5th Generation (2018+) Lexus LS 500 & LS 500h Megathread

[Berto3818]

@Trexus I might as well wait then for the changes. No sense in getting a 2020 now.

 

[spwolf]

@Trexus I might as well wait then for the changes. No sense in getting a 2020 now.

Hm, not so sure when will be LS update, plus 2020 was just updated.

I dont think they will change LS500h engine anyway, it is brand new... They will add LS-F eventually

 

[Berto3818]

With it being one year away just about it will be good to wait to see what they will do. I'm going to get the gas motor whether it is the TTV6 or the V8. if there is a V8.

 

[spwolf]

With it being one year away just about it will be good to wait to see what they will do. I'm going to get the gas motor whether it is the TTV6 or the V8. if there is a V8.

LS-F might be in 2023... so you are always waiting for next year .

Did you try new 500h powertrain btw?

 

[Berto3818]

@spwolf Morning Sir.. here are my thoughts on this. Well we all know now that the TTV8 is coming. That probably means the 5.0 V8 currently in production is dead which leaves me to believe that the LS won't be getting a detuned V8 and more gains in the TTV6. For me thats more than fine on the power front because with that engine it is no where near being tapped out on power. I'm thinking they will add more power to it next year in the refresh. If they do make the LSF which they probably will the TTV8 will be in that. i just want the base model LS not the sport version or "F" model. Now I'm hearing that the TTV6 is being hybridize and if that is the case i will take a serious hard look at that because with the base motor your already getting 416HP and probably more when the refresh comes and with the electric motors it will probably push it close to 500HP. If that is the case i will get the hybrid.


R,

Markus

 

[spwolf]

@spwolf Morning Sir.. here are my thoughts on this. Well we all know now that the TTV8 is coming. That probably means the 5.0 V8 currently in production is dead which leaves me to believe that the LS won't be getting a detuned V8 and more gains in the TTV6. For me thats more than fine on the power front because with that engine it is no where near being tapped out on power. I'm thinking they will add more power to it next year in the refresh. If they do make the LSF which they probably will the TTV8 will be in that. i just want the base model LS not the sport version or "F" model. Now I'm hearing that the TTV6 is being hybridize and if that is the case i will take a serious hard look at that because with the base motor your already getting 416HP and probably more when the refresh comes and with the electric motors it will probably push it close to 500HP. If that is the case i will get the hybrid.


R,

Markus

Yes, for European market I see v6tt + v6 hybrid as your options. However they might actually kill v6tt in Europe next year and leave only v6 hybrid due to CAFE rules on CO2.

Did you actually try 2020 500h? Should be plenty fast already, and v6tt+hybrid is likely not going to come to LS.

 

[Berto3818]

@spwolf no sir i haven't tried it yet. I should though. Why don't you think the TTV6 plus Hybrid won't come here? That has been the biggest issue with Hybrid is the lack or low end power and accerlation through out the powerband. From what I read is it a weak engine sluggish. The TTV6 with the added batteries will make it better.

 

[spwolf]

@spwolf no sir i haven't tried it yet. I should though. Why don't you think the TTV6 plus Hybrid won't come here? That has been the biggest issue with Hybrid is the lack or low end power and accerlation through out the powerband. From what I read is it a weak engine sluggish. The TTV6 with the added batteries will make it better.

I am not so sure that hybrid issue would be lack of power at low end, because electric motors are helping from 0rpm. I would think the problem was transmission and integration which was actually supposedly much improved in 2020:

That it's a hybrid is even more impressive. It does a very good job of disguising its hybridness, especially when driving with vigor. Throttle response is well-calibrated (even Comfort mode doesn't make things all inert and squishy), and as Snyder noted, you actually get some nice engine song piped into the cabin. The snarl is certainly not something you're expecting from a big Lexus hybrid sedan with an executive back seat package. Acceleration doesn't take your breath away, but even if it's slower than the turbo-V6 LS 500, it doesn't feel slow and I wouldn't hesitate to choose the hybrid.

The LS hybrid has that trick transmission — a magical union of CVT and four-speed automatic — as part of the Multi-Stage Hybrid System that won our Tech of the Year award as tested in the Lexus LC 500h back in 2018. It's a sweet complement to the soulful V6 underhood, and provides a nice experience when left to its own devices or when using the paddle shifters to switch among 10 effective gear ratios. It works quickly, smoothly, and efficiently all at once.

2020 Lexus LS 500h Review | Interior, performance, driving impressions - Autoblog

We test two versions of the 2020 Lexus LS 500h hybrid luxury sedan. One with and without the expensive Luxury rear seat package.

www.autoblog.com

 

[spwolf]

@Berto3818 try it out - and write it up?

 

[Ian Schmidt]

Yeah, I'd love to hear about that too. The hybrid on the 2018/2019 was definitely deficient but the reports are that it's much improved now.

 

[Berto3818]

@spwolf I will look into the Hybrid!! I didn't know they improved it!! let me take a look!! i will write it up.

 

[Berto3818]

@Ian Schmidt I will look into it.

 

[Berto3818]

@spwolf do you thik there will be gains to the hybrid. it seems huge gains already been made. I'm talking about power. its at 354 total right?

 

[Berto3818]

@spwolf - i will test drive and report back.

 

[Berto3818]

it is very possible that the LS gets the TTV6- hybrid because as of recent reports the new LX600 is getting it.

 

[Joaquin Ruhi]

@Joaquin Ruhi - Morning sir so the LS will be refreshed next year? so what will be the motor choices? I might as well wait now.

A 2021 model year refresh for 5LS is highly likely, but I'm not really sure what it will consist of, much less whether the rumored new Dynamic Force V8 will come in time for the 2021 MY refresh.

 

[Berto3818]

@Joaquin Ruhi yeah that’s what the group had been discussing. I don’t think it will get a v8... the F model yes but regular model no. The 5.0 liter is going out so why put it in the LS. I see performance gains on the 3.5 TTV6. I’m going to check out the hybrid also.

 

[Will1991]

@Joaquin Ruhi , considering Geneva (the biggest European Auto Show and a very important one worldwide) is just around the corner and I'm pretty sure we won't get anything new to show... Even a new set of wheels would improve current trend...

 

[Berto3818]

I think the revision is going to be good. That’s why I’m waiting.

 

[ssun30]

My experience with the 500h multistage system is that it's very responsive to the point power ramps up too quickly at high throttle input that makes it feel jerky. But I guess it would depend on drive mode and battery charge level.