Lexus LS 2021 review

Lexus is returning to its roots and building on traditional strengths with the 2021 LS refresh as the Japanese luxury brand gears up to launch the all-new Mercedes-Benz S-Class soon.

Starting at $195,953 pre-travel, the facelift unlocks a plethora of comfort, refinement, handling and technology upgrades, aiming to deliver the quietest and most luxurious experience in the upper luxury sedan segment.

The "blink and you'll miss" transformation includes redesigned headlights, wheels, bumpers and taillight lenses, as well as the inevitable media screen update, improved redesigned seat trim and improved safety.

Along with a complete equipment list and unrivaled ownership benefits, the goal is to mimic the significant differences that existed between the LS and its mostly German rival over 30 years ago, helping to make Lexus a revolutionary decades ahead of schedule. was even invented.

The MY21 line will continue to be offered in two trim levels – the sportier F Sport and the luxurious Sports Luxury – with either the LS 6 twin-turbocharged V500 petrol engine or the LS 6h V500 petrol-electric hybrid powertrain, in line with the Australian debut of the XF50 generation at the end of 2017. .

The question is, has Lexus gone far enough with its flagship limousine?

2021 Lexus LS: LS500H (Hybrid) Sports LUX Camel Trim+Premium
Safety Rating	-
engine's type	3.5L
fuel type	Hybrid with premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	6.6l / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$176,200

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10

Value, refinement and customer care are the traditional pillars of the Lexus brand.

At the dawn of the 1990s, Lexus broke through to recession-ravaged consumers by first introducing an attractive, conservative S-Class sedan at lower prices than the E-Class, then adding a preternaturally quiet interior of exquisite build quality, silky V8 performance, an all-out kitchen sink of gadgets and unheard of ownership perks such as event tickets, free parking at selected locations, and getting a home/work vehicle while being serviced.

If such a strategy worked then, then why doesn't the extended version work now? After all, while sales in Australia were slow to start three decades ago, their impact in the vital US market was huge. Lexus eventually caught on in the local market, but the LS currently lags far behind the leading S-Class; in 2020 it managed a three percent share compared to Mercedes' 25.5 percent - or just 18 registrations to 163.

In 2021, new ambient lighting and (finally) touchscreen capability for the 12.3-inch center screen and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity will at least catch up with the rest of the industry.

Unfortunately, V8 engines never made it back, but the facelift brought a richer interior with high-quality materials to improve comfort levels, backed up by redesigned seats and redesigned adaptive suspension dampers that also contribute to a softer ride without compromising steering and handling. .

Meanwhile, the new ambient lighting and (finally) touchscreen capability for the 12.3-inch center screen and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity are at least catching up with the rest of the industry, not to mention its direct competitors.

The same applies to new safety enhancements for the series, which include a digital rearview mirror, Lexus Connected Services (with automatic collision notification, SOS call and vehicle tracking), Intersection Turning Assist (helps the driver avoid turning on the road). oncoming traffic or brakes a vehicle if a pedestrian crosses the road while turning), much greater functionality of autonomous emergency braking systems (including more effective rear cross traffic alert and intervention), Stop/Go full-speed adaptive cruise control with traffic management capability, improved traffic sign recognition, improved lane keeping and assist technology, and next-generation adaptive high beam technology dubbed BladeScan with stronger illumination and anti-glare.

The Blink and You're Missing makeover includes redesigned headlights, wheels, bumpers and taillight lenses.

These come in addition to standard adaptive dampers, height-adjustable rear air suspension, front and rear cross-traffic alert, a sunroof, a gesture-activated power trunk lid, soft-close doors, puddle lights, a premium audio system with 23 speakers, digital radio. , DVD player, head-up display, sat-nav, infrared body-sensing climate control, heated/ventilated front and rear outboard seats, power and memory seats, heated steering wheel, power rear blind and quad-camera surround view monitor.

The $195,953 F Sport features $201,078 Sport Luxury (both excluding travel expenses) with 10 airbags, dark 20-inch alloy wheels and exterior trim tints, brake booster, rear steering, variable ratio, unique instrumentation and dark metallic interior themes and reinforced front seats, while the LS 500 adds active anti-roll bars front and rear.

Going Sports Luxury changes things up a bit: two extra airbags (rear seat airbags), special noise-canceling alloy wheels, climate control in the rear, semi-aniline leather, relaxation system in the front seats, tablet-style screens in the rear seats. , heated/ventilated power reclining rear seats with ottoman and massage, rear center armrest with touchscreen climate/multimedia control, side sunblinds and – LS 500 only – rear cooler.

The Sports Luxury features tablet-style screens in the rear seats.

In terms of owner benefit, the "Encore Platinum" introduced last year is based on Encore's regular service with benefits such as free use of a Lexus for business or leisure travel to select destinations in Australia and now New Zealand (only one side, sorry). , kiwi fruit) up to four times a year and during the first three years of ownership. There are also eight free valet parking per year at select malls and other locations, several social/celebrity events, and discounted Caltex fuel.  

With all these features as standard, the LS costs several tens of thousands of dollars less than most competitor full-size luxury sedans with broadly similar features and options with equivalent luxury options up to Encore Premium perks. However, while Lexus's four-year/100,000 km warranty is also better than most competitors' one-year warranty, this is a mileage limit while the other modes don't, and none of them beat the five-year/unlimited Mercedes program.

While prices have gone up nearly $2000, it's fair to conclude that the extra kit and upgrades help make up for it, but it's also worth remembering that Lexus raised the price of the LS to almost $4000 early last year, and not long before the Encore Platinum was announced. . …

Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10

The XF50 series is long and imposing, but also arguably the most Toyota-like LS in history, sharing features with most of the larger sedans the company makes and even the Camry. It's a departure from Mercedes emulating the generations of the 90s and 00s. If the latest S-Class can look like a 200% larger CLA, then why not?

The most obvious and pleasing changes are realized when the headlights are turned on, revealing the BladeScan technology. In the F Sport, the redesigned bumper air intakes are notably larger and feature brighter patterned inserts, part of a broader exercise in class differentiation with what is perceived as "sporty" elements throughout the car. The divisive theme of the Spindle grille remained.

Behind - perhaps the most similar part of the LS to Toyota - are black inserts in the taillights to distinguish new from old.

If Lexus represents an evolution of style with nuances to keep the demographic from frightening, then the MY21 flagship sedan succeeds brilliantly.

How practical is the interior space? 10/10

It's more like him.

While far from the pinnacle of striking interior design, with a dashboard that, again, is quite clearly in line with Toyota's modern way of thinking, the LS is massive inside, heaving with standard luxury and obsessively crafted in several key areas.

The brand makes a lot of noise with the floating armrests placed on the doors and their obviously expensive workmanship, but it's eye-catching and delightful with detailing flowing smoothly in and around the dashboard, continuing flowing, healing themes. sculptural multidimensional forms. In 1989, journalists circulated similar platitudes in the original LS.

The facelift brings a richer interior with high quality materials to improve comfort levels.

If the techno-overload of a Mercedes MBUX or Tesla's OTT tablet leaves you cold, it enhances the luxury feel by adding a rich, cozy, warm vibe - although the dashboard is familiar; all we can see is the first IS 250 from 1999 with a single dial-like analog dial.

Here, of course, it's digitized and multi-configurable to accommodate sat-nav, multimedia, and other car-related needs, but it's strange nostalgia given that the brand's first competitor, the BMW 3 Series, is now all but forgotten. Still, it's interesting, isn't that what eccentric rich people want who don't want to ride the cliché of flashy behemoths?

With infinite adjustment, the seats are luxurious to the point that one would imagine a limousine, but due to their increased support, they can also be manipulated to wrap around you softly enough to keep you from slipping during a throw. Lexus with fun excitement - more on that later.

It has redesigned seats and redesigned adaptive suspension dampers, which also contribute to a softer ride without sacrificing steering and handling performance.

Needless to say, the fit and finish are amazing, and the enveloping luxury continues into the back seat. An airliner-style Sport Luxury chair is enough to turn doubters into doe-eyed believers, with their soothing, relaxing, relieving, refreshing and invigorating ways – well, to the extent that an airport massage chair without a piggy bank and tricky stains can, in any case. But the fact remains: deeply nestled in this leather luxury, sleep beckons. Namaste!

And this is the essence of LS. It provides shelter from the outside elements at least as effectively as the Audi A8, BMW 7 and Merc S cost 50 percent more. The salon is spacious, quiet and safe. During a long drive in both 500 models, this became crystal clear after two rides behind the wheel of the visually similar ES 300h.

Quiet and sophisticated, this car sounded loud and rough compared to the smooth silence of its big brother. Mission accomplished, Lexus.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10

The LS is powered by two versions of the 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine.

Approximately 75% of buyers choose the 500 model, which uses a 35 cc Lexus V3445A-FTS gasoline engine with double overhead camshaft, 24-valve twin-turbocharged V6 engine, 310 kW at 6000 rpm and 600 Nm of torque in the range 1600–4800 rpm Powering the rear wheels through an updated 0-speed automatic transmission with AGA10 torque converter and adaptive driver technology, it can accelerate from 100 to 5.0 km/h in just 250 seconds and reach a top speed of XNUMX km/h.

For the facelift, it gets a redesigned, reduced-lag twin-turbo setup, new pistons, and a lighter, one-piece aluminum intake manifold to save weight and reduce noise while maintaining existing power.

The 500h uses the 8GR-FXS engine, a naturally aspirated 3456 cc version with a higher compression ratio that delivers 220 kW at 6600 rpm and 350 Nm at 5100 rpm.

Meanwhile, the 500h is getting software updates for more electric assistance at lower revs for stronger acceleration times and feel. It uses the 8GR-FXS engine, a naturally aspirated version of 3456 cc with a higher compression ratio (13.0:1 vs. 500:10.478 in model 1), developing 220 kW at 6600 rpm and 350 Nm at 5100 rpm .

As a series-parallel hybrid, it is equipped with a 132 kW/300 Nm permanent magnet motor and a 650 volt lithium-ion battery for a total power output of up to 264 kW. Now it can run longer on pure electricity – up to 129 km/h compared to 70 km/h before. Transferring power to the rear wheels via an L310 continuously variable transmission with a four-speed shift mechanism and 10-speed simulated shift control to simulate more natural automatic responses. It takes 5.4 seconds to reach 100 km/h and it manages the same top speed. speed, like its counterpart 500.

Both cars, by the way, have more aggressive Sport and Sport+ shifting software, and there are paddle shifters in the M manual mode.

Curb weight varies from 2215 kg (500 Sports Luxury) to 2340 kg (500h Sports Luxury).

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How much fuel does it consume? 8/10

The LS 500 produces a total of 10.0 liters per 100 km, or 14.2 l/100 km in the city and 7.6 l/100 km outside the city. Thus, the total carbon dioxide emissions is 227 grams per kilometer, but can vary from 172 to 321 grams per kilometer. The theoretical average flight range is 820 km.

Moving on to hybrid, the LS 500h achieves a combined fuel consumption of 6.6 l/100 km or 7.8 l/100 km in the city and an impressive 6.2 l/100 km outside the city. So its combined CO2 emissions are 150g/km and can drop to 142g/km and climb to 180g/km.

The average range of the hybrid should be about 1240 km.

Both models require at least premium unleaded gasoline - 95 RON in the LS 500 and 98 RON in the Hybrid.

The main goal was to reduce the frequency of starting and stopping of the 500h petrol engine while driving at high speed in order to improve ride and response.

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10

Neither ANCAP nor Euro NCAP have crash tested the LS for this or previous generations. And, for that matter, neither the American NHTSA nor the IIHS due to low sales.

Standard safety features include 10 to 12 airbags (depending on model, with dual front, side and side elements), AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward collision warning, driver attention warning, lane keeping system, front side warning sensors. Collision Avoidance System, Active Steering Assist, Radar Based Adaptive Cruise Control, Parking Brake, Traffic Sign Assist (detects specific speed signs), Quad Camera Panoramic View Monitor, Blind Spot Monitor, Lexus Connected Services, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control , anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and emergency braking assistance, as well as parking sensors around the perimeter. BladeScan adaptive LED headlights with glare protection are also installed.

AEB LS operates at speeds from 5 km/h to 180 km/h.

In addition, two ISOFIX points for the rear seats are supplied, as well as three upper cables for seat belts.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

4 years / 100,000 km


guarantee

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10

Lexus offers a four-year, 100,000 km warranty, which is considered one of the worst in the industry for mileage due to the small amount. Most competitors offer unlimited mileage, and in some cases more years.

However, it comes with a three-year program covering standard in-flight log services done at an authorized service center, with the first three services per year/15,000 km for the LS costing $595 each.

A free pick-up and drop-off service is available from home or workplace, as well as car rental, exterior washing and interior vacuuming during maintenance. All of this is part of the Lexus Encore Owners Benefit program, which is offered for three years and includes XNUMX/XNUMX roadside assistance.

Finally, Encore Platinum offers the aforementioned Free Lexus Travel Car Program (four times a year for three years) in Australia and New Zealand, as well as numerous valet and event privileges limited to a few per year, and fuel discounts at participating outlets. . .

What is it like to drive? 7/10

Whatever the badge says, the LS is first and foremost a big, heavy, imposing luxury sedan. His athletic ability is relative.

With that in mind, the upgrades to the MY21 version are a hit, as Lexus' largest passenger car is incredibly quiet and refined, as you'd expect. Ride quality is largely soft and bump-free inside, with a glide-like feel over most road surfaces as if they were slick-free.

We prefer the Sport Luxury version, and the 500h in particular, because it can run quietly in electric mode for a while and somehow feels more luxurious and soft to ride.

Whatever the badge says, the LS is first and foremost a big, heavy, imposing luxury sedan.

Whether this is psychosomatic or real is debatable, as both the 500 and the hybrid essentially share the same multi-link front and rear platform, adaptive dampers and rear air suspension setup, but it feels like this class is the choice for those who wants to feel absolute luxury and peace.

On paper, the 500 F Sport should be the driver's choice, as it has a more racing look and feel, as well as 600Nm of tree trunk-pulling torque.

The thing is, it doesn't necessarily look all that sporty, and perhaps that's because this model's entire existence is based on isolating its occupants as comfortably as possible. That's not a criticism, and the LS certainly wraps everyone up like a good limousine should, but don't expect the Audi S8's level of steering precision or nimble handling.

The upgrades for the MY21 version are a hit as Lexus' largest passenger car is incredibly quiet and refined.

Either way, if you need to feel like an exiled princess escaping villains with a bazooka in the back seat of the Kombi, the LS does an exceptional job of keeping the 2.3-ton weight moving, safe and precise through corners. this is pointed out without losing composure or traction in tight, fast corners. This is quite a feat, in fact, as a large Lexus can race down a mountain pass through narrow passages like a much smaller sedan and still stay on course and stay on course.

Again, for all-out performance, the 500h feels stronger, especially when it comes to snapping ahead at speed because the electric assist is palpable compared to the regular 500th’s twin-turbo V6. Both are obviously very, very fast and quite responsive to the touch of the gas pedal - and it's a sign of the brand's engineering prowess that their intrinsic serenity means speed isn't obvious until you look at the speedometer - but there isn't even a whiff of lag in the Hybrid. However, on the go, this twin-turbo V6 in the 500 soars.

The LS does an exceptional job of keeping the 2.3-ton mass in motion while turning safely and precisely where it points.

In this context, you have to say that the MY21 LS is an exceptionally luxurious and refined limousine with speed, safety, security and the ability to get you from point A to point B without drama or noise. 

Or, for that matter, excitement.

Verdict

It may surprise some to learn that without competing in the latest S-Class, competing large luxury sedans have struggled to combine comfort and refinement with agility and speed. Even in this age of adaptive dampers and air suspension. The Germans, in particular, sometimes struggle.

The latest Lexus LS, however, treads the track with impressive confidence and poise, favoring the former without forgoing the latter. Just keep in mind that the 500h Sports Luxury does the best job of balancing.

The bar may be raised with the arrival of Stuttgart's bestseller in March, but even then, with its extensive and complete specs, outstanding efficiency/performance hybrid combination, and remarkable build quality and presentation, Japan's premier luxury sedan deserves to find more buyers in the country.

Well done, Lexus.