Overview
As the flagship of the Lexus lineup, the 2022 LS sedan sets the standard of luxury and refinement for the brand—but it disappoints in a couple of important areas. The entry-level powertrain is a smooth-running twin-turbo V-6, but it lacks the punchiness of a V-8. The upgrade powertrain is a hybrid setup which is insufficiently refined for a car in this lofty category. Cabin trimmings are first-class, though, and the LS offers both comfort and polish for passengers. The driver may find the LS’s driving demeanor a bit of a snooze, but the ride is comfortable and the interior is hushed. That key rivals such as the Audi A8, the BMW 7-series, and the Mercedes-Benz S-class are nailing the balance between comfort, luxury, and sport only serves to highlight the LS’s weak points.
What’s New for 2022?
Lexus’s flagship sedan carries over essentially unchanged for 2022, but the base model can now be had with the optional Mark Levinson stereo system and several of the car’s standard driver-assists have been enhanced. A unique Haku metal leaf door trim is now available on cars equipped with the Luxury and Executive packages.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
We’d stick with the standard twin-turbocharged V-6 engine and rear-wheel drive, if only to reserve funds for optioning the LS’s coolest features. We’d spring for the Luxury package—it’s expensive but worth it—as it adds heated and cooled front and rear seats with semi-aniline leather upholstery; 28-way power-adjustable front seats with massage; rear buckets; a rear center console with touchscreen controls for climate, audio, and seat functions; four-zone automatic climate control; and power sunshades in the back. The optional adjustable air suspension, 20-inch wheels, a 360-degree camera system, real wood interior trim, and a wood- and leather-trimmed heated steering wheel are all required to add the Luxury package. This pushes the LS500’s price up $17,000, but that’s still cheaper than the base Mercedes-Benz S-class.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The standard engine in the LS is a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V-6 that delivers a silky-smooth 416 horsepower. It sounds refined and powerful while under heavy throttle but hushed when cruising. A 10-speed automatic handles gearchanges. Performance is more than enough for this car’s luxury mission, but V-8-powered variants of the BMW 7-series and the Mercedes-Benz S-class proved to be quicker at the test track. Models badged LS500h feature a hybrid powertrain that uses a 3.5-liter V-6 and two electric motors to make 354 horsepower. While the standard twin-turbo V-6 operates smoothly, the hybrid arrangement feels unrefined and altogether not luxurious. The engine sounds raspy and coarse, and the transmission—a mashup of a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and a regular four-speed automatic—steps through preset gear ratios with all the crispness of a soggy cornflake.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
Fuel-economy estimates for the hybrid are indeed better than the nonhybrid LS500’s figures, so if you’re looking to save a buck at the pump, we suppose that’s the one redeeming quality of the LS500h’s powertrain. Whereas the rear-wheel-drive LS500 claims 30/19 mpg highway/city, the rear-wheel-drive LS500h earns 33/25 mpg ratings from the EPA. In our real-world testing, an all-wheel-drive LS500h managed a 30-mpg result on our 200-mile highway fuel-economy test. An all-wheel-drive LS500 F Sport managed 26 mpg. For more information about the LS’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Flowing lines, intricately patterned fabrics, and rich leather upholstery fills the cabin of the LS. If you really want to go all out, spec the real wood trim, artful glass inserts, and cleverly pleated door panel fabric. Passenger space is generous for four adults. Adding a fifth person in the standard three-across rear bench would deny passengers a true luxury experience, so we recommend selecting the optional bucket seats. The rear seatbacks are fixed, so bulky cargo items may not easily fit in the LS. The trunk, however, for the LS500 and hybrid model is generously sized, each holding six carry-on suitcases. Both the Audi A8 and the Genesis G90 accommodated the same amount of luggage.
Infotainment and Connectivity
All LS models come with Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay capability, navigation, and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, all controlled through a new 12.3-inch touchscreen. That means the fussy touchpad on the center console is no longer the only way to adjust vehicle settings, switch audio sources, or set a destination in the navigation menu. The system also recognizes some voice commands. That said, is it too much to ask for physical buttons for things like seat heating? Lexus apparently thinks so. In order to activate this feature, users must turn to the screen.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
As with most other Lexus models, the LS comes standard with the Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 suite of driver-assistance features. A more advanced semi-autonomous driving-mode feature is an option. For more information about the LS’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
- Standard adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Lexus offers longer powertrain coverage than BMW or Mercedes, but doesn’t match up to Genesis’s plan of 100,000-mile coverage. At least the first maintenance visit is provided free of charge.
- Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers six years or 70,000 miles
- Complimentary maintenance is covered for one year or 10,000 miles
Source: www.caranddriver.com