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Lexus LS - What the Auto Press Says

The 2009 Lexus LS ranks 1 out of 7 Super Luxury Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 103 published reviews and test drives of the Lexus LS, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The flagship sedan of Lexus and the luxury badge of Toyota, the LS offers bulletproof Lexus reliability, one of the finest interiors in a class famous for its fine interiors, and an extraordinary list of technological innovations.  It performs admirably, but doesn't offer the driving excitement of a BMW 7-Series or Audi A8.

Reviewers who bother to register complaints about the LS often cite its soft suspension, which tends to create a floating sensation that dulls the connection between driver and car. A few reviewers also say the acceleration is not on par with the best of its class.

However, at this price point, these are largely matters of taste. With a 4.6-liter V8 engine that delivers 380 horsepower, the LS is hardly an underpowered car. Likewise, the suspension that some cite as too soft is the key to what others call one of the most comfortable cruising rides available.

Many reviewers say most drivers won't notice any lack of athleticism because they'll be too comfortable in the opulent cabin to care. The interior of the LS is exemplary, with soft leather, polished woods and an exhaustive list of entertainment and climate technologies. The technophiles at CNET write that the 460L "is the best car we've seen. We can't put it any more bluntly than that. It checks off all the tech boxes, then goes and adds some new ones." They go on to call the car "Four Seasons hotel on four wheels." 

The LS is also a good value among super luxury cars. Many reviewers note that its base price can be tens of thousands of dollars below that of similar cars from Mercedes and BMW.

The LS is available in well-equipped base trim and extended-wheelbase 460L trim.  For 2009, All-Wheel Drive is now available on both trim levels, and the passenger's side front seat now has a memory function  A hybrid model, the LS 600h, is reviewed separately. 

Be sure to check for current Lexus deals that may be available on a new LS.

• "The Lexus LS line may be the quietest, most serene luxury car available. It offers an excellent combination of comfort, space, quietude, and features. It's also the most electronics-intensive luxury car we've ever experienced and, if it weren't a Lexus, that would give us pause. The LS 460 offers all anyone might want in a luxury car, and at a price that cannot be considered exorbitant." -- New Car Test Drive
• "With a list of features longer than my leg, the LS460 is Nirvana for those who know and for those who are ready to believe that a ride in the car can be good for the soul." -- Mother Proof
• "The 2009 Lexus LS 460 is a top choice for a luxury sedan thanks to its blissful comfort, exceptional refinement and value. Maintaining the Lexus LS line's reputation as an all-star are such exemplary traits as a silent and super-smooth ride, commendable engine performance, stalwart reliability and undeniable value among competing large luxury sedans." -- Edmunds
• "Lexus's LS-series sedans have long been highly regarded for their effortless ease, brilliant silence, and impregnable build quality. They've also been disparaged for being somewhat soulless. Technology lies at the core of that praise and that criticism." -- Car and Driver
• "LS base prices start below those of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Audi A8. It is less sporty and more comfort-oriented than those German rivals, but Lexus' flagship is a Best Buy for its power, refinement, standard features, and optional gadgets." -- Consumer Guide
• "The foremost vehicle in Lexus's lineup, not to mention the model that introduced the brand to America back in 1989, the LS is the epitome of Toyota's luxury division. Now in its fourth generation, the LS" is a showcase of the brand's most innovative technology." -- Motor Trend

LS Performance - 8.9 (Very Good)

The automotive press considers the 2009 Lexus LS to be one of the smoothest cars available anywhere, perfect for long drives. Its suspension is built for comfort, keeping the car from matching the sports-sedan performance of some of its competition in hard driving. Edmunds writes, "Although the LS 460 might be a bit sedate for driving enthusiasts, the vast majority of luxury sedan buyers will have no need for a higher level of performance. Under almost any driving condition, the 2009 Lexus LS 460 isolates the driver and passenger from the outside world, wrapping them in a silent, cloudlike cocoon -- and this is the LS's forte." The pleasures of a sporty sedan aren't entirely missing. The rumbling exhaust note of the LS wins the praise of many reviewers. Read More

LS Exterior - 7.7 (Good)

The 2009 Lexus LS is an evolution of the same design the first Lexus LS 400 carried more than a decade ago, but with added muscle and character. It doesn't break any new ground. Forbes says the car "has a clean, conservative, yet absolutely contemporary shape, accentuated by a forward-thrusting arrowhead motif carried through from door handles to the front and rear lamp units and even the large, unusual twin exhaust-pipe diverters low in the rear bumper." Read More

LS Interior - 8.9 (Very Good)

The 2009 Lexus LS has an extraordinary interior; reviewers say it is the best reason to buy the car. The Detroit News notes, "Lexus designers took their inspiration from the first-class cabin in an airplane and when consumers got their look at the company's redesigned sedan, it usually triggers a gasp."  If the standard model is high-tech and well-appointed even for a super-luxury sedan, then the executive-sedan long wheelbase version is out of this world. It "uses an infrared camera to measure backseat passengers' body temperature," the Los Angeles Times explains, and offers "climate-controlled reclining rear seats with foldout ottoman and shiatsu massage function; rear-seat refrigerator; 9-inch ceiling-mounted video monitor. This stuff wouldn't look out of place on a Maybach." Read More

LS Safety - NA

The federal government and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have not completed crash tests for the LS, but the car does receive a "Good" score in frontal offset tests. Fully optioned out, the LS offers 11 airbags and a pre-collision system that uses radar to detect an impending impact and activates Brake Assist, retracts seatbelts and positions the headrests. Read More

LS Reliability - 10.0 (Excellent)

The 2009 Lexus LS reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). Lexus covers its cars with a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty. Like most luxury car builders, Lexus offers services beyond the standard warranty, such as roadside assistance. Read More