Audriuss

feeling the difference between those two modes is felt mostly when u drive very calm...

garyr

The sport suspension also controls body roll. It will level the car out in turns...

See if you can figure this one out. I ordered my 07 L with suspension and a brake package. A Lex salesmen called me like they do and wanted to sell me a 2010 at a great deal...well I said I wanted the same features and give me a price. While the car comes with adjustable suspension you can't get upgraded brakes or 19' wheels. My guess is only the 600 has them now.

Johnny

Big difference here as well Helmar. Going from Comfort directly to Sport is almost jarring - my wife knows I'm up to no good when she detects the change - like me, she's very aware of it. The steering also feels stiffer and applies resistance to any sudden jerky input. Body roll is also noticeably minimized. A very active suspension indeed. The OEM tires have trouble keeping up to the change.

daryll40

I drove my 2009 on city and highway today and just don't get it. Am I the only one here who can't feel the difference between sport and comfort.

Johnny

OK Daryl, maybe we're comparing apples and oranges here. When you started the thread, I didn't remember what type your LS was, and did not do a search, as I have done today. Your 2007 SWB LS460 has conventional shocks - a completely different experience than some of us here whose LS's have the pneumatic (airbag) equivalent. Speaking from my experience when I had a similar car to yours, you are right, there wasn't much difference going from Comfort to Sport. For those who have the other system, it is a world of difference - even the Comfort mode is a little stiffer with airbags. So I agree, the change for you would be quite subtle - probably only marginally detectable, if at all.

Gojirra99

I have the air suspension in my LS460L, & the difference in ride quality is very noticeable to me between the sport mode and comfort mode, unless it's on a very smooth stretch of road.
On an irregular road surface, even the difference between the normal mode and comfort mode is quite noticeable.

daryll40

You missed the fact that I traded the 2007 for a 2009 with AWD including the air suspension. I LOVE this car...am not complaining...but can't see ANY difference between SPORT and COMFORT.

Johnny

Yes I missed your change, so at this point, I don't know what else to say, save to repeat my earlier post.

You must have shock absorbers in places some of us evidently don't, Daryl...

daryll40

Maybe someone can explain EXACTLY what I am supposed to feel at what speeds on what types of roads.

Helmar

Bumps

Above 20 mph or so, it's more road than speed sensitive.

At very slow speeds, or on a freshly paved road, with no bumps, there'll be virtually no difference.

On any road with bumps, ripples, small potholes, or other imperfections in the pavement that cause the suspension to suddenly flex, the sport setting will cause the bumps to be transmitted to the cabin more and felt more while the comfort setting will "Smooth out" the bumps and cause them to be transmitted and felt less.

As pointed out the difference is much more significant with air suspension than with standard suspension. On my previous LS's with standard suspension, I never noticed any difference between sport and comfort.

Handling

I can't speak to the effect on handling (twists and turns) as I've never driven any of my LS's aggressively enough to try it.

HBH

garyr

I would go back to the dealer and demo another car. Flick the button in sport mode, a green light should come on in the dash that says sport. You can defiantly feel stiffer suspension.

Because 19 inch wheels (available on the older models) are not offered for the AWD who knows to what extent or what Lexus's did to the suspension.

If they have a 2008 460L with adjustable suspension on the lot take that for a drive and you will feel it right away. The salesmen should know what your talking about and can explain it in more detail.

donmichel

I have been shopping while in Dallas this week for either a 460 or 460L (possibly AWD since we live in Illinois) and have been told by a salesman at Sewell that the air suspension option only makes it possible to have the sport setting or regular and that the regular is just like the ride without the air suspension feature. You seem to be saying there are actually three settings and that the comfort setting is actually softer than it would be without the air suspension. So as I understand you, if we want the ability to have an even softer ride, we should get the air suspension option. Correct? Please respond either e-mail to import@midwest.net or call cel phone 618-303-1782. Thanks!
Don Michel

daryll40

I must be as "insensitive" as my enemies say! I've been driving my new 2009 LS460 AWD with air suspension now for a month. I play with the Sport Comfort thingie all the time and I cannot feel ANY difference. None. Zip, zilch, zero. I just totally don't get it.

I am not complaining, by the way, I love the car. Just don't get this alleged change in suspension. Oh and I traded in a 2007 LS without the air suspension so I do know what the "regular" ride should feel like. And neither SPORT nor COMFORT feels any different.

Johnny

When I first got mine, I played around with the suspension settings and could not detect much difference for the first couple of months. So, I put it in Comfort for an extended period (1-2 weeks), and one day popped into Sport. That's when the difference became apparent; I became more attuned to the subtleties from that point on.

VQT

Find a winding road and drive faster than the speed limit require in both sport mode and comfort mode. You will find that at sport mode, the car handle better (take the curve at faster speed than the comfort mode). You will notice that at the same curve, in sport mode you feel more confident in taking the curve at say 50-55 mph while the post speed limit is 35 mph.