Call
By Christian Wardlaw
|
November 10, 2006
What We Drove
Lexus LS 460L – Review:Lexus shifted the luxury car paradigm when the original LS debuted 17 years ago, turning the pooh-pooh’s of American and European automaker executives into exclamations of "Holy crap!" Since then, Lincoln has dropped off the radar, Cadillac has struggled to compete, Jaguar has battled its electronic demons, and the heavy-hitters from Germany – Audi, BMW, and Mercedes – have been forced to engineer excellence on a budget. For 2007, there’s a new Lexus LS chock-full of technology, but after a week spent in an $81,000 extended-wheelbase LS 460L model, it’s unclear whether Japan’s premier luxury brand is heading in the right direction.
Why We Drove It
Honestly, when someone is serious about spending this kind of cash for a car, what we have to say isn’t likely to sway a vote. We drove this Lexus because we needed to learn what the Japanese luxury maker considers state-of-the-art, and we wanted to try the self-parking feature that is so heavily touted in advertising. Unfortunately, because our test vehicle was a pre-production unit, its equipment spec didn’t exactly match what people are likely to find at the dealership. We still don’t know how the slick self-parking feature works, but we know that brake-by-wire technology is still a dynamic buzz-killer.
Performance
What a superb, sublime powertrain the new Lexus LS has. It produces effortless power, sounds terrific when revved, and is whisper quiet when cruising. The eight-speed transmission is a touch more responsive in Sport mode, but when requesting added oomph it sometimes skips a beat while deciding which gear is appropriate for the downshift. Manual shifting produces snappy response when selecting a lower gear, while upshifts are a bit delayed. We averaged 16.6 mpg during our one-week test, yet predict most owners will produce better results because we frequently dipped into the LS 460’s prodigious well of power.
Page 4
Push the Lexus LS 460L in hairpin turns and discover that the car can be throttle steered, often unintentionally because the accelerator is ultra-sensitive. The tail swings out easily, caught by the stability control system before it incurs damage, and because the driver usually isn’t expecting this behavior it’s discomforting. Grand, sweeping, high-speed curves better showcase the Lexus as a rewarding performance machine. Here, the feather-light steering firms up nicely and the soft suspension takes a better set. Regardless of driving style, however, the brake pedal is the LS 460’s dynamic Achilles’ heel. Feel is awful, it’s hard to modulate, and making smooth stops is almost impossible.
Visibility
Except for rear pillars that are a tad thick, outward visibility is exceptional. Shingle-style rear headrests nestle down onto the seatbacks and don’t block the view out the rear window, though it would be swell to have Mercedes-style dash controls that could collapse them after rear occupants depart the car. Side mirrors are large, front roof pillars are relatively thin, and the driver sits cab-forward close to the front glass for a good view forward. Add parking sensors front and rear, along with a reversing camera, and the long-wheelbase Lexus LS 460L is easy to maneuver.
Fun to Drive
Depending on the environment, the Lexus LS 460L can be fun to drive. Like when accelerating in a straight line. Or when pulling up to a high school class reunion. What robs the car of its ability to entertain its driver is the electronic brake-by-wire system necessary for the LS 460’s various safety technologies to work as advertised. We’ve complained about brake pedal feel and modulation in the IS 350 and GS 430 – here, the complaint remains. The braking system works brilliantly the few times you’re engaged in a real panic stop. The rest of the time it’s a complete deal breaker.
Front Comfort
Compared to most cars on the planet, the Lexus LS 460L’s front seats are comfortable. Compared to an Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, or Mercedes-Benz S-Class, they need work. The driver sits too low even with the seat raised to the highest setting, and the side bolsters don’t provide enough support. Our test car included heating and cooling, but no massage feature. I also thought the center armrest height was a bit too high, aggravating my damaged right rotator cuff. The upper door panels are too hard, too. The heated steering wheel feature, however, is nice for colder climates.
Rear Comfort
Ooooh! Rear vanity mirrors, just like a 1992 Buick Park Avenue! Seriously, the Lexus LS 460L is extremely comfortable in back, with good headroom and amazing leg room. The center armrest of our test car contained heating and cooling for the seats, seatback recline and power headrest controls, and a one-touch button for deploying the rear window shade. Missing were side window shades and a button for powering the front passenger’s seat forward (the latter is easily reached by the driver and located on the inner side of the passenger’s seat). Rear ventilation is nice, but our tester had no separate rear climate control system.
Interior Noise
Like other cars in its class, the Lexus LS 460L is a rolling isolation chamber that can be filled with rich sound from the available Mark Levinson audio system. Aside from engine growl when the driver plants the accelerator to the floor, nothing gets in to disturb occupants. The world is muffled and distant, the suspension gliding over any kind of road surface as though every street and highway just got a fresh coat of smooth blacktop.
Loading Cargo
Lexus gives the LS 460L a low liftover height into a trunk that seems small for the size of the car. Our test car lacked a thick Lexus embroidered cargo mat, resulting in a cheap trunk appearance. At this price, the trunk sill protector oughta be aluminum instead of plastic, and the ratcheting tie-down hooks shoulda been smooth and polished rather than a mottled chrome. Enclosed gooseneck hinges are used to support the LS 460’s trunk lid when gas struts are a more elegant solution, and the lid featured automatic opening and closing. A pass-through to the rear seat accommodates longer items such as skis.
Build Quality
Our Lexus LS 460L was a pre-production sample. It is our policy not to comment on build quality when it is not accurately reflective of what customers will find in dealer showrooms.
Materials Quality
There’s too much Toyota evident inside the Lexus LS 460L. The materials are quite nice – the leather is incredibly supple and the suede headliner is definitely upscale. But the switchgear and control markings could have come straight from a Camry, and many buttons were finished in a sparkling graphite finish that would be more appropriate in a Yaris. This speaks highly of the quality of materials installed across the Toyota and Lexus lineups, but when the sticker price is $70,000 and higher, some premium differentiation is in order. Also, I thought the floor mats looked like remnants rather than plush floor coverings.
Styling
Take a look at that seam that runs from the Lexus LS 460’s taillight to the trunk. Have you seen that before, on a Camry perhaps? Unquestionably, the redesigned Lexus flagship is a good looking automobile. It has road presence, panache, and class. The paint is positively luminescent. But aside from its strongly defined shoulder line, bulging hood, and upswept beltline, there’s little original thought behind the design. Park the Lexus next to a Camry, and you might mistakenly try to get into the wrong car.
Storage
Lexus has chosen to rethink the center console storage lid, and on the LS 460 it slides to the rear and tilts up. Once open, a top drawer is exposed that also slides to the rear to reveal access to the larger box below. The design, I think, is intended to get them out of the way in a refined fashion, but I found it to restrict access more than the conventional rear-hinged lid with dual release buttons for the top and lower tiers. Use the big glove box instead, or the expanding bins on the front door panels.
Infotainment Controls
Take one look at the Lexus LS 460’s dash when it’s lit up like the Milky Way after dark, and you can understand why the Germans are bundling secondary operational controls in navigation screen sub-menus controlled by shiny metallic knobs on the center console. It’s daunting to find what you’re looking for inside the Lexus. Worse, the stereo’s hard keys are located low on the center stack making them even harder to reach and use. Pre-sets are integrated with the touch screen or operated using the steering wheel buttons. Good thing Lexus makes its touch-screen, voice-controlled navigation system a no-brainer to operate. It’s a breeze to program this thing.
Climate Controls
Manual climate control functions are bundled with the Lexus LS 460L’s navigation system, but that’s OK because they’re rarely used. Commonly referenced automatic functions are separate from the navigation display, arrayed in the center of the dash and clearly visible. Seat heating and cooling are operated using twist knobs on the center console. Our test car had climate-controlled rear seats but not the optional four-zone automatic climate system. Instead, the rear passenger compartment featured adjustable vents.
Secondary Controls
Almost pedestrian in their logic and simplicity, the buttons, switches, and stalks controlling the Lexus LS 460’s secondary functions are arrayed throughout the cabin and can be found right where you expect them to be. Unlike some competitors, the auxiliary controls on the steering wheel are easy to use, including that for setting the following distance for the radar cruise system.
2nd Opinion - Brian Chee
Something about the Lexus LS 460 L is strangely unsatisfying. It’s comfortable, true, and luxurious as well, wrapping its occupants in fine leather and sumptuous carpeting and headliner surfaces. Soft touch surfaces and dampened doors are everywhere, and interior materials are beyond reproach. The powertrain, too, is superbly powerful, responding to command with smooth thrusts. It is hands down the finest Buick I have ever driven. That’s the problem. This is not a nimble vehicle, and, for all its technological marvels, nonetheless comes across as granny’s luxury barge. Comfortable to sit in and comfortable to drive, but not fun, not nimble, and not sharp. Perhaps it’s a case of luxury overload: Lexus, in its drive to build the most luxurious of luxury cars, missed the fact that sometimes, what discriminating buyers want isn’t more – but a much better less.
2nd Opinion – Liz Kim
Unlike most enthusiasts, who get turned off by a car if it’s not athletic on twisty roads, I can recognize that most luxury car buyers never come close to testing performance limits. What they want is an indulgent interior, a sophisticated exterior, a well-damped ride that provides a protective layer from asphalt unpleasantness, and technological toys with "Wow" factor. The Lexus LS 460L has all of those in spades. From its buttery leather upholstery and limousine-like rear accommodations to its lengthy list of gadgets and gizmos, the LS can be shown off to well-heeled friends with pride. Too bad our test car didn’t have the heavily marketed Parking Guidance System: I would’ve been a hero to my techno-geek teenage nephew.
Honestly, when someone is serious about spending this kind of cash for a car, what we have to say isn’t likely to sway a vote. We drove this Lexus because we needed to learn what the Japanese luxury maker considers state-of-the-art, and we wanted to try the self-parking feature that is so heavily touted in advertising. Unfortunately, because our test vehicle was a pre-production unit, its equipment spec didn’t exactly match what people are likely to find at the dealership. We still don’t know how the slick self-parking feature works, but we know that brake-by-wire technology is still a dynamic buzz-killer.
Performance
What a superb, sublime powertrain the new Lexus LS has. It produces effortless power, sounds terrific when revved, and is whisper quiet when cruising. The eight-speed transmission is a touch more responsive in Sport mode, but when requesting added oomph it sometimes skips a beat while deciding which gear is appropriate for the downshift. Manual shifting produces snappy response when selecting a lower gear, while upshifts are a bit delayed. We averaged 16.6 mpg during our one-week test, yet predict most owners will produce better results because we frequently dipped into the LS 460’s prodigious well of power.
Page 4
Push the Lexus LS 460L in hairpin turns and discover that the car can be throttle steered, often unintentionally because the accelerator is ultra-sensitive. The tail swings out easily, caught by the stability control system before it incurs damage, and because the driver usually isn’t expecting this behavior it’s discomforting. Grand, sweeping, high-speed curves better showcase the Lexus as a rewarding performance machine. Here, the feather-light steering firms up nicely and the soft suspension takes a better set. Regardless of driving style, however, the brake pedal is the LS 460’s dynamic Achilles’ heel. Feel is awful, it’s hard to modulate, and making smooth stops is almost impossible.
Visibility
Except for rear pillars that are a tad thick, outward visibility is exceptional. Shingle-style rear headrests nestle down onto the seatbacks and don’t block the view out the rear window, though it would be swell to have Mercedes-style dash controls that could collapse them after rear occupants depart the car. Side mirrors are large, front roof pillars are relatively thin, and the driver sits cab-forward close to the front glass for a good view forward. Add parking sensors front and rear, along with a reversing camera, and the long-wheelbase Lexus LS 460L is easy to maneuver.
Fun to Drive
Depending on the environment, the Lexus LS 460L can be fun to drive. Like when accelerating in a straight line. Or when pulling up to a high school class reunion. What robs the car of its ability to entertain its driver is the electronic brake-by-wire system necessary for the LS 460’s various safety technologies to work as advertised. We’ve complained about brake pedal feel and modulation in the IS 350 and GS 430 – here, the complaint remains. The braking system works brilliantly the few times you’re engaged in a real panic stop. The rest of the time it’s a complete deal breaker.
Front Comfort
Compared to most cars on the planet, the Lexus LS 460L’s front seats are comfortable. Compared to an Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, or Mercedes-Benz S-Class, they need work. The driver sits too low even with the seat raised to the highest setting, and the side bolsters don’t provide enough support. Our test car included heating and cooling, but no massage feature. I also thought the center armrest height was a bit too high, aggravating my damaged right rotator cuff. The upper door panels are too hard, too. The heated steering wheel feature, however, is nice for colder climates.
Rear Comfort
Ooooh! Rear vanity mirrors, just like a 1992 Buick Park Avenue! Seriously, the Lexus LS 460L is extremely comfortable in back, with good headroom and amazing leg room. The center armrest of our test car contained heating and cooling for the seats, seatback recline and power headrest controls, and a one-touch button for deploying the rear window shade. Missing were side window shades and a button for powering the front passenger’s seat forward (the latter is easily reached by the driver and located on the inner side of the passenger’s seat). Rear ventilation is nice, but our tester had no separate rear climate control system.
Interior Noise
Like other cars in its class, the Lexus LS 460L is a rolling isolation chamber that can be filled with rich sound from the available Mark Levinson audio system. Aside from engine growl when the driver plants the accelerator to the floor, nothing gets in to disturb occupants. The world is muffled and distant, the suspension gliding over any kind of road surface as though every street and highway just got a fresh coat of smooth blacktop.
Loading Cargo
Lexus gives the LS 460L a low liftover height into a trunk that seems small for the size of the car. Our test car lacked a thick Lexus embroidered cargo mat, resulting in a cheap trunk appearance. At this price, the trunk sill protector oughta be aluminum instead of plastic, and the ratcheting tie-down hooks shoulda been smooth and polished rather than a mottled chrome. Enclosed gooseneck hinges are used to support the LS 460’s trunk lid when gas struts are a more elegant solution, and the lid featured automatic opening and closing. A pass-through to the rear seat accommodates longer items such as skis.
Build Quality
Our Lexus LS 460L was a pre-production sample. It is our policy not to comment on build quality when it is not accurately reflective of what customers will find in dealer showrooms.
Materials Quality
There’s too much Toyota evident inside the Lexus LS 460L. The materials are quite nice – the leather is incredibly supple and the suede headliner is definitely upscale. But the switchgear and control markings could have come straight from a Camry, and many buttons were finished in a sparkling graphite finish that would be more appropriate in a Yaris. This speaks highly of the quality of materials installed across the Toyota and Lexus lineups, but when the sticker price is $70,000 and higher, some premium differentiation is in order. Also, I thought the floor mats looked like remnants rather than plush floor coverings.
Styling
Take a look at that seam that runs from the Lexus LS 460’s taillight to the trunk. Have you seen that before, on a Camry perhaps? Unquestionably, the redesigned Lexus flagship is a good looking automobile. It has road presence, panache, and class. The paint is positively luminescent. But aside from its strongly defined shoulder line, bulging hood, and upswept beltline, there’s little original thought behind the design. Park the Lexus next to a Camry, and you might mistakenly try to get into the wrong car.
Storage
Lexus has chosen to rethink the center console storage lid, and on the LS 460 it slides to the rear and tilts up. Once open, a top drawer is exposed that also slides to the rear to reveal access to the larger box below. The design, I think, is intended to get them out of the way in a refined fashion, but I found it to restrict access more than the conventional rear-hinged lid with dual release buttons for the top and lower tiers. Use the big glove box instead, or the expanding bins on the front door panels.
Infotainment Controls
Take one look at the Lexus LS 460’s dash when it’s lit up like the Milky Way after dark, and you can understand why the Germans are bundling secondary operational controls in navigation screen sub-menus controlled by shiny metallic knobs on the center console. It’s daunting to find what you’re looking for inside the Lexus. Worse, the stereo’s hard keys are located low on the center stack making them even harder to reach and use. Pre-sets are integrated with the touch screen or operated using the steering wheel buttons. Good thing Lexus makes its touch-screen, voice-controlled navigation system a no-brainer to operate. It’s a breeze to program this thing.
Climate Controls
Manual climate control functions are bundled with the Lexus LS 460L’s navigation system, but that’s OK because they’re rarely used. Commonly referenced automatic functions are separate from the navigation display, arrayed in the center of the dash and clearly visible. Seat heating and cooling are operated using twist knobs on the center console. Our test car had climate-controlled rear seats but not the optional four-zone automatic climate system. Instead, the rear passenger compartment featured adjustable vents.
Secondary Controls
Almost pedestrian in their logic and simplicity, the buttons, switches, and stalks controlling the Lexus LS 460’s secondary functions are arrayed throughout the cabin and can be found right where you expect them to be. Unlike some competitors, the auxiliary controls on the steering wheel are easy to use, including that for setting the following distance for the radar cruise system.
2nd Opinion - Brian Chee
Something about the Lexus LS 460 L is strangely unsatisfying. It’s comfortable, true, and luxurious as well, wrapping its occupants in fine leather and sumptuous carpeting and headliner surfaces. Soft touch surfaces and dampened doors are everywhere, and interior materials are beyond reproach. The powertrain, too, is superbly powerful, responding to command with smooth thrusts. It is hands down the finest Buick I have ever driven. That’s the problem. This is not a nimble vehicle, and, for all its technological marvels, nonetheless comes across as granny’s luxury barge. Comfortable to sit in and comfortable to drive, but not fun, not nimble, and not sharp. Perhaps it’s a case of luxury overload: Lexus, in its drive to build the most luxurious of luxury cars, missed the fact that sometimes, what discriminating buyers want isn’t more – but a much better less.
2nd Opinion – Liz Kim
Unlike most enthusiasts, who get turned off by a car if it’s not athletic on twisty roads, I can recognize that most luxury car buyers never come close to testing performance limits. What they want is an indulgent interior, a sophisticated exterior, a well-damped ride that provides a protective layer from asphalt unpleasantness, and technological toys with "Wow" factor. The Lexus LS 460L has all of those in spades. From its buttery leather upholstery and limousine-like rear accommodations to its lengthy list of gadgets and gizmos, the LS can be shown off to well-heeled friends with pride. Too bad our test car didn’t have the heavily marketed Parking Guidance System: I would’ve been a hero to my techno-geek teenage nephew.
Photos courtesy of Ron Perry