Lexus LS (2012 – 2018) Review

The Lexus LS is the luxury car your accountant would advise you to get, and probably the one they drive themselves. It all makes perfect sense on paper, but when placed alongside an Audi A8, or another pillar of the establishment, the Mercedes S-Class, it seems a bit bland. Read on for our full Lexus LS review.

The Lexus LS was the pinnacle of the brand’s range, combining elegance with a high-quality limo-like interior. As a result, it is an opulent vehicle to travel in, with a luxurious cabin bolstered by impressive refinement.

This generation of Lexus LS came as two models – the Lexus LS 460 and the hybrid Lexus LS 600h. Both are packed with high-tech kit, including four-zone climate control, air-conditioned seats and automatic rear window sun shades.

There’s also a huge 12.3-inch screen integrated into the dashboard, along with a DVD player and 19-speaker sound system.

Spanning more than five metres in length, the Lexus LS is huge inside, which makes it well suited for limousine duties. The deeply cushioned leather seats are comfortable and there is excellent sound proofing, which makes the cabin a relaxing place to be.

However, compared to the Audi A8 and Mercedes S-Class, the trim looks a little dated, while some of the buttons and switches feel like they have been lifted from a 1980s TV set.

Against that, you have to consider the far better reliability of the Japanese car compared to the Germans. Lexus consistently comes top of reliability survey ratings.

The Lexus LS 460 is powered by a 4.6-litre V8 petrol engine, with 387PS, which is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

The V8 is powerful and will launch the two-tonne car from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds. The Lexus LS 460 is also available in F Sport trim, which lowers the ride height, uprates the brakes and adds paddleshifts along with a limited slip differential to improve traction in corners.

The petrol-hybrid Lexus LS 600h gets four-wheel drive as standard, with a 5.0-litre V8 engine delivering 445PS. For city driving, the hybrid is impressive, with the electric motor pushing the car along with a quiet hum.

Unfortunately, fuel economy for both models is poor, with the Lexus LS 460 returning a claimed 26.4mpg and the hybrid Lexus LS 600h offering a mediocre 32.8mpg.

Things don’t improve on the road and the Lexus LS feels numb and cumbersome, while the steering lacks any real sense of engagement. The suspension also has a tendency to roll and pitch under heavy loads, although things improve on the motorway, which mean it is, at least, an accomplished high-speed cruiser. 

The Lexus LS is a car for chauffeurs, not keen drivers, so best experienced from the back seat even for used buyers.

Fancy a new Lexus LS? Read our Lexus LS review here.

The Lexus LS 460 can be given a sporty makeover with F Sport trim, which lowers the ride height, uprates the brakes and adds paddleshifts, along with a limited slip differential to improve traction in corners.

In reality, though, it does little to enhance the driving experience.

The hybrid and petrol models will cover 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds or 5.7 seconds respectively, before reaching an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

That’s not bad for a car that’s over five metres long and weighs more than two tonnes, but the Lexus LS does struggle to hide its large dimensions, especially in corners.

Not only is the Lexus cumbersome in tight bends, but the overpowered steering makes it difficult to detect any sort of connection with the wheels or the road.

As a result, the car feels numb and uninspiring, which makes it disappointing to drive. The air-suspension also has a tendency to roll and pitch under heavy loads and lower speeds, which can be rather unpleasant for passengers.

The Lexus LS is offered with two powerful engines, but both are thirsty on fuel and high on emissions.

The petrol-hybrid LS 600h is the better of the two, with four-wheel drive linked to a 5.0-litre V8 engine, delivering 445PS.

Well suited to city driving, the hybrid is almost silent at low speeds, with the electric motor powering the car up to 20mph.

There’s also plenty of acceleration, thanks to 520Nm of torque from 4000rpm. Head on to the motorway and the quiet and refined drive continues, with air-suspension soaking up bumps.

However, the CVT transmission can be vocal under hard acceleration and the brakes have a tendency to be sharp, which makes smooth braking rather difficult.

The Lexus LS 460 is powered by a 4.6-litre V8 petrol engine with 387PS that’s linked to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Like the hybrid, the V8 is quick and has 493Nm of torque from 4100rpm.

Although the V8 lacks the silent smoothness of the hybrid at lower speeds, it does feel accomplished, with low engine noise and no CVT whine.

But it too suffers from a sudden feel to the brakes. 

Lexus didn’t hold back on the safety spec, especially in the hybrid model.

The petrol-only car comes with a raft of airbags, ESP traction control, stability control, ABS anti-lock brakes, parking sensors, Isofix child seat mounts and bi-xenon headlights.

However, you need the hybrid model if you want blind spot assistance and lane keep assist.

The Lexus LS was not designed with towing in mind, so there are no official ratings. It would be best to consider a different car if this is a priority for you.

The Lexus LS is a big car, measuring more than five metres in length. As a result, it has a cavernous interior and both the Lexus LS 460 and hybrid Lexus LS 600h will carry five adults, although the rear centre seat is slightly uncomfortable due to the raised floor.

However, the seats are what you’d expect from a luxurious limousine, with deep, plush leather and excellent support for the lower back. 

Finding a decent driving position is easy enough, thanks to the electronically adjustable driver’s seat. The driver also gets a clear view of the road.

The Lexus LS gets an impressive amount of kit, including a DVD player, automatic rear window sun shades and dynamic lighting. Rear passengers can also control the 19-speaker audio system via a set of dials on the large centre armrest, which also operate the powered seats and sun blinds.

The Lexus LS 600h has a nine-inch monitor in the back, along with reclining shiatsu massage seats.

Both the Lexus LS 460 and the Lexus LS 600h are designed to pamper passengers, and as a result both are spacious and comfortable in the back. There’s plenty of headroom and legroom, although the Lexus LS 600h sits on a longer wheelbase, which gives it slightly more space.

This version of Lexus LS was claimed to be one of the quietest cars in the world and there is some merit in this bold statement, with minimal road or engine noise evident. In fact, at low speeds, the Lexus LS 600h is almost silent, which is ideal when sitting in traffic.

But on challenging B-roads, the Lexus LS struggles as it waddles around tight bends and crashes over potholes. However, things improve on the motorway, with the air- suspension soaking up bumps, and minimal exterior noise.

Boot space is decent in the Lexus LS 460, with 560 litres, while the fitment of the hybrid system restricts the Lexus LS 600h to just 420 litres.

We also found that the rear seats in the LS 600h could not be flattened, due to the proximity of the batteries. 

The fit and finish inside the Lexus LS is exemplary, as we’ve come to take for granted from this manufacturer.

If you value a cabin with vault-like construction that is free from even the tiniest squeak or creak, then the Lexus LS is worth considering.

The dashboard is dominated by a wide 12.3-inch screen, which is situated in the centre, just beneath the windscreen. The display is clear and features all of the car’s media, climate control and navigation settings.

However, the infotainment system lacks the finesse of those employed by Audi and Mercedes. We found the controller to be fiddly to use and annoying after a while, due to the fact it would skip along and miss our intended channel choice.

We also disliked the switchgear, with some of the buttons and dials feeling like they’ve been lifted off an old 1980s TV set.

If you give the mega-mile ex-private hire cars a miss, you’ll be looking at spending from £24,000 for a Lexus LS with around 75,000 miles. That gets you a nine-year-old car with the petrol-hybrid engine, which is the most common model on the market.

A six-year-old version of this with 18,000 miles to its name will set you back a more substantial £52,000.

It’s worth noting there is not any marked difference in price between the petrol and hybrid models.

It was claimed the Lexus LS 600h could offer combined economy of 32.8mpg, which is less than some of its diesel-powered rivals.

This is achievable in normal driving and when making the most of its hybrid system. The petrol-only model offers a claimed 26.4mpg and our Real MPG data shows that is pretty much on the mark.

In terms of carbon dioxide, the hybrid emits 199g/km compared to the Lexus LS 460’s 249g/km.

That means the hybrid driver will pay £365 for annual road for a car registered up until 1 April 2017, while the Lexus LS 460 owner pays a heftier £675 each year.

For those Lexus LS models registered after that date, the car attracts the flat rate of £180 per annum.

Insuring an Lexus LS is never going to be an exercise in scrimping, so be prepared for a sizeable premium based on the car sitting in groups 48 to 50 (out of 50), depending on which version you pick.

Servicing is not as costly as you might think, thanks to Lexus’ reliability and its dealers charging less than some rivals for hourly rates.

An independent garage will save you more again.

The Lexus LS 460 has 18-inch alloy wheels, metallic paint and five driving modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, Sports Plus and Snow.

There is also air-suspension, automatic rear window sun shades, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, dynamic Illumination System front lighting and front seats with 10-way electric adjustment. 

It also comes with a 12.3-inch display monitor with full map navigation, 19-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround system, DVD player, USB, AUX, Bluetooth, DAB, a rear parking camera, steering wheel mounted controls for the audio and phone, voice command and a glass sunroof.

On the Lexus LS 600h you get 19-inch alloy wheels, a blind spot monitor, lane keep assist, hybrid drive mode select with EV, ECO, Normal, SPORT S and SPORT S+ settings, plus rear seat entertainment via a nine-inch colour monitor located in the centre console.