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There are some less than flattering reviews of the new LS.
This one has to be one of the most damning..

http://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/193...-just-wont-die

Ok - I love my Lexus(s) ... but I can't argue with some of his points...ouch.

Center stack navigation?
"....the single worst, most distracting, downright hazardous interface in the entire industry."

Interior styling?
"... the most egregious bit of over-accessorizing.....Like some piece of art-fair junk..."
"...*****...gratuitous weirdness....like bolts in the Frankenstein monster’s neck..."

And the Kiroko Glass and pleated fabric trim?
"I thought it looked more like Barbie’s Magic Makeup Mirror."

10-speed transmission?
"a very bad 10-speed transmission, one which serves up the disconnected, rubber-bandy feel of a CVT."

Hybrid engine?
"....this LS sedan will feel infinitely healthier with this hybrid tumor surgically removed..."

Ahhh come on - Tell us how you really feel!
Frankly I think there are some valid points.
The hybrid system (Just 15 minutes in the LS500 for me, but thousands of miles in a 2017 RX450h) sucks.
The controls for the center stack are the worst.
The 10-speed transmission does hunt around.

Comments?

Toys4RJill

kellens

I belive the review was harshly written, but agree, some valid points, the LS500's infotainment is not good and years behind for even an economy level new car. He didn't overstate how bad that is. Any jabs at the 'prettiness' of the interior I don't understand, it's the car's main attribute, to look at it. I have not tried the hybrid LS yet, so I can't chime in there. The car will not sell well IMO except to the most loyal LS buyers, not that sedan's are breaking the sales charts. Lexus at one time beat Mercedes and others in their flagship sedan, but that day is gone. I think they let the prior LS get too long in the tooth for a redesign to stay relevant. The S class is IMO (as well as proven by sales volumes) worth it's 20% higher cost now, a ride in it's air suspension, or the Audi A8 (both which come with optional magic body control) and then the LS500 it feels like the S could be worth triple if they only nailed it's somewhat riskier reliability and cost fear factor outside of a warranty. Other alternatives like Genesis have a golden opportunity here for the budget luxury sedan shopper with reliability in mind.

Bob04

Lexus better get it together with the infotainment issues if they want to attract young buyers like they seem to be trying to do with the rest of the car. That can be a deal breaker. Very surprising that they can't seem to figure that one out. As for the rest, hybrid versions of vehicles are always polarizing. No surprise a car reviewer wouldn't like it. It's a specific buyer that knows it's shortcomings going in.

Toys4RJill

I agree. If the rest of the competition do touchscreen or gesture, Lexus should follow them. I sometimes think Lexus has done the infotaiment screen the way they do it on purpose.

dsc07

My 2010 460L has a touchscreen. I honestly don't understand why Lexus moved away from it. A service rep. once told me it was because customer's were getting pissed off when they went bad and were told it would cost Six Grand to replace them. I don't buy that argument. That joystick was actually the main thing that kept me from getting a 2015/16/17 model, so I waited for the LS 500. We'll see how bad the touchpad is when it gets here next week.

SW17LS

Lets put it this way, when have you ever seen a touchscreen go bad on CL? If "touchscreens went bad all the time and they were $6k to replace" it would be all over the forum, It isn't. The reason they went away from the touchscreen is styling, thats all. They can design the dash differently with a joystick/controller type setup.

The "joystick" in my LS460 and the "touchpad" in the LS500 are exactly the same. The only difference is its a touchpad moved cursor vs a joystick moved cursor. Think mouse trapped vs physical mouse, same basic thing. Once you get used to it its no big deal.

Toys4RJill

You might get used to it, but turning things on such as heated seats or vent controls become a two or three step process. I think that is what the issue is. The heated seats in the LC or LS make no logical sense. Some redundancy would correct all this.

SW17LS

That I agree with entirely. The Chrysler uConnect system we have in the Pacifica and had in the Jeep is the same way and its really annoying.

I think Lexus' thought was everybody would just leave those features on "AUTO" and wouldn't be adjusting them all the time, my LS460 has auto function for them as well but I still routinely set them myself.

Toys4RJill

Honestly, the only alternative that I can think of is that Lexus has purposely done this to their controls. Their intention is to make things more complicated. I say that because Toyota and since the inception of Lexus has always had straightforward and easy to use controls and gauges. It is one of their hallmarks. How on Earth could Lexus now all of a sudden forget how to make things easy to use?

I also believe that something that is too critic proof and positive does not always mean the best sales. The most critically acclaimed movies don't always perform best. The best reviewed cars also do not always have stellar sales numbers. Same with best feature or spec content.

Nospinzone

webra

REDHORSE

Test drove a new LS this afternoon, and I have to pretty much agree with the OP. The interface is atrocious, and the performance isn't anywhere near what I have in my S8. I didn't expect the performance to match the S8, but it was really inferior. Performance it wasn't all that much better than the Q3 loaner I had while my S8 was in the shop for service.

AustinHusk

Thinking of buying one but if Lexus hasn't stopped locking all the impt. functions once the car goes past 5mph - I swear, my current LS460 FSport will be the last Lexus I ever buy!

Hate that annoying feature

SW17LS