Lexus LS: 4th Generation

Motor Trend has wrapped up their year-long stay with the Lexus LS 460L, which had its share of ups and downs:

...our staffers lauded the interior's rich ambiance and excellent ergonomics, the buttery V-8's power and acceleration, and the first-rate bumper-to-bumper build quality. And with an eight-speed automatic transmission, it didn't force us to visit the gas pump that frequently. Over its year stay, the LS delivered an impressive 18.7 mpg, highlighted by a best tank average of 30.2 mpg.

As we spent more time behind the LS's wheel, however, our admiration shifted to dissatisfaction...Complaints ranged from minor grumbles ("Side mirrors are too small") to major grievances ("If you're a driver, you'll just find the whole experience numb and uninvolving. There is no emotion to this car. None"), all of which made us wish Lexus had produced more of a driver's car than a curtailed limousine. "Too soft" and "floaty" were common notebook entries, as was, "more wind noise than I expected."

I always find myself bristling when I read complaints about "numb steering" and "uninvolved driving", but then I remember that I'm reading a car magazine and that's what they do. Nothing's perfect, after all. (But seriously, new tires and brake pads at 20K? The car's a limousine, not a track-star.)

When the new BMW 7-series was introduced last week, there was certainly some criticism of the exterior, particularly in its likeness to the Lexus LS. When comparing the direct side profiles, I saw a passing resemblance, but couldn't understand the big fuss. Then I saw this action montage:

That's just unfortunate.

[Images assembled by chonnes04]

There's a nice little editorial/review of the Lexus LS 460 in the latest issue of Esquire that revolves around writer David Raab's son:

We try the Lexus LS 460L because my son's entire experience of cars is based on sitting in the backseat, and because one of his car guides rates the 460's backseat a perfect 10 -- the only 10 in the book.

"I like the smell of this car," my kid says.

Yeah, I say. Smells like money. Mon-ay. Big money.

"Are we in a base or an LX?" He studies trimlines. He uses the word trimlines, which is a little scary.

I don't think this is a base, I say.

"I don't, either," he says. "This is a dream."

Being a youngster, we can forgive the trim level confusion, especially when his father didn't try to pass off the standard stats rehashing usually seen in this type of article.

(Even more important though, is the discovery that Automobile Magazine's Ezra Dyer also writes for Esquire.)

[Image from Miraruido]

Autoweek has turned in their long term report on the Lexus LS 460L, and the result was just what you'd expect, they didn't like the prospect of returning the keys whatsoever:

...when it comes to extended, over-the-road, full-zoot, family-vacation luxury, our long-term Lexus LS 460 L can't get enough.

Or it couldn't. We turned in the keys in December, and the bigger bummer is that we've yet to figure out what can equal its long-haul abilities.

What makes the Lexus perfect for road trips are its ultrasealed cabin and a ride as plush as that of an old-school Caddy. That is to say, it couldn't be smoother or quieter.

"The LS is a terrific cruiser, but a great driver? Not so much," said one editor. "It loves the open highway, and it gobbles up miles faster than my kid eats Skittles. On a long road trip, you really appreciate a quiet ride, and few cars are quieter than this big Lexus. And the sound system rocks; with all the choices of XM at your fingertips, finding something to listen to is easy. For this trip, I used the navigation system, and XM traffic alerted me to a couple of construction tie-ups. Very nice."

There were some minor issues experienced, including an accidental triggering of the pre-collision system (which resulted in an unimpressed editor) and an issue with the automatic trunk release, but all in all, it looked to be a very positive experience with the LS 460L.

Right from the start, there was something off about Autoblog's review of the Lexus LS 460L:

It's tough to pity Lexus LS owners. After all, Executive-Class luxury sedans don't exactly suck. We wouldn't blame LS drivers for feeling pangs of over-inconspicuousness whenever they see a Camry, though. Understated luxury is one thing, but when you're devoting something like two years of the average worker bee's salary to a frivolity such as a luxury sedan, it'd be nice to have at least some indication to the Serfs that you're the better man.

I can understand that the subtle and understated look of the LS 460L is unappealing to some, sure. But from that point onwards, it became quite clear there was a distinct break between the reviewer's preferences and what the car was intended for. You wouldn't, for instance, expect that "hooning" would be anywhere near the priority list when designing a long-wheelbase executive-class flagship sedan.

The bulk of the review is a very valid critique, but ultimately, it feels like a mismatch.

No doubt it's a little old, but this video from CNet detailing the technology in the LS 460 is quite entertaining:

Being such a fan of the LS 460, I didn't even get bored during the inevitable parking assist demonstration.