2017 Lexus LS 460 and F Sport Test Drive and Review – Video

The 2017 Lexus LS meets lofty expectations of what a flagship luxury sedan should be, and for good reason. It was the Lexus LS that turned the flagship luxury sedan category on its head more than a quarter-century ago by introducing new and daring approaches to unstinting comfort, innovative conveniences and polished driving smoothness.

Those attributes, along with painstaking craftsmanship, once again stand at the fore in the 2017 LS 460, which offers standard- and long-wheelbase models and a choice of rear-wheel drive or Lexus all-weather drive.

The 2017 Lexus LS offers a raft of driver-assist technologies, including the Advanced Pre-Collision System (A-PCS) with Collision Avoidance Assist. This system is designed to assist the driver in avoiding or mitigating frontal collisions with vehicles and pedestrians, under certain conditions. At speeds lower than 24 mph, this technology can help the driver to avoid accidents by automatically bringing the LS to a full stop.

 

 

Exclusively V8-Powered
Quietly powerful, seamless acceleration remains a hallmark aspect of driving a Lexus LS, courtesy of a 4.6-liter V8 teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The original Lexus LS disrupted the premium sedan category by making a V8 standard when most others had a six-cylinder engine. Today, the 2017 Lexus LS remains one of the few in the class with a standard V8. Its 386 horsepower (359 hp with AWD) and 367 lb.-ft. of torque move the LS 460 to highway speeds with consummate ease.

Functionally Elegant Design
With its Lexus-signature spindle grille and sleek profile, the Lexus LS 460 eschews cookie-cutter luxury design themes and also slices through the air with a very low 0.26 coefficient of drag. That figure translates into meaningful benefits that include hushed wind noise and admirable V8 fuel efficiency.

The Lexus LS quietness is rooted in body construction details that minimize noise, right down to the wheel design. As the car drives, resonant noise is channeled from the main air chamber to adjacent hollow areas within the wheels via a resonator hole, cutting a significant source of road noise.
Beneath the sleek lines, standard frequency-dependent suspension dampers contribute to flat, agile handling and the uncanny ride smoothness that has long been a Lexus LS hallmark. Using Lexus Drive Select, you can tailor the car’s performance to your driving style or mood by selecting one of three settings: “Normal,” “Eco” or “Sport S.” The system automatically adjusts several performance parameters, including transmission shift points and throttle response. “Eco” prioritizes fuel efficiency, while “Sport” quickens responses for a livelier feeling. Models equipped with the air suspension—including F SPORT—offer two additional drive settings, “Comfort” and “Sport S+.”

F SPORT: Engaging but Always Refined
Sometimes in the luxury realm, the introduction of a “sport” package introduces harshness to the ride. Lexus does not subscribe to that approach. The Lexus LS 460 F SPORT does bring greater agility but preserves the model’s renowned ride comfort.

 

 

Sport-tuned air suspension and 19-inch forged alloy wheels lower the car by 0.4 inches, a change that noticeably tightens cornering response. The F SPORT also equips the LS with such high-performance hardware as a Torsen^® limited slip rear differential (RWD model) and Brembo^® six-piston caliper front brakes. The customer can combine F SPORT with all-weather drive for maximum grip in a wide variety of conditions.

The F SPORT treatment adds a unique front fascia with an exclusive mesh spindle grille featuring a black surround, larger air intake openings and round fog lamps. Inside, the F SPORT conveys the proper driver’s car feeling with an Alcantara headliner, aluminum trim and leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters.

A History of Setting Luxury Benchmarks
A history of defining true luxury in both the major features and smallest details continues to define the Lexus LS. Standard comforts include 16-way power adjustment for the driver and 12-way adjustment for the passenger.

At the push of the Start button, the available Climate Concierge automatically monitors the temperature of the front-seat climate zones and adjusts not just the ventilation system, but also the temperature of the front seats and heated steering wheel (if equipped) individually, so that both zones achieve their preset level of comfort as quickly as possible.

Tech That Works for the Driver
The Lexus LS multimedia system is accessed through a high-resolution 12.3-inch screen that provides a multitude of capabilities, including full-screen navigation. Menu shortcut buttons at the side of the screen give quick access to functions like audio, navigation, phone, climate, etc.
The multimedia system includes HD Radio^™, Bluetooth^® audio, automatic phone book transfer, a vehicle information display and complimentary traffic and weather data provided via HD Radio. And when a favorite song comes on HD Radio, pressing the cache radio button will save up to 15 minutes of live radio to replay later.

The enhanced navigation system can help guide you to your destination more efficiently with up-to-date and predictive traffic information, including detour preview, ETA calculation and low-fuel coordination with available fuel stations. The system’s 3D and bird’s eye map views make it easier to find a location.

Siri^i® Eyes Free Mode (iPhone^® 4S and later) puts select Apple’s Siri technology at your service. Siri lets you call contacts, select and play music from iTunes^®, get turn-by-turn navigation through Siri and Apple maps, and much more.

Steering wheel buttons provide quick, easy access to frequently used functions in the audio systems. Operating navigation, climate control, a paired cell phone, audio system and numerous other vehicle functions is easy and intuitive with the console-mounted Lexus Remote Touch. With it, you can quickly toggle through screen menus to operate a variety of vehicle systems. One-push confirmation makes menu and item selection easy and intuitive.

Lexus Enform for Safety, Convenience and Enjoyment
Lexus Enform Safety Connect is standard on all 2017 Lexus vehicles, with access to Lexus Enform response centers 24/7/365. With Lexus Enform Service Connect, the Lexus LS can also send alerts for specific factory recommended maintenance, simultaneously alerting a preferred Lexus retailer.
The MyLexusandBeyond mobile app (for iOS devices) or LexusDrivers.com website can be used to set push-reminders and alerts for maintenance and service issues. With Lexus Enform Remote (one-year trial subscription included), one can remotely view and control certain aspects of the LS using a mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Functions include remote door lock/unlock; remote start/stop for the engine and climate control; vehicle finder; guest driver monitor and more.

The Lexus Enform Destination Services and subscription-free Lexus Enform App Suite further expand information and convenience. Its voice-enabled apps let you search the Internet through Destination Search, make restaurant reservations using OpenTable^®, get movie tickets via MovieTickets.com^™, listen to Internet radio, (including Pandora^®, iHeartRadio and Slacker), search business reviews on Yelp^® and check in on Facebook Places^™.

A Heritage of Great Music
The supremely quiet Lexus LS cabin gives passengers the comfort to admire the craftsmanship that has set Lexus apart for decades. That tradition continues in the Lexus LS’ standard 10-speaker Premium Sound System with its Digital Sound Processor and Automatic Sound Levelizer.

For those who delight in concert-grade sound in an automobile, the Lexus LS offers the optional Mark Levinson Reference Surround System. The 19-speaker system provides a 5.1 home theater surround experience using 7.1 architecture and discrete circuitry. The 450-watt, 15-channel amplifier covers the 20Hz-20kHz frequency range with less than 0.1% Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) – a stunning achievement in mobile audio. Notably, it will play from virtually any digital format, including CD.

Vehicle Details

Chassis/Body/Suspension/Brakes/Tires

• Numerous stabilizing fins help make the LS one of the most aerodynamically efficient cars in its segment with a 0.26 drag coefficient. Laser screw welding, body adhesives and other structural reinforcements increase rigidity and enhance control, steering feel and handling.
• Drive Mode Select allows the driver to choose from three distinct drive settings (Eco, Normal and Sport S). Vehicles equipped with the available air suspension add Comfort and Sport S+ modes.
• The available Air Suspension with Variable Gear Ratio Steering automatically adjusts the damping force for optimal comfort and performance.
• The available AWD system features a Torsen^® limited slip center differential to further enhance grip, traction and cornering stability.
• Noise-reduction wheels.

Safety/Security

• An available Lane-Keep Assist system (LKA) helps the driver stay in the current visibly-marked lane.
• The Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) uses rear millimeter-wave radar to monitor the vehicle rear side blind spots at 10 miles per hour or more. This feature includes Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), which automatically operates when the vehicle is in reverse, alerting drivers to the approach of other vehicles when backing up.

Luxury/Comfort/Convenience

• Available All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) helps maintain a preset following distance from the vehicle ahead, using radar technology to sense the speed of a vehicle traveling directly in front. In stop-and-go traffic, it can apply the brakes to stop the car at speeds below 24 mph if the vehicle ahead stops and can automatically resume tracking the vehicle ahead, accelerating from a stop, by moving the cruise control lever up or depressing the accelerator pedal.
• The available Automatic High Beam (AHB) system features a camera located in the inside rear-view mirror that detects light sources in front of the vehicle — including the headlamps of oncoming vehicles, the tail lamps of a vehicle ahead and street lighting – to automatically adjust the high beams on and off accordingly.
• Front seats minimize pressure peaks and increase support. Both front seats feature a standard heating and cooling system with large heating and cooling areas for reduced heating and cooling times.
• AWD models feature a standard heated steering wheel and Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heating elements, which warm the front cabin area quickly after vehicle start-up. Windshield de-icer and headlamp washers are standard on AWD models.
• Standard Lexus Premium Audio System with a nine-channel amplifier, 10 speakers, CD / DVD player changer, DVD audio and video compatibility, MP3 sound enhancement, HD Radio™ with iTunes tagging, and a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Standard entertainment and connectivity advancements include Bluetooth^® capability with automatic phonebook download and streaming audio.

Luxury Options

• Available power rear seats with Climate Concierge.
• An available Executive-Class Seating Package with right-rear power recliner and ottoman, massage and more. Includes Rear Seat Entertainment System featuring a Blu-ray Disc™ DVD player, an SD card slot and a retractable, ceiling mounted, nine-inch full-color VGA screen.
• Mark Levinson Reference Audio.

Interior Design

• The dashboard is divided into two distinct zones: an upper Display Zone, with the large, 12.3-inch, LCD multi-display screen, and a lower Operation Zone that provides access to system controls such as the Remote Touch Interface (RTI).
• The driver’s instrument cluster incorporates high-visibility, large diameter Optitron dials, a 5.8-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) Multi-information screen, and an aluminum analog clock with a GPS-based time correction function.
• Optional wood trim includes Walnut, Shimamoku Espresso and Matte Dark Brown Ash Burl.

Warranty

• 48-month/50,000-mile basic limited warranty with roadside assistance for 48 months/unlimited miles.
• 72 months/70,000 miles powertrain and restraint system coverage.
• 72 months corrosion perforation protection coverage, regardless of mileage.