Topic: Test Drive: 2010 Lexus LS 600h L

[Autos_Editor]

At $144,000, the Lexus LS600h L will "find a home in only the most exclusive driveways," says Senior Editor Paul Williams, but this hybrid comes with almost everything: V8 power, all-wheel drive, and even a reclining ottoman seat.

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[tpl]

On reading this article, I went off to M-B Canada and configured an S550 4Matic.    I would definitely spend my $150k+ ( including taxes)  on the M-B.

Not to say that the Lexus is not a great luxury sedan but as a personal choice, which it sure is in the price range, I'd rather have a M-B.  Apart from anything else... the M-B is not a Hybrid.

[Jack Pollard]

  This may just define all that is wrong with rich-a**ed Americanos
  Man..it gets a genuine 9 whatevers  (20MPG?) in highway driving...Wow!..what a hybrid! And all 20 MPG on high test...Wow again!!!
  All this to take one Repugnican to his office...
  And it looks just like all the rest of the Toyotas...Ugly...only bigger ugly..144 biguns, eh?
  Where's my Chevy?                dragonfly

[wing]

9 = 26mpg that's pretty good very few mid-sizers can even claim that.

[Ex-airbalancer]

  This may just define all that is wrong with rich-a**ed Americanos
  Man..it gets a genuine 9 whatevers  (20MPG?) in highway driving...Wow!..what a hybrid! And all 20 MPG on high test...Wow again!!!
  All this to take one Repugnican to his office...
  And it looks just like all the rest of the Toyotas...Ugly...only bigger ugly..144 biguns, eh?
  Where's my Chevy?                dragonfly

It reads like some is off their meds

[ovr50]

Should something not be done about these "guests" who come in with ridiculous comments? Almost every article has one of these nutjobs posting egregious and pernicious uber liberal political-economical rants.

It really taints this forum. Please, more focus on cars and less about the world in which we drive.

Apologies about the hijack.

@TPL --> I too would opt for the MB.

+1

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Speaking as an über liberal, the $83k LS460 would get my vote in the dreadnought class. The Germans seem to have forgotten about reliability.

[Schmengie]

Is there some point to this thing being a hybrid? I really don't think anyone rich enough to afford one of these barges loses much sleep worrying about fuel economy. Does using a little bit less fuel every year somehow make them feel more socially or environmentally responsible? Like every other vehicle in this segment, this is still a huge, ostentatious car that gobbles big chunks of resources, and that includes a lot more than just the fuel used to propel it.

I saw one of these in Kelowna the other day, I don't know if it was the Hybrid model or not. It struck how much it looked like a Toyota - a big and imposing Toyota, but a Toyota nonetheless, bland and characterless.

[johngenx]

Speaking as an über liberal, the $83k LS460 would get my vote in the dreadnought class. The Germans seem to have forgotten about reliability.

Is the LS460 really "only" $83K?  Wow, that's serious value in the flagship luxo class!  I haven't driven any of the big sedans in a while, but back when the 2000 S-Class W220 model Mercedes came out, I attended an intro that had the S500 and an LS430, and the Mercedes was a better driving car, with better handling by far.  However, it also cost about $40K more than the Lexus and had lots of reliability issues that the Lexus didn't.

The Mercedes S430 was closer in price (though still $15K more than the Lexus) and still a superior driving car, and would have made the decision tougher.

I assumed as time went by, the LS Lexus would have caught the big Germans in pricing, as they have in some other segments.  I guess I was mistaken.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Speaking as an über liberal, the $83k LS460 would get my vote in the dreadnought class. The Germans seem to have forgotten about reliability.

Is the LS460 really "only" $83K?  Wow, that's serious value in the flagship luxo class!  I haven't driven any of the big sedans in a while, but back when the 2000 S-Class W220 model Mercedes came out, I attended an intro that had the S500 and an LS430, and the Mercedes was a better driving car, with better handling by far.  However, it also cost about $40K more than the Lexus and had lots of reliability issues that the Lexus didn't.

The Mercedes S430 was closer in price (though still $15K more than the Lexus) and still a superior driving car, and would have made the decision tougher.

I assumed as time went by, the LS Lexus would have caught the big Germans in pricing, as they have in some other segments.  I guess I was mistaken.

Yup, the base LS460 starts at $82900, the LS460AWD is $88000 and the LS460L AWD is $103150.

In comparison, the S400 Hybrid is the cheapest S class, and it starts at $105900.

[tpl]

yes but. The LS600h AWD is 144 + tax    and that is what was being tested.  Hence I compared to the S550.

No argument that the cheaper Lexus is a lot cheaper and probably better equipped and more reliable than the cheaper S-class.

[johngenx]

No doubt that this car is not about fuel economy, though the numbers are pretty damn good for a car like this!  It is a halo car for Toyota, a rolling showcase of technology.  Though I like the price is high, if I really had so much money that this amount would be pocket change, and really wanted a big sedan, it'd be tough to pass on it.

Of course, the AMG S-Class sedans can carry me and three supermodels to Vegas and bend the laws of space and time along the way.

[rrocket]

In addition, this car is also about having V12 power (438 combine HP) without V12 fuel economy.  As Wing said, the fule economy figures for this car with AWD and this much power is impressive.

[vdk]

Is 440hp V12 power? Not really...

[rrocket]

Is 440hp V12 power? Not really...

Hmmm...tell that to BMW with their 438HP 6.0L V-12 that was in the BMW 760Li when the LS600H came out. 

Ok..V12 power or forced induction V8.  Feel better?

[Alex_S]

At $144,000, the Lexus LS600h L will "find a home in only the most exclusive driveways," says Senior Editor Paul Williams, but this hybrid comes with almost everything: V8 power, all-wheel drive, and even a reclining ottoman seat.

While I'm sure this is a fine driving car, the real issue to me is that Toyota still doesn't know the root of the problem of unintended acceleration.  There were 60 reports of UI - AFTER the fixes were made.  Yes, Toyota is going to throw out some ridiculous comment saying the fixes were not done properly.  I mean, really, it is just inserting a postage-sized shim - not rocket science here folks..

Also, 900k+ Toyota are to go through a 'service campaign' to fix engine oil leaks.  This is apparently "not a recall because it does not affect safety".  Correct me if i'm wrong, but if you are travelling on the highway and your car stops because it is out of oil, then does that not constitute a safety issue? And because Lexus vehicles are more expensive than Toyota's doesn't mean they are any safer. The president of Toyota USA can not say with absolute certainly the 8.5m vehicles being recalled will be safe.  This oil leak issue brings it to ~9.5m vehicles!

My Corolla was brought in to service the engine oil leaks on 3 separate occasions - bunch of babboons these Toyota guys..
Man, i'm getting really tired of Toyota, really fast..

[John MacDonald]

Who the heck would spend $150K on a vehicle like this.  If you want fuel economy import a Audi A8 diesel V8 from europe, it would probably cost you the same money even with shipping and you'll get better performance and way better fuel economy.  If however you have any sense at all you'd spend that $150K on a Porsche Panamara, as there is no better 4 door car on the planet.

[bluelines]

Obviously you cannot import a V8 diesel A8. Only vehicles more than 15 years old may be imported into Canada from countries other than the US. The only exemptions are diplomatic or temporary use vehicles.

Personally I couldn't live with the taste-free interior of the LS.

Who the heck would spend $150K on a vehicle like this.  If you want fuel economy import a Audi A8 diesel V8 from europe, it would probably cost you the same money even with shipping and you'll get better performance and way better fuel economy.  If however you have any sense at all you'd spend that $150K on a Porsche Panamara, as there is no better 4 door car on the planet.

[John MacDonald]

Obviously you cannot import a V8 diesel A8. Only vehicles more than 15 years old may be imported into Canada from countries other than the US. The only exemptions are diplomatic or temporary use vehicles.

Personally I couldn't live with the taste-free interior of the LS.

Who the heck would spend $150K on a vehicle like this.  If you want fuel economy import a Audi A8 diesel V8 from europe, it would probably cost you the same money even with shipping and you'll get better performance and way better fuel economy.  If however you have any sense at all you'd spend that $150K on a Porsche Panamara, as there is no better 4 door car on the planet.

Really?  I did not know that rule.  Just goes to show just how much the gov don't want us importing any of those fantastic euro spec vehicles.

[Ex-airbalancer]

Obviously you cannot import a V8 diesel A8. Only vehicles more than 15 years old may be imported into Canada from countries other than the US. The only exemptions are diplomatic or temporary use vehicles.

Personally I couldn't live with the taste-free interior of the LS.

Who the heck would spend $150K on a vehicle like this.  If you want fuel economy import a Audi A8 diesel V8 from europe, it would probably cost you the same money even with shipping and you'll get better performance and way better fuel economy.  If however you have any sense at all you'd spend that $150K on a Porsche Panamara, as there is no better 4 door car on the planet.

Really?  I did not know that rule.  Just goes to show just how much the gov don't want us importing any of those fantastic euro spec vehicles.

I thought it just shows how little you know