The 2023 LS500 is the Japanese premium brand's benchmark of luxury sedans.
FRONT
The LS500 continues as the Lexus flagship in 2023. It offers style, luxury, and Japanese quality this model has a reputation for.
SIDE VIEW
When viewed from the side, the long and sleek limo profile lets you know the price tag isn't going to be cheap. The LS500 competes with the Mercedes S-Class, Audi A8, BMW 7-Series, and the new Genesis G90 both in concept and price.
HEADLIGHTS
On many Lexus models, these triple-beam headlights cost up to $1,200 extra. They are standard on the LS. We did lots of night driving and found the beam reaches out to long distances, which came in handy on dark country roads. The appearance of the odd-shaped grille is controversial but certainly unique. We like it.
F SPORT
The F-Sport package includes an adaptive variable suspension with Comfort, Normal, and Sport settings. It provides a smooth ride on the street, or great stability at highway speeds when the proper mode is picked.
ENGINE
The old V-8 was 386 horsepower, 367 lbs./ft. of torque and got 16/24 mpg. This newer twin-turbo V-6 is a better idea. It has 416 horsepower, a healthy 442 lbs. of torque. Fuel economy is 18/29 in two-wheel drive, or 17/27 in all-wheel drive like we have. There is also a hybrid setup, with 354 horsepower, and 22/29 claimed fuel economy but costs a hefty $113K compared to the F-Sport at $83K.
PADDLE SHIFTER
The LS comes with a slick 10-speed automatic transmission. It can be shifted manually with paddles on the steering wheel. This is a far better place to have them, compared to Italian cars that put them on the steering column, where they can only be reached when driving in a straight line. These can be touched by the fingers in any position, which comes in handy when taking brisk corners.
WHEELS/TIRES
The price sheet says these are "20-inch alloy dark vapor chrome finish wheels". They come with run-flat tires, which were unusually smooth and quiet on rough streets. There is no spare tire offered, and since the car's battery is placed in the center trunk, there isn't much room for one.
GAUGE
The gauge cluster changes appearance depending on drive mode chosen. It showed 20 mpg in mixed commuting. On highway trips, we observed 23 mpg using 87 unleaded fuel, and 27 with 91 premium blend. If you can afford the car, you can afford high-octane gas, which is what is suggested by Lexus.
INFO SCREEN
The info screen is large, and the HVAC controls are easy to use.
CONSOLE
Lexus finally did away with that horrible finger touchpad that was found on the console. Instead, there are six buttons on top for heated seats, cooled seats, rear window sun shade, and a heated steering wheel. The shiny black plastic looks nice but can reflect the sun’s rays at certain times of the day.
PRICE
The base car starts at $78K, the F-Sport at $83K, and the hybrid at $113K. That $1,940 sound system is worth the fee, but $1,220 for a HUD seemed rather steep. The final $88,965 cost is comparable to what the German and Korean competition charges. But this LS500 is made in Japan, which explains the better build quality Lexus is famous for.
>>Join the conversation about the Lexus LS500 right here at ClubLexus.com.
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