2015 Lexus LS 460L review: Lexus' long-wheelbase flagship is big on luxury and just plain bi

2015 Lexus LS 460L review: Lexus' long-wheelbase flagship is big on luxury and just plain big

By: Antuan Goodwin

Reviewed: April 16, 2015

The Good The 2015 Lexus LS 460L's buttery smooth V-8 engine and optional Adaptive Suspension work together to deliver an exceedingly comfortable ride. The standard tech loadout is better than most car's upgraded offerings. A full suite of driver-aid tech is available. Rear seat comfort is top-notch.

The Bad The Adaptive Suspension and its Sport+ mode don't add much excitement to the soft and isolated drive. The Lexus infotainment system is complex and awkward to control.

The Bottom Line Big on comfort and just plain large, the 2015 Lexus LS 460L continues to define the brand and proves to be an equal to the German luxury competition.

7.7 Overall

• Cabin tech 8.0
• Performance tech 7.0
• Design 8.0

• 2015 Lexus LS 460L

The LS was the first car debuting under the Lexus brand way back in 1989. Today, the large, long and imposing 2015 LS 460 is still the quintessential Lexus car. Over the decades, the model has grown from a value alternative to the German competition into a true equal to, say, the BMW 7-series or Audi A8.
Lift the LS' large hood and you'll be greeted by...well, a sea of black plastic shrouds and a silver engine cover. With the exception of the washer fluid filler and the oil cap and dipstick, Lexus has hidden all of the sedan's mechanical bits from the driver. Nothing to see here!
Somewhere beneath the plastic is the same smooth workhorse of a 4.6-liter V-8 gasoline engine that Lexus has been using for years now. With a combination of port and direct injection that is largely unique to Toyota/Lexus vehicles, this internal combustion engine turns its crank with 367 pound-feet of twisting force and 386 horsepower.

That power flows through an eight-speed automatic transmission on its way to the rear wheels, where it is divvied up by an open differential. The LS is available with an optional all-wheel-drive system that can send a portion of that torque to the front axle when needed, but our vehicle was not so equipped -- not that San Francisco's typically mild climate necessitated the additional expense.
The EPA estimates that the 2015 Lexus LS 460 will cruise for 16 miles in the city and 24 miles on the highway for every gallon of premium gasoline that its V-8 burns with a combined average of 19 miles per gallon. Our LS 460L is slightly longer and heavier than the standard wheelbase model, but its fuel economy estimates are unchanged.

On the center console, near the shifter, is a control knob for selecting one of the LS' three drive modes. Normal is the LS 460's baseline mode. The vehicle's computer attempts to offer a reasonable balance of power, economy, and comfort. Twist to the left to activate Eco mode, which adjusts the engine's output for maximum efficiency and remaps your throttle inputs to reduce lead-footedness. The V-8 is quite torque-y, and the LS is built for smooth driving, so the sedan remains very driveable even with Eco mode's slight throttle handicap.

Twist the Drive Mode knob to the right and the Lexus transitions into its Sport mode, which adjusts the engine output, transmission shift points, and throttle mapping to maximize responsiveness and power at the expense of a few MPGs.
When equipped with the optional Adaptive Air Suspension ($2,120), the LS gains two additional modes: Comfort and Sport+. Select the Comfort mode and the suspension softens up for a smoother, more supple ride. Give the knob another clockwise twist when in Sport mode to activate Sport+ mode, which firms up the adaptive suspension system and adjusts the power steering ratio for better handling and feedback.
While the changes for Sport and Sport+ modes are immediately noticeable where the throttle and steering responsiveness are concerned, the LS 460's adaptive suspension never transcend its comfort imperative. Through the same bends that I recently tested the 2015 BMW 740dL, I found that that Lexus felt significantly softer, heavier and simply less fun. The Bimmer encouraged me to go faster and was a surprisingly fun drive for such a big car. The Lexus lacked that sense of fun and excitement.