By Jim Powell
When someone is in a relationship that is not working out the way they anticipated, their response to personal questions is often, “It’s complicated!” This might be the case for loyal Lexus owners and the newest Lexus LS 500h (Hybrid). When Lexus attempts to marry modern luxury amenities with Toyota’s advanced hybrid-power systems, one either gets a beautiful marriage or a complicated relationship with some competing goals. Then add to this the public demands for sporty performance. The results? It is really complicated!
The interior has some amazing quilted stitch-work, Kiriko glasswork, and woodwork. Lexus uses premium wood trims like herringbone and laser wood art. These beautifully intricate design elements are the making of a nice interior, but it is a little overwhelming when all put together. The HUD display on the windshield is easy to read and convenient. The large center-dash 12.3-in color LCD multimedia screen is crystal clear. I think that Lexus could revise the instrument cluster without the side controls and digital speedometer, with elegant dials and graphics more in sync with the rest of the modern dash.
The executive rear seat Luxury Package offers reclining seats with thick leather seats with suede headrests, reclined positions, massage, and heat. The $12,270 option is supposed to surround the chauffeured passengers in the lap of luxury. Yet, the sound isolation and even the extra piped-in exhaust sounds (Sport, Sport+) conflict with the executive vibe. The Lexus’ Active Sound Control and Active Noise Cancellation helps filter out some of the extra powertrain frequencies but not as much as competitors.
The legendary LS luxurious ride has now been aided by a computer-controlled air suspension system with no fewer than 6 settings from Eco all the way up to Sport+. Including a sport+ setting on a huge sedan is a conundrum itself. This setting does stiffen up the suspension, yet the sophisticated air system cannot compensate for the 5,000+ lbs. of gross vehicle weight
The Comfort ride setting is what many would label Normal and not plush. Maybe I am getting more sensitive to vibrations the older I get. However, ruts in the road tend to pass the suspension and send sound into the cabin. I am impressed when the LS sedan raises up when opening the doors for easier ingress and egress, and when manually engaged for more ground clearance over snow or ruts.
The powertrain is also (you guessed it) complicated. The Lexus engineers developed a series/parallel system. Lexus uses the venerable and smooth 3.5-liter V6 gas engine with 295 horsepower and twin electric motors with 264 kW of torque, with a total output is 354 hp.
The strong acceleration of 0-60 in 5.2 seconds is impressive for such a hefty AWD sedan. Straightline thrust is where the sophisticated machinery shines. Then Lexus runs this power through a double transmission system, which is too complicated to fully describe. Nonetheless, hit the accelerator and the power pushes through dual electronic CVT and multi-speed transmissions, and then out to all four wheels with the help of electric motors.
The result is great acceleration and super grip on all road surfaces. When we put the LS into a corner and pushed harder through the apex, the car gripped and kept right on going where we pointed it. The body lean was minimal, and then the air suspension did balance the big car after a split-second. Again, there are just too many sounds when pushing up to highway speeds for a premium luxury car that costs $106,235.
Lexus has also aimed at fuel efficiency with our test AWD Lexus LS 500h rated at 23 mpg in the city; 31 mpg on the highway; and 26 mpg combined. We matched these numbers during our week with the LS. The roof has been lowered, and the car exterior has been redesigned for the excellent drag coefficient. These changes do reduce the previous generation’s good visibility, especially for taller drivers.
Our optional 20” rims were magnificently crafted and set off the low profile tires with real style. Lexus build-quality is found in all the exterior design elements, and the flowing lines culminate in a more attractive backend. Lexus has also pulled off some new front facia styling, which better integrates the Lexus huge waterfall grill. Overall, this is a good-looking sedan with great proportions and stunning dark chrome trim.
Interior comfort is considered in this marriage when it comes to very comfortable 16-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats. Climate controls can be set separately for all four passengers in our limousine set up. The power rear sunshades and complimentary 4GB Wifi hotspot (one-year) are bonuses for passengers. The LS controls are not as complicated as the German competitors, but I do wish they would move beyond the redundant controls and that finicky center console touchpad.
The Dynamic Voice Command and smartphone connectivity are vastly improved with Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa compatibility. An excellent 23-speaker Mark Levinson, 2,400-watt audio system with SiriusXM® Satellite Radio, MP3/WMA player even comes with a single-disc CD player. All this comes with continual traffic and weather data updates free where HD Radio is received.
All the modern Toyota/Lexus safety driver-assist systems are in place. Lexus added Intuitive Parking Assist with auto-braking to keep from bumping into things. The Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management keeps the LS from sliding into bigger things. The new “Pre-Collision System with low-light pedestrian detection and daytime bicyclist detection” keeps the LS from bumping into important things like people.
The automatic cruise control manages speed for long trips and speeds all the way down to stop-n-go traffic. However, the lane-keeping assistance with an electronic steering aid was far less accurate than the 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid I just tested. The rest of the safety suite was very intuitive and performed well.
My overall impression of the 2020 Lexus LS 500h is that Lexus just over-compensated in the quest to beat the German luxury sedans. The result is an over-complicated car with all the elements needed to regain a top position in this luxury large sedan segment. With some careful simplification, the LS could move to the front of the line with extravagance and efficiency.
There just might be a larger market for expensive sedans when gas prices escalate, and sedans regain public popularity. In the meantime, consider a much more sorted large sedan in the 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited and save $60k for post-pandemic living.