When most of us think of a luxury limousine, we imagine a car that has its origins in our western neighbors. But there is still at least one other brand on the market that can stir up these quite stagnant waters. This is the Lexus car company and its flagship, the LS model.
In the 1980s, Toyota reacted to the current events on the market and, after a long development, came up with its Lexus brand and the premium LS model. Since then, it has become a relatively large competitor of the already mentioned car companies, mainly on the American market.
I have currently tested its fifth generation, in hybrid version and in the highest SUPERIOR equipment.
The originality of the exterior
The current design direction of Lexus cars may not be to everyone's taste, but I definitely like it. Lexus cars are simply different, very original and very unusual. With the purchase of a Lexus car, you will equip the interior of your garage with the most interesting piece of furniture, because with a Lexus you are also buying a work of art and this gives it an interesting added value.
Even when taking over the car for the editorial test, the gentlemen from Lexus are smiling a little slyly at each other, saying that yes, this car is certainly an interesting choice within their fleet. Next to the tested LS, there is also another novelty, the ES model, in blue color and F-Sport equipment, and let me tell you that in terms of design, we have another great piece here. But more about that next time.
Going back to the tested LS, this 5.2 meter long sedan is causing quite a stir, its overall proportions together with the graphite black premium metallic and twenty inch polished wheels look really stunning. The side profile, mainly the roof part, looks very elegant and dynamic. It is also worth noting the huge cut-out of the fenders in the place above the front wheels, another element that supports its optical dynamism. The front part then has the classic design elements of the car manufacturer, i.e. a huge front mask that completely eliminates the front bumper, or beautiful lamps with effectively built-in daytime running lights. The rear of the car is, by the standards of the brand, quite moderate.
The overall external impression of the fifth generation is therefore rather bold, very dynamic and certainly original for the given segment of cars.
The sophistication of the interior
The interior of the LS, that's another big topic. Let's start right from the edge, just the doors themselves and their fillings. A hand-folded, pleated fabric awaits you here, which, as the promotional material claims, underlines traditional Japanese hospitality, and its spatial effect is further enhanced by very discreet lighting. To add to the door panels, the doors of the tested car were additionally equipped with additional elements of hand-cut Kiriko Glass, for an additional fee of "only" 375,000 CZK.
Of course, the entire interior is conceived in the spirit of great originality and with the hallmark of excellent workmanship. As a result, the huge dashboard is treated very decently, its horizontal division is presented in such "waves" that actually connect the entire interior. The center of gravity of the entire dashboard is a multimedia display with a diagonal of 12.3 inches. It can be controlled by voice commands or the touch pad, which is located in the center panel right behind the gear selector. Unfortunately, these Lexus controls are known not to work very well and I have personal experience with them on the RX and NX models. However, there has been a certain improvement here, and the controllability of the on-board infotainment, via the aforementioned touch pad, is a bit easier. The instrument cluster is fully digital except for the engine temperature gauge and the fuel gauge. The upper part of the chapel then surprises with a pair of, in the overall context of the interior, quite unconventional cylindrical controls, which on the one hand are used to select driving modes and on the other to activate the snow mode or turn off stabilization.
Interior space aside, Lexus is only offered in one "extended" body variant. Starting with the SUPERIOR equipment, which was also available on the tested car, you also have electrically adjustable rear seats with footrests, the so-called "ottoman" (as stated in the manufacturer's brochure). Through the touch tablet, which is located in the center armrest, you then get the opportunity to control both rear seats, including the passenger seat. By pressing the appropriate buttons on the tablet, you put the seats in the "Mr. Factory" position, where the passenger seat automatically moves up to the dashboard, your back seat folds down and the footrest comes out from its bottom.
I'll tell you, a very interesting experience, now only the factory. Oh well, let's get back to reality and the car itself. All car seats have a massage function, of course heating and ventilation. The front seats are then equipped with a pair of 11.6-inch wide LCD screens for watching movies for the rear crew. The system can play Blu-ray discs, is compatible with an SD card reader and Wi-fi. The middle armrest is then equipped with a connector for connecting headphones and an HDMI port. In conjunction with the 24-speaker premium Mark Levinson Surround audio system, this is a truly intense experience.
The interior of the fifth generation is therefore simply first-class, both in terms of concept and workmanship. The extravagance of the exterior is successfully suppressed in the interior, the Lexus Ls then pampers you everywhere.
Multistage hybrid
The current generation offers two variants of power units. In both cases, the classic 3.5-liter "Věšestka" plays a role. It is offered either with turbocharging or as a hybrid version. The supercharged version is boosted by a pair of turbochargers, the hybrid then by a pair of electric motors.
The Lexus LS 500h now comes with a multi-stage hybrid drive system, where the internal combustion engine and a pair of electric motors also work together with a pair of gearboxes.
The gasoline unit itself has 264 kW and 350 Nm of torque. The pair of hybrid electric motors will then offer 132 kW and 300 Nm of torque. The new hybrid system is newly presented under the name Multistage hybrid, and as far as the content page is concerned, it will therefore offer this layout. There is a petrol engine in the front, followed by two electric motors, an e-CVT planetary transmission with three preset stages, a cardan shaft and a second, four-speed gearbox from Aisin in the rear near the batteries. This concept not only results in 10 gear stages, but also the transmission of the electric motors themselves, the car can then drive up to 140 km/h on electricity alone.
All this extravagance also results in an AWD drive, or acceleration from 0-100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds. And believe me, with a weight of over 2.3 tons, that's a hell of an interesting figure.
Enough theory, how does this whole gear work in practice?
Silence and buoyancy, these are the feelings that your mind has after driving the first few kilometers. All this, of course, thanks to the hybrid system and adjustable chassis of the car. The hybrid system within the city manages many a convoy, or the transfer from one intersection to another, all purely on electric energy. The drive is therefore not only quiet, but also economical. Another advantage of the new transmission is the possibility of slightly tapping the engine's power with electric energy even at higher speeds. This is an option that brings a calm and smooth ride even to these, for example, highway positions.
It's starting to get a little worse with sporty driving, the hybrid system sometimes takes a little time, but still, it's not something I want to criticize. For example, the "rocket" start from zero speed in SPORT + mode is slightly addictive. Véšestka doped with a pair of electric motors can properly show what is in this gear :-).
Calm and deliberate driving is the most characteristic of Lexus, you will simply really enjoy it here.
My consumption was around 12 liters during the weekly test. As part of the test, I played a bit like the real owner of the Eleska, so I didn't deal with the consumption much. Nevertheless, this is an interesting figure, in the context of the weight and dimensions of the car.
The chassis of the Lexus is excellent, height adjustable, you can simply lift the car by pressing the remote control. I greatly appreciated this option during the snow calamity that prevailed during the test (as well as the AWD drive). The adjustable undercarriage will also offer you another trick, when you approach the car, the vehicle will automatically lift and thus improve the comfort of boarding. How simple.
Conclusion
The Lexus LS, this showroom of the car manufacturer, is certainly at the forefront in terms of originality, in the given segment. The current, fifth generation very elegantly, confidently and effectively dressed the current design direction of the car company. The LS model has matured pleasantly and adds a distinctive flair to its complex precision processing.
I hold him in high esteem for these attributes, and quietly envy those who take him seriously. However, it is also valued by the car manufacturer, the Lexus LS in SUPERIOR trim starts at a price of CZK 3,800,000 including VAT. The piece tested by us also had optional elements in the form of Kiriko Glass (+ CZK 375,000) and metallic paint (+ CZK 40,000). The resulting price of the tested piece was 4,215,000 CZK.
