Reviews: The Fifth Generation (XF50) Lexus LS

[spwolf]

I'm shocked European reviewers would call the 500h "inadequate". I thought only Americans complain about a car not being able to do 0-60 in 5s.

I've driven enough roads (about 7,000km) in UK to say road conditions are similar to China. They are narrow and slow, and honestly even the LS350 with its "puny 318hp" feels overpowered on these roads.

If anything, the LS could need a even lower-spec hybrid drivetrain like 300h to scoop up some people buying 2.0 diesels. But they don't since it's embarrassing for the brand.

indeed. Consider that most automotive media in Europe is owned by German companies.

Just makes you wonder how important these were at any point of time. If you read mags, you will never ever buy an Lexus. Especially non-US mags which are more realistic, especially recently. But for instance, GS was best reviewed Lexus in the US and also sold the worst.

Then again you have other examples, with EVO UK, which is really a sports car mag, writing how Toyota/Lexus is for him the best car company in the world because they produce wide range of performance vehicles, more so than anyone and you have quoted Yaris GRMN, 86, upcoming Supra and then multitude of F vehicles. I dont think many, many so called enthusiasts would believe EVO UK wrote that just few days back.

 

[Joe]

Great review! Most LS500 reviews give short shrift to just how improved the dynamics are

Indeed, dynamics are way better.
Also worth to note is the difference between 'luxury grades' and F SPORT: if the F SPORT version is equipped with the optional Lexus Dynamic Handling system, it almost drives like an LC 4-door (and yes, I am talking about the hybrid version ). This makes the new LS a far far better drivers' car than the previous one. The weight difference between different grades (up to 80 kgs) also adds to the positive feeling, in my opinion. I recently compared an LS 500h top grade with all available equipment like Ottoman seat and AWD with an LS 500h F SPORT with optional LDH (=RWD) and these cars are completely different.
Most reviews on the internet are with the full monty luxury grades and AWD.

The higher weight of the luxury grade + AWD has also negative impact on fuel consumption: I managed a 27 MPG on average in the F SPORT compared to a 25 MPG in the luxury grade...

 

[spwolf]

Indeed, dynamics are way better.
Also worth to note is the difference between 'luxury grades' and F SPORT: if the F SPORT version is equipped with the optional Lexus Dynamic Handling system, it almost drives like an LC 4-door (and yes, I am talking about the hybrid version ). This makes the new LS a far far better drivers' car than the previous one. The weight difference between different grades (up to 80 kgs) also adds to the positive feeling, in my opinion. I recently compared an LS 500h top grade with all available equipment like Ottoman seat and AWD with an LS 500h F SPORT with optional LDH (=RWD) and these cars are completely different.
Most reviews on the internet are with the full monty luxury grades and AWD.

The higher weight of the luxury grade + AWD has also negative impact on fuel consumption: I managed a 27 MPG on average in the F SPORT compared to a 25 MPG in the luxury grade...

sure, but for instance MT tested top end model with AWD (and rear seating package) and found it better than BMW 7.

 

[bogglo]

 

[Joe]

sure, but for instance MT tested top end model with AWD (and rear seating package) and found it better than BMW 7.

Missed that article... Preferring the LS over a 7-series?!? The first European journalist that makes such a claim should receive a statue!

 

[spwolf]

Missed that article... Preferring the LS over a 7-series?!? The first European journalist that makes such a claim should receive a statue!

def not european, haha... in general, Europeans tested F-Sport models and obviously found them very poor handlers

 

[ssun30]

I think recent years the media are quite chill with Lexus, with the exception of blatantly anti-Lexus German reviewers (well they are anti-everything foreign made). Yes they are still annoyingly bashing Remote Touch every time (because let's face it, it's not the greatest), but they've also delivered the message that Lexus vehicles are more dynamic than before and are now way above-average if not among the best.

Here in China the media are almost overwhelmingly positive towards the brand, especially after they equipped 8AR-FTS on everything. Ironically, we chinese people are the biggest believers in 'inferior made-in-China quality', even more so than westerners. No wonder the media all praise the legendary reliability and made-in-Japan quality of Lexus vehicles.

 

[Levi]

Ironically, we chinese people are the biggest believers in 'inferior made-in-China quality', even more so than westerners.

Today quality is mostly about attention to details. Competence is available everywhere now. Then costs play a certain role in deciding if attention to details should be considered or not. Quality has no more that many secrets.

 

[ssun30]

Today quality is mostly about attention to details. Competence is available everywhere now. Then costs play a certain role in deciding if attention to details should be considered or not. Quality has no more that many secrets.

No, quality is about enforcing standards and targeting a specific margin and rejection rate. 'Attention to detail' is not quantifiable so it has nothing to do with quality control, which deals with numbers.

The 'made-in-China cars are crap' myth originates from exposure of lousy standards used by VW and Nissan by the state media, in which they found the Jetta and Sylphy (Sentra) models had foam inserts instead of steel bumpers (yes, I know it sounds horrifying). It resulted in a huge loss of confidence in locally produced cars, including foreign brands. When people talk about imports they use words like 'genuine factory imports' to differentiate them from 'locally assembled fakes'. Ironically, they don't want to admit locally assembled BMWs or Mercedes are 'fakes' (speaking of double standards). Apparently Lexus takes advantage of this perception heavily in their marketing campaigns. The ES200 and NX200 are the cheapest cars people can buy that are made out of the country, so no wonder they sell like hot cakes.

My business manufacturers precision equipment for industry users which are made with very stringent standards and high rejection rates. It disheartens me everytime clients roll their eyes upon hearing 'they are assembled in Shanghai'. As time goes by I just say 'I import them from Germany and I'm just a distributor', and business becomes super simple.

 

[spwolf]

No, quality is about enforcing standards and targeting a specific margin and rejection rate. 'Attention to detail' is not quantifiable so it has nothing to do with quality control, which deals with numbers.

The 'made-in-China cars are crap' myth originates from exposure of lousy standards used by VW and Nissan by the state media, in which they found the Jetta and Sylphy (Sentra) models had foam inserts instead of steel bumpers (yes, I know it sounds horrifying). It resulted in a huge loss of confidence in locally produced cars, including foreign brands. When people talk about imports they use words like 'genuine factory imports' to differentiate them from 'locally assembled fakes'. Ironically, they don't want to admit locally assembled BMWs or Mercedes are 'fakes' (speaking of double standards). Apparently Lexus takes advantage of this perception heavily in their marketing campaigns. The ES200 and NX200 are the cheapest cars people can buy that are made out of the country, so no wonder they sell like hot cakes.

My business manufacturers precision equipment for industry users which are made with very stringent standards and high rejection rates. It disheartens me everytime clients roll their eyes upon hearing 'they are assembled in Shanghai'. As time goes by I just say 'I import them from Germany and I'm just a distributor', and business becomes super simple.

- IMHO there are two important factors when we talk about quality - this is build quality, which means everything is well put together and to the highest standards of alignment, tolerances, etc (and sure related to Quality control)... and then there is perception of quality, which has to do with how materials look to the customer. Together they form opinion of quality and many people will say it is attention to detail that matters, where quality is maintained in all parts of the vehicle. Then we have Dependability and Reliability and we arrive at Toyota's infamous QDR.

- Made in China is crap in West has little to do with Chinese-only vehicles like that Jetta. I have been reading about Chinese cars test/reviews in German media for 2 decades now. We also had some distributors who tried to import brands like Great Wall to Eastern Europe. Back then, and this was like 12 years ago, I have sat in some Great Wall Toyota knockoffs - it was Rav4 and Prado, under their own name... quality was certainly laughably terrible, very cartoonish. There were also many Chinese cars that failed EuroNCAP tests which made big splashes in the media.

Then you have brands like Quoros, which was more recent entry... they seem nicely engineered, decent looking and they tried some Eastern European countries... problem was that the pricing was the same as pricing for comparable VW/Toyota vehicles. Of course that would fail terribly - people expect some unknown, unproven brand from China to have discounted prices.

Next up is Lynk & co which will start sales for Europe in 2020 but will also be manufactured in Belgium and will have some weird sales methods that likely wont work...

 

[Levi]

Quality is quite vast. I would consider engineering also part of quality. Poor engineering, be it for cost reasons or simple negligence is also low quality. Material grade (for example the type of steel and treatment) is also quality.

 

[ILoveLexus]

Hello,

Do you think Lexus LS500 2019 will be equipped with Apple Carplay?

 

[Ian Schmidt]

There hasn't been official confirmation from Lexus yet, but there's no reason the 2019s wouldn't have it.

 

[ILoveLexus]

There hasn't been official confirmation from Lexus yet, but there's no reason the 2019s wouldn't have it.

Thank you for answering my question. I guess i will have to wait the 2019 model then.
Do you have any idea which time of the year does Lexus usually releases the new models ?

 

[Ian Schmidt]

Typically late July / early August is when the next model year starts appearing. You can ask your dealer to get a more accurate timeframe.

 

[RAL]

Welcome new member! ... @ILoveLexus

 

[ILoveLexus]

Will do! Thanks

 

[ILoveLexus]

Welcome new member! ... @ILoveLexus

Thank you, it is my pleasure to join such a wonderful community

 

[RichieRich]

Hello,

Do you think Lexus LS500 2019 will be equipped with Apple Carplay?

I'm almost sure I read All Lexus 2019 models will have Apple Carplay in them.

 

[mikeavelli]

Yeah I believe it was announced for the LC right?