Gojirra99

PLEASE NO MORE MENTION OF BMW IN THIS LS460 THREAD, I promise I will whack them all if I see another post

STIG

I am with your in this doug. I don't understand why people like wood steering. I could care less about how it looks. But it's just so nasty to hold it, esp when the hands are sweating and slippery. And it's too cold to hold it when it weather is a bit chilly. Nothing, i mean absolutely nothing great about wood steering.

And Thank god they dont make IS with wood steering.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

interesting enough, between my sc430 (wood wheel) and gs400 (full leather), leather is colder during winter time

Gojirra99

I agree, & actually, the wood steering wheel on my SC feels less slippery than some full leather steering wheels I have driven.

LexFather

I like the wood steering wheels. Never been an issue. I can't wait to get rid of my all leather on my GS and swap for a wood wheel.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

I nearly burned my hands after my old S500 sat in the sun all day and I gripped the wheel. I don't think the wheel on my SC ever got that hot. I think they both got equally cold to me. I'm on the line with wood steering wheels. I love the way they look, but I prefer the all leather ones.

Anyway, I'm glad about the article, because the LS, in what it sets out to accomplish, does it impeccably well, probably better than anyone at any price point. I don't think the LS is set out to be the best driver's car, so it shouldn't be scrutinized to be one. There are other cars in the Lexus lineup that do, like the IS, that should be scrutinized in like company.

This has been my pet peeve with car comparos. The other German marques do what they do very well, and Lexus does what it does the best in class.

There are times when I don't want to hear, feel, carve the road. After a long day's work and everything is pissing you off, getting into a soft, extremely quiet environment with some music playing as you go home is all you want. I used to cherish my S500 for that (compared to my SC300 which after everything I've done, is much louder and harsher riding than it was originally), I can only imagine the LS. I guess that's why so many ES's sell, too. I miss the S, one of the reasons I have resisted the urge to go bigger on the rims for my SC.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I don't like wood steering wheels, at all. I like wood on car interiors, but I like some padding in the steering wheel, all the way around.

-J-P-L-

The problem with real leather steering wheels is the wear they experience. You'll probably notice a lot of wear after about 7 or 8 years in the spots that you hold the most.

doug_999

I've heard this before and find it amazing because my experience is 100% the opposite. It must have something to do with the climate one lives in and the wood/leather combo you are comparing. My wood steering wheel got too hot to touch in the summer and was always shockingly cold in the winter. I've got a heated steering wheel now and I swear I will not own a car again without it (if possible).

Gojirra99

We never get too hot in here, so heat under the sun is never a problem.
But in very hot climates, which I have experienced before as well when I was in the tropics , after a couple hours under the sun, the entire interior of the car was like an oven, even the leather seats felt scorching. Sun shades on the dash would help, & you want to turn on the A/C & let the interior (steering wheel/leather seats & all) cool down for a while before you get in & drive anyway.
Never too cold here either, but it does get below zero for a few days, but the leather wheels feel just as cold as the wood to me. The wood steering wheel on the LS460 is heated anyways, I haven't tried it though .

Incendiary

I've got an Alcantara steering wheel and wear gloves, so no real issues here with heat/cold.

doug_999

We went for a test drive in an XC90 last year during the winter and the minute my wife touched the steering wheel she immediately took her hands off it and said "THAT'S COLD!". I had not even peppered her with my wood steering wheels suck comments at the time

Incendiary - the Alcantara steering wheel is VERY nice. However it really suffers from wear (at least on the used 330pp I've looked at).

BTW they had your car at the Chicago Autoshow as their certified example (steering wheel was however perfect btw).

Incendiary

Yes, it is starting to show wear after 3 years, but because of my gloves (I got them to protect the wheel) it's not nearly as bad as it would be otherwise.

I'd always thought I'd want a wood steering wheel. Do they suck even with the heating option? I guess there's no cooling option for the summer, though...

Och

iTrader: (3)

you gotta be kidding me, you wear gloves to protect steering wheel?

doug_999

Only the LS460 has the heating option with wood. A certain 3 letter car company starting with B offers the heated steering wheel option in the 5 and (I think) the 7. Audi used to offer it in their A6 line but I think they discontinued it. My friend has it in his previous gen Maxima. It is so sweet.