2011 Lexus LS600h L: Technology trumps thrills

Lexus owes its renown mainly to its reliability, and despite its owner Toyota’s recent setbacks, these two Japanese companies remain more reliable than the average.
And it’s precisely that reliability that gives Lexus a clear advantage over the other – mostly German – prestige brands. Indeed, German cars are not known for their exemplary reliability. On the other hand, Lexus models sometimes fall victim to the whims of electronics.

Of all Lexus’ vehicles, the most prestigious remains the LS, which was the first Lexus unveiled in North America in 1990. Over the years, its engines have become increasingly powerful while the name has gone from LS400 to LS460, then to LS600h for the hybrid version.

Superlatives recommended

When the base version starts at more than $80,000, we’re not exactly talking about a low-end vehicle. And when the most expensive version costs more than $140,000, it’s for the privileged few. Thus, relatively poor rich people will opt for the first version in the LS line, the LS460. Next up is the LS460 with all-wheel drive, followed by the LS460 L with all-wheel drive and an extended wheelbase. Finally, Lexus crams almost all imaginable technology into the LS600h L hybrid, offered only with extended wheelbase.

Our test model was an LS600h L. Reassuringly subdued, this car’s immense body isn’t very different from the version with the regular engine, with the possible exception of its very nice headlights. Generally, it has a large trunk but the batteries housed behind the rear seatbacks take up several litres in the hybrid’s trunk, and there’s no pass-through to facilitate transporting longer items like skis. The “L” at the end of the LS600h L name refers to the long version, which is the only one available on our market. The LS460 is offered with two wheelbases. The amount of room for the passengers in the back seats is the main difference between the two.

Extreme comfort

Hybrid or otherwise, anyone who claims not to be impressed by the passenger compartment in the Lexus LS is as believable as a politician. The leather, the wood and the occasional plastics are in perfect harmony. Their quality, like their careful assembly, is almost moving. Not a crack, or any other noise for that matter, disturbs the peace and quiet on board. In fact, it’s so quiet that you feel like you’re driving on a cloud.
The sheer number of buttons will surprise even the most diehard techies. Figuring out this bevy of commands, gauges and buttons – and the acronyms that accompany them – is impossible without the owner’s manual, which is 608 pages long for a single language, not including the separate guide for the navigation and audio systems. Speaking of the audio system, it’s a Mark Levinson and it will delight even the most finicky ears. However, while you can almost blow out the thicker-than-average windows by cranking the volume to the max, the engineers seem to have lowered the maximum volume. It’s still very loud, but not exceptionally powerful in terms of decibels. Thankfully, this doesn’t affect the sound quality whatsoever – on the contrary!

The front seats are almost endlessly adjustable and you’ll find the ideal driving position in a snap. It goes without saying that they’re singularly comfortable, but that only applies to the front seats...  The back seats are even better! Our version came equipped with an optional La-Z-Boy (ottoman) seat on the right, perfect for being chauffeured around. This seat can be stretched out, but to do so you’ll have to press a button that moves the front passenger seat as far forward as possible. Moreover, six-footers will have to bend their knees a little.   Of course, ottoman or not, the back seats are heated, ventilated, and include a massage function.

A faster hybrid

The last thing a Lexus LS owner wants to talk about is mechanics, but rest assured that its engines, one in particular, are up to the task. The LS460s, the so-called “regular” models, feature a 4.6-litre 380-hp V8. Paired with a smooth eight (yes, eight) speed automatic transmission, it performs very well, although it’s not as fast as its rivals. The base model is a rear-wheel drive, but most people prefer the all-wheel drive that adds to the safety and traction in winter.

The LS600h L has a hybrid engine. The 5.0-litre V8 combined with an electric motor harnesses 438 horses, making this ecological mastodon more powerful than the strictly gas-powered version. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) is a dream. Thanks to a Torsen limited slip central differential like those found on the LS460 AWD, the enormous horsepower is sent to all four wheels. More powerful than the heat engine version, this hybrid can boast that it consumes at least two litres less fuel per 100 km and even has an Eco mode that seems to cut half the power and an EV mode that lets you drive solely in electric mode for a longer period of time.

A lot of kilometres on a little gas

During our week-long test drive, our imposing and ecological vehicle needed 10.4 litres of fuel per 100 km, some of which, covered on a sunny Friday the 13th near North Hatley, were quite pleasant... In any case, our fuel consumption matched the figures on Lexus’ website. This is impressive considering the car’s   weight of nearly 2,300 kg (5,000 pounds) and all those thirsty horses. However, if the 5.0-litre engine took regular gas instead of super, no one would complain about it...

Strangely, while the LS600h L is a hybrid capable of operating in electric-only mode and whose gasoline engine cuts when the vehicle is stopped, its fuel consumption is higher in town than it is on the highway. In the Lexus line, the only other model that has higher urban fuel consumption is the GS450h. The other hybrids (RX450h, HS250h and CT200h) are more fuel efficient in town. However, in its technical specs, Lexus talks about the “Lexus hybrid system”, regardless of the model, without really distinguishing between each model. We have neither the time nor the space to delve into that issue here, but we intend to examine this aspect in a special feature.

No fun...

Clearly, in spite of its excellent performances, the LS600h L is the antithesis of the sports sedan. It isn’t even fun to drive. It has the loose steering that only a ship’s captain could love, and it’s not at all thrilling. Taking this car into tight turns at high speed requires a certain amount of courage. If the driver goes even a fraction of a millimetre beyond the tire’s resistance limit (235/50R18 tires, but Lexus’s public site talks about 245/45ZR19s), a plethora of driving aids intervenes with authority to bring the car back on the right path in a jiffy.

Decidedly un-sporty, incredibly comfortable, and surprisingly subdued, the Lexus LS600h remains a great car in the sense of a great film or a great vintage. During our week-long test drive, no less than 10 members of my inner circle asked if they could just sit in it, and all were impressed at how luxurious it is. Driving a $144,600 car is something that you remember for a long, long time, but unfortunately, its sensations aren’t nearly as memorable.