How the Lexus LS Redefined Japanese Luxury Cars
By the time the fifth-gen LS debuted in 2017 (yes, at the Detroit Auto Show), Lexus’s fellow Japanese luxury carmakers Acura and Infiniti had given up on their range-topping sedans — but Toyota’s flagship wasn’t going anywhere. The new model, revealed as the LS 500, was meant to once again show the world just how serious the company was about building a true S-Class rival, all the way down to its use of a new platform shared with the exotic LC coupe and convertible.
The new sedan certainly looked the part of that concept car-like two-door’s sibling, too. The LS had finally grown into its spindle grille, with a front fascia that organically integrated the hourglass shape into a curving, almost seductive face. Out back, the car’s roofline sloped towards the tail at a shallower angle than ever, almost giving the big car a fastback look.
For the first time on an internal combustion LS, the number in its name didn’t refer to the engine’s size. The regular LS 500 was instead powered by a 3.4-liter V6, the first LS to pack fewer than eight cylinders; thanks to twin turbochargers, however, power still rose over its predecessor, with the new six-pot making 415 hp. A 10-speed automatic connected the engine to either the rear wheels or all four, depending on spec. The hybrid LS also returned in the form of the LS 500h, boasting a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 related to that in the Toyota Camry, tied to a pair of electric motors; unlike the LS 600h, however, the new hybrid was less powerful than its ICE sibling, making just 354 hp.
The interior was also a marked change over previous versions of the LS, dominated by sweeping, organic forms instead of the simple, traditional dashboards and layouts used in the flagship sedan before. The tech highlight of the new model was a trackpad infotainment system, dubbed “Enform,” that was meant to control the increasingly complicated infotainment system with the ease of using a computer. In practice, however, it was maddening, leading the company to ditch it for a more traditional touchscreen solution come the car’s midlife update in 2020 — a refresh that has carried the LS through until today.
Whether the LS will continue into a sixth generation, however, remains to be seen. Sales have slowed as buyers, for the most part, continue to shift towards luxury SUVs and crossovers instead of full-size sedans; the company sold less than 2,200 units in the U.S. in 2024, the latest in a string of year-over-year declines dating back to 2018 and almost one-twentieth of what it sold back in 1990. Rumors have swirled for years that Lexus may choose to replace it with a high-end crossover model like the LF-1 Limitless concept of 2018. Whether or not such a vehicle would keep the LS name remains to be seen — but either way, the model’s legacy will always be secure.
