 470.

  • Is the 2003 Lexus LX 470 fuel efficient?
    Not particularly. The 2003 Lexus LX 470 returns 13 combined MPG, which trails the average car in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the same model year by about 19%.
  • What MPG does the 2003 Lexus LX 470 get?
    The EPA rates the 2003 Lexus LX 470 at 13 combined MPG, 12 MPG in city driving, and 16 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
  • How much does it cost to fuel a 2003 Lexus LX 470 per year?
    The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $4,600 for the 2003 Lexus LX 470. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
  • What fuel does the 2003 Lexus LX 470 use?
    The EPA lists the 2003 Lexus LX 470 as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity.
  • Has the Lexus LX 470 become more fuel efficient over time?
    Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (1998 Lexus LX 470, 13 MPG) and most recent (2007 Lexus LX 470, 13 MPG) versions sit in the same range.
  • How much CO₂ does the 2003 Lexus LX 470 emit?
    Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 684 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 10,254 kilograms of CO₂.
  • What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2003 Lexus LX 470?
    City driving returns 12 MPG and highway driving returns 16 MPG, a gap of 4 MPG. The two figures are close enough that the car will hold its rated efficiency well across most driving patterns.
  • What engine is in the 2003 Lexus LX 470?
    The 2003 Lexus LX 470 has a 4.7-liter 8-cylinder engine.
  • What transmission and drivetrain does the 2003 Lexus LX 470 have?
    The 2003 Lexus LX 470 comes with a automatic 5-spd transmission and 4-wheel or all-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive variants typically read 1 to 3 MPG lower than the front-wheel-drive equivalent of the same engine, since the extra hardware adds weight and parasitic loss.
  • How does the 2003 Lexus LX 470 compare to the best car in its class?
    The most efficient car in the Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD class for the 2003 model year is the Toyota RAV4 4WD at 22 combined MPG. The Lexus LX 470 returns 13 MPG, a gap of 9 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.