Lexus LS 500 Named to the 2018 WardsAuto Best Interiors List

[Joaquin Ruhi]

For the third year in a row, Lexus has earned a spot on the annual WardsAuto 10 Best Interiors list. In 2016 it was the 4th-gen RX. For 2017 it was the LC. And now, for 2018, the 5th-generation LS takes the honors.

As usual, commentary and information is published in dribs and drabs by WardsAuto. The award itself will be given on May 30. For now, all we have is a gallery of all 10 winners and an overview article that has this to say about the Lexus LS:

A year ago, Lexus expressed its groundbreaking new design language with the sexy LC 500 coupe, a 2017 Wards 10 Best Interiors winner. This year, the brand’s fourth trophy will honor its designers for extending that interior magic to Lexus’ flagship sedan, the all-new LS 500.

In some ways, it was easier to indulge the tight LC coupe with dramatic flourishes, but the much larger LS resides in the executive saloon segment where basic black rules the roost and where design teams from Germany to the U.S. seem terrified of risk.

Looking to gain some ground in the languishing fullsize luxury sedan segment, Lexus dresses the new LS in spectacular color combinations (including crimson in the F-Sport variant) and taps the creativity of its assembly craftsmen for hand-pleated door trim and cut-crystal trim that looks like Waterford’s finest. These two elements, alone, would have appeared only on a concept vehicle not long ago.

WardsAuto editors recognize the LS for its “top-shelf stuff from headliner to floor,” knurled knobs, huge central screen and reconfigurable gauges and deem it “worth every penny,” even pushing $90,000.

Stay tuned for a separate, dedicated article on the Lexus LS.

 

[krew]

Lexus LS 500 Named to the 2018 WardsAuto Best Interiors List

Following the LC's win last year.

View the original article post

 

[Gecko]

Really nice win for the LS! I'll be curious to see if the V35A-FTS makes the best engines list...

 

[Airplane]

Does anyone know if the LS, ES and UX steering wheel design will replace the current RX, LX, GS, GX, LC type of steering wheel?

 

[spwolf]

Does anyone know if the LS, ES and UX steering wheel design will replace the current RX, LX, GS, GX, LC type of steering wheel?

I would assume LC's will go to sportier cars like coupes, like LS's will go everywhere else... they are very similar, difference is in the bottom part only. (of course other than materials, etc, which will be lower end in UX and ES)

 

[zeusus]

Just goes to show how dedicated how Lexus is to design. And how little some Lexus "enthusiasts" can be when not willing to see the bigger picture.

On CL, people complaining about 5LS rear seat space and lack of Apple Car play. Oh boy..

 

[mikeavelli]

Extremely well deserved. At any price that interior is damn near as good as it gets. It is stunning.

 

[F1 Silver Arrows]

I personally like both the LS and LC steering wheels. It would have been nicer if we were to be given options though. The normal cars having the beautiful LS steering wheel and the F-Sports having the LC steering wheel. The F models can end up having carbon inserts, or some sort of beefy, or flat bottomed version of the LC steering wheel. I think that was just a missed opportunity by Lexus.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

Just goes to show how dedicated how Lexus is to design. And how little some Lexus "enthusiasts" can be when not willing to see the bigger picture.

On CL, people complaining about 5LS rear seat space and lack of Apple Car play. Oh boy..

In fairness to them, you don't necessarily understand the 5LS until you've carved a few corners with the massage seats on and the Mark Levinson bumping.

 

[spwolf]

I personally like both the LS and LC steering wheels. It would have been nicer if we were to be given options though. The normal cars having the beautiful LS steering wheel and the F-Sports having the LC steering wheel. The F models can end up having carbon inserts, or some sort of beefy, or flat bottomed version of the LC steering wheel. I think that was just a missed opportunity by Lexus.

there are small differences, LC is more interesting wheel, but there are also differences between LS and ES wheels too, despite generally the same look.

I think they look sporty enough for F-Sport, flat bottoms are cool but Corolla also had flat bottom leather steering wheel.

 

[ssun30]

I couldn't think of any other car that could win this award. I mean, the 5LS interior makes every other luxury car look embarrassing. It is easily the quality of a car over twice as expensive.

I think they look sporty enough for F-Sport, flat bottoms are cool but Corolla also had flat bottom leather steering wheel.

Last generation F-sport steering wheels were awesome because they were derived from the LFA. The ES F-sport steering wheel looks bulky and dumb though...

 

[krew]

Last generation F-sport steering wheels were awesome because they were derived from the LFA. The ES F-sport steering wheel looks bulky and dumb though...

I don't know, feels very substantial. Works for the car, IMHO

 

[Joaquin Ruhi]

Stay tuned for a separate, dedicated article on the Lexus LS.

WardsAuto has started posting its longer dedicated articles on the 10 Best Interior winners. It seems they're going in alphabetical order. This past Monday saw the first article (Chevrolet Equinox), followed by the Hyundai Kona. If this pattern holds, we should be seeing the Lexus LS 500 article and expanded gallery this coming Friday 18 May.

 

[momers]

http://wardsauto.com/interiors/lexus-design-dazzles-again

 

[Joaquin Ruhi]

http://wardsauto.com/interiors/lexus-design-dazzles-again

And here's a link to WardsAuto's photo gallery:

http://wardsauto.com/interiors/2018-10-best-interiors-winner-lexus-ls#slide-0-field_images-2370491