The Drive Review: The 2018 Lexus LS 500h

Motor Trend isn't my favorite mag, but felt this was worth posting.

That ending...... "This result surprised us". Are you joking?! Lexus has made strides to massively improve on their legendary LS, and it gets beaten by the Genesis? It's so ironic how Motor Trend behaves towards Lexus cars. The last gen LS460 was constantly made criticized of being "dull, no excitement, no prestige" and once they revolutionize the LS, the only thing that they wont shut up about is the infotainment system?! Maybe if you took the time to learn how to use it (it is programmable to your own customization), and stopped being so blinded by your arrogance, it would have been the winner? They also criticize the price tag? So now the Genesis wins because it had the old Lexus LS formula? Come on......

Do I have to talk about the LC and the DB11 review too? In that stupid review, that Lexus was an order of magnitude better than that DB11 V8 in every considerable aspect, but yet the DB11 wins? What really pisses me off is that they have the audacity to now say: "Oh so despite these two cars have almost a $100,000 difference, we won't care because they're fundamentally focusing on the same thing?" It is just so ironic how they keep flipping on their morals.

CAR Magazine Review: The 2018 Lexus LS 500h Hybrid

Loves the design, not crazy about the hybrid powertrain.

View the original article post

I finally drove my first LS, a base LS 500 F-Sport AWD and fell in love. As a previous LS F-Sport owner I am STUNNED at how much better this drives. An already great interior has now become sensational. The new seats are a huge plus. The V-6tt pulls nice but doesn't blow you away. It is much more responsive with the transmission than the past LS F-Sport.

It is a really really well done car. It made me grin which is something the last LS didn't do when I drove it, just when I looked at it.

So , can we expect the facelifted 500h to be the 3.5l V6 TT hybrid???

Imagine a hybridized version of the 3.5L TTV6 :neutral::neutral::neutral:

Yeah he himself said it
That there was no time to make it as the non hybrid TT was so close to the announcement

It's interesting how he commented on the lack of torque while the last thing a hybrid drivetrain lacks is torque, and multi-stage is designed to produce even more torque at the wheels. Lexus' own tech review claimed the 500h drivetrain has higher instantaneous acceleration than even the outgoing 600h, that's with 100 horsepower less. The 500h can keep up with the 500 in short sprints with 25% lower power-to-weight ratio which is quite an accomplishment.

The problem here is more the lack of refinement than lack of power. Maybe the drivetrain is tuned for LC application so it tries to aggressively engage a lower 'gear', which increases noise and gives an impression of 'being worked hard'.

Again, the automotive press just have zero idea of what torque really is.

ssun30

It's interesting how he commented on the lack of torque while the last thing a hybrid drivetrain lacks is torque, and multi-stage is designed to produce even more torque at the wheels.

Again, the automotive press just have zero idea of what torque really is.

You are spot on, the auto press and media in general are VERY lazy and pretty much take material, content and even headlines from each other. Almost every organization love the LC and LS EXCEPT for the infotainment, yes there has to be one bad guy because they can't fully love a Lexus (automotive blasphemy).

Notice how they all mimic each other almost exactly about the infotainment. Now its pretty much assumed the infotainment will be shat on in every LC and LS review, despite pretty much everything else being slightly negative, neutral or very positive.

I've used the infotainment in question and honestly, its got a decent to good UX and looks great.

krew

The Drive Review: The 2018 Lexus LS 500h

Brutal.

View the original article post

This is the second review that give no good points to the hybrid

The constant droning sound (in sport/sport+) made by the multi-stage hybrid is a terrible engineering oversight. It's downright annoying and shouldn't occur on a flagship sedan (hybrids are supposed to be quiet!). Even the 3GS hybrid wasn't this bad. Whoever signed off the project needs to be sacked.

@ssun30
It's not now about who signed it off, now it's more about how Lexus will fix it

Lexus known to be brave as the recall they did with the first gen. LS in it's first selling year

So we will see how & when they will fix it

The Drive Review: Ulrich apparently is 'an award-winning reporter'...? Yeah, right. : unamused:
What an awfully subjective and biased report! :thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

Ironically just month ago we knew that the original planning for the hybrid was the 3.5TT but they put this engine to not be late more than that

I don't care what the reviews say, I love looking at it inside and out.

mikeavelli

I don't care what the reviews say, I love looking at it inside and out.

I didn't say I hate it
Honestly the interior for me is another step than it's competitors and I can live with that infotainment thing. I already living with the old version of it now

I just want them to fix this small sound problem as it may effect the whole sales numbers

maiaramdan

Ironically just month ago we knew that the original planning for the hybrid was the 3.5TT but they put this engine to not be late more than that

they did not say that at all... they asked about tt engine and he told them it wasnt ready at the time... It wont get 3.5tt anytime soon too, what would be the point of it?

mikeavelli

I don't care what the reviews say, I love looking at it inside and out.

Drive never liked any of Lexus vehicles... and European mags never liked Lexus hybrids... they preffer to review plugins that nobody buys and/or base diesel tractors :)

spwolf

they did not say that at all... they asked about tt engine and he told them it wasnt ready at the time... It wont get 3.5tt anytime soon too, what would be the point of it?

Yes they didn't say exactly but it was clear reference from the words that the 3.5TT was the original hybrid source and been replaced because of timing

ssun30

The constant droning sound (in sport/sport+) made by the multi-stage hybrid is a terrible engineering oversight. It's downright annoying and shouldn't occur on a flagship sedan (hybrids are supposed to be quiet!). Even the 3GS hybrid wasn't this bad. Whoever signed off the project needs to be sacked.

maiaramdan

@ssun30
It's not now about who signed it off, now it's more about how Lexus will fix it

Lexus known to be brave as the recall they did with the first gen. LS in it's first selling year

So we will see how & when they will fix it

Why all of that ? solving the issue is't hard at all

I saw the issue in person, it's the issue of unrefined transmission mapping and solving it is too easy.

1- Develop new mapping
2- Issue the new mapping through an ECM/TCM software update

These updates can change the transmission behavior completely, especially the part of CVT control and the multi stage device control.

From an engineering point of view, this system is a marvel, the efficiency it gave and the fun to drive -If you program it right - are remarkable !

ssun30

The constant droning sound (in sport/sport+) made by the multi-stage hybrid is a terrible engineering oversight. It's downright annoying and shouldn't occur on a flagship sedan (hybrids are supposed to be quiet!). Even the 3GS hybrid wasn't this bad. Whoever signed off the project needs to be sacked.

Didn't hear any droning when driving the new LS, but wasn't crazy about the hybrid transmission. Seemed to hold gears (both real and virtual) for too long. Afterwards, I chalked it up to driving in the wrong model and not realizing it.

Regardless, much preferred the TTV6 LS 500.

Everyone so far praises the 3.5TT V6 model either transmission, engine or even the stability

I hope they can really fix the h because this will be the main and in some countries the only contender within the EU

maiaramdan

Yes they didn't say exactly but it was clear reference from the words that the 3.5TT was the original hybrid source and been replaced because of timing

it is just misinterpentation, just like Aussie and UK media claimed there will be Turbo for GT86 for last 6-7 years.

Got your point

krew

Didn't hear any droning when driving the new LS, but wasn't crazy about the hybrid transmission. Seemed to hold gears (both real and virtual) for too long. Afterwards, I chalked it up to driving in the wrong model and not realizing it.

Regardless, much preferred the TTV6 LS 500.

Didn't find the 500h quiet enough when I test drove it, maybe I've driven an EV long enough to set too high expectations for the 500h. The 450h comparison could be because of a change in expectations.

ssun30

Didn't find the 500h quiet enough when I test drove it, maybe I've driven an EV long enough to set too high expectations for the 500h. The 450h comparison could be because of a change in expectations.

is there actually a difference between LS500h and LC500h implementation of powertrain? I always assumed they purposely built it so you feel and hear it more, like you would a petrol engine in sportier car. Afterall, most of them will not go to USA, only 10% will be hybrids there, they are going to other markets where they are trying to get sporty vibe.