If you're looking to buy a full-size luxury car why would you choose a Lexus
LS versus all these guys? Lexus's historically high resale values are one
reason but man this is a luxury car maybe we can dig up some reasons that
have a little more emotion. Design is one place to mine emotion. In recent years
Lexus has injected lots of visual interest into its lineup, as evidenced by
the LS's sharp, athletic, yet stately exterior. Huge grilles are all the rage
these days but at least this oversized spindle is intriguingly intricate. I
think Lexus's design efforts are most successful inside. With these organic
flowing lines and universally outstanding materials the cabin feels
fresh, inviting, and properly luxurious.
Standout details include stylish floating arm rests, wood trim that
gracefully imitates the arc of the door stitching, and a dual-action center
armrest that, to be honest, is no more functional than one hinged at the rear.
But it's still kind of neat and, most importantly, well-padded. Of course a
luxury car ain't a luxury car without excellent seats. In that spirit the Lexus
LS has superbly comfortable seats that are extremely adjustable and offer a
massage function that actually feels like a massage. Awesome but accessing the
seat's full abilities is not simple. Seat-based controls handle the basics but for
deeper adjustment along with heating cooling and massage functions, which are
oddly labeled "refresh", you have to push a button then dig
through on-screen menus using the Lexus remote touch interface.
Doing so while driving could be dicey. On that note the Remote Touch interface
uses this pad to control a cursor on that 12-point three inch screen. When the
cursor reaches a selection point the pad gives a little tap to my finger. I
personally have no problem with the interface but some of my KBB compadres
really do. Smart move: try before you buy.
One universal complaint is a lack of modern smartphone integration via Apple
CarPlay and Android Auto. While most car makers offer these technologies Lexus
and parent company Toyota remains stubborn holdouts. On a more positive
note, Lexus has a knack for sculpting comfortable, supportive, pressure point
free seats, a skill clearly applied in the LS. In back outboard headroom is great
but legroom, while 3.4 inches larger than the previous LS, could
be greater, especially considering the absurdly roomy back seats in non-luxury
midsize cars like, let's say, the Honda Accord. That said, the legroom issue has a
solution. Sit on the right side and with a few presses you can shuttle the
front seat forward to exploit the rear seat's 48-degree recline and optional
ottoman. Control for these highly-adjustable seats occurs through a simple
touchscreen housed in the center armrest. So if you want to adjust your seat do it
before someone steals the middle spot, which is, by the way, a marginal place to
sit thanks to a large center tunnel and limited headroom up front. The previous
generation V8 engine has been replaced by a 3.5-liter twin turbo V6 teamed with
a 10-speed automatic transmission sporting three overdrive gears that do
their part to improve fuel economy. It might not sound as cool as a V8 but the
turbo 6 can thrust the LS from zero to 60 in about four and a half seconds.
Are you not amused? Red lights!
There's also an LS 500 H hybrid that blends an efficient Atkinson cycle 3.5
liter V6 with two electric motors, a lithium-ion battery pack, and the odd
combination of a planetary continuously variable transmission and a four-speed
automatic gear set. This set up delivers zero to 60 acceleration a mere half
second slower than the normal LS and fuel economy that's really good for a
big ol luxury sedan. FYI, while the standard LS offers up to 17
cubic feet of trunk space, that number drops to as little as 14 cubic feet with
the hybrid, smaller than a Toyota Camry's trunk. From a driver engagement
standpoint...oh hey...this cord just fell on my pants. From a driver engagement standpoint the
steering wheel does not convey a strong sense of intimacy with the front tires.
If you want a large luxury sedan that's also a top tier driver's car there are
better options. I did pass that guy pretty quickly though. One being the
Lexus LS 500 F Sport, offering a 0% bump in power but bigger brakes, quicker
shifts, and increased agility versus the non F Sport LS. Even so, when asked the
regular LS can hustle itself through corners quickly and with minimal body
roll. Hustle a little bit too much and the brake pedal responds to your desperate
stabs with a firm confident feel. Didn't hit that big cement mixer.
Really though, a large luxury sedan's prime responsibility is to smooth the
world's rough edges. To that end bumps and potholes are
greatly lessened by the standard adaptive variable suspension. Flip the
drive mode selector from comfort to sport or Sport+ and the suspension and
drivetrain sharpen their responses in the ways you'd expect. The selector is
kind of a reach from the driver seat but there is no confusion about where to
find it. Also if you like knurled surfaces this little guy is super
knurled.
In standard roughly $76,000 form including destination the Lexus LS
features LED headlights, passive entry and push-button start, a power rear
sunshade, a power trunk, active noise cancellation to maintain a serene
driving environment, and Lexus safety system plus, which bundles adaptive
cruise control, intelligent high beams, pre collision with pedestrian detection,
lane departure warning, and lane keep assist. With the advanced package the LS
gains front cross traffic alert, road sign recognition, Lane Trace Assist that
uses the vehicle ahead to help judge where the lane is, and active steering
assist that can intervene to avoid collisions with people and objects. On
the non-safety option roster are all-wheel drive with a Torsen limited
slip center differential, a smooth riding air suspension that raises the ride
height for easier boarding, a head-up display that greets the driver in
spectacular fashion, a cool 360-degree camera system that lets you scan around
the vehicle prior to departure, and a variety of interior motifs including
hand pleated upholstery and spectacular Kiriko-cut glass ornamentation, though I
personally prefer the beautifully restrained and cheaper wood trim.
Reserved for the rear-drive gasoline-powered LS F Sport is a
handling package with variable ratio steering, active rear wheel steering, and
a sport-tuned air suspension. As mentioned, there are plenty of German,
American, English, and even Korean competitors in the full-size luxury
sedan space offering varying levels of luxury performance and technology.
But even among this crowd the Lexus LS makes a strong case for itself where
reliability, comfort, and style are concerned. And hey, if none of that stuff
moves your needle remember, we'll always have resale values.