Entered CNET Catalog: 12/05/2006
SKU: 100807644
Manufacturer: Lexus
Product summary
The good: The 2007 Lexus LS 460L is a hit on all fronts, with live traffic on its navigation system, a hard drive for storing music, a self-parking system, a smooth-shifting and smart eight-speed automatic transmission, decent fuel economy, and a dozen more useful high-tech features that all work well.
The bad: Navigating the music library could be a bit better.
The bottom line: With plenty to wow us, there's very little we can find at fault with the 2007 Lexus LS 460L. It comes up to par with other luxury sedans in its class, then beats them all with a substantially lower price.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: Yes
- Reviewed on: 12/08/2006
Photo gallery:
2007 Lexus LS 460L
The Lexus LS 460L is the best car we've seen. We can't put it any more bluntly than that. It checks off all the tech boxes, then goes and adds some new ones. The company's flagship sedan is a genius piece of work, combining technologies that contribute to a comfortable ride with the ability to tear down the roads and take the curves. And it does it all with amazingly good fuel economy, given the size of this thing and its competition.
Lexus redesigned its LS flagship for the 2007 model year, and gave it a bigger engine, more gears, and an expanded array of technology in the cabin. The automatic transmission gets eight gears to shift, more than any other production car. And this Lexus is the first car in North America to get Toyota's self-parking technology, which was previously released in the Prius for Europe and Japan. The LS comes in two basic styles, the standard LS 460 and the long-wheelbase LS 460L version. We tested the latter.
Although the LS 460L gets a long list of options and standard technology, it's not a kitchen sink kind of car. We like how everything is integrated. We like how the car drives. We like the usability of the technology. We even like the self-parking feature, which is getting backlash from other media sources.
Enough speakers for heavenly sound
Our review car came with an upgraded stereo, a Mark Levinson reference system with 19 speakers. Yes, 19. We're not sure if that sets a record for a factory-installed system, but it must come close. That's six sets of two-way tweeter/midrange speakers placed along the sides of the car, one two-way in the dash for center fill, big woofers in each door, and a subwoofer in back. These speakers get 450 watts from 15 channels pumped through them. The result is near-perfect audio quality. We used various audio sources and different types of music in our testing, and the system created a nice surround effect while producing excellent separation and clarity with each one. Bass came through strong, while the highest notes still stood out. With the digital signal processor placing the sweet spot for the music dead center in the cabin, the audio actually sounded best in the back seat.
But that's not all we have to say about this audio system. It has a hard drive. Actually, the main purpose of the hard drive is to store data for the navigation system. But there's 8GB left over that can be used for MP3s. Better yet, the system can be set to rip any CD that's put into the changer at either 256Kbps or 128Kbps. The system has the Gracenote CD database built in and will automatically recognize CDs and apply ID3 tags to the ripped tracks. We like this a lot. We ripped six CDs to the system, and it told us we had used 3 percent of the hard drive space. Although 8GB isn't huge by today's standards, it's enough to carry around an adequate music library. The management screen for the hard drive is fairly easy to use, although it does require pushing a button labeled Play mode to change from artist to album selection. We liked the music-management screen on the Cadillac Escalade EXT a bit better.
The LS 460L's stereo can handle other audio sources, as well. It has a six-CD changer that can also read audio and video DVDs. Our car didn't have a rear-seat entertainment system, although that is an option, but we could watch DVDs on the car's dashboard LCD. It also has an auxiliary audio input, for MP3 players, and comes with XM satellite radio. We found it easy to navigate the XM radio channels, using the touch screen to select a category and the tuning knob to choose a station within the category.
Having XM satellite radio is important because the car's navigation system has live traffic reporting, an XM service. We've previously seen this type of live traffic reporting in the RDX. The system overlays traffic information on the navigation map, showing traffic flow in red, yellow, or green for freeways and specific incidents as yellow icons. The system only shows traffic in specific metropolitan areas, and only for major roads, such as freeways or highways. We were impressed that the system in the LS 460L spoke up when there was an incident along the route we had programmed, informing us of an accident 15 miles ahead. It gave us plenty of time to take an exit from the freeway and bypass the accident. The system can also be set to automatically route around incidents. In our testing we did notice some bad reporting, mostly showing green lines on the freeway, indicating free-flowing traffic, while traffic was moving less than 40mph. But that's a fault of the traffic-reporting infrastructure more than the in-car system.
Otherwise, the navigation system worked well. The screen was big, bright, and easy to read. The destination input screen is well-designed, both for aesthetics and usability. Its points-of-interest database is complete, including the usual restaurants, parking, gas stations, and ATMs, along with retail stores. And because it's a hard drive-based system, response times are faster than with a DVD. Route guidance is also very good, although the voice prompts can't read out names of individual streets. When the car approaches an upcoming turn on the route, the map goes to a split screen, showing the map on one side and a graphic of the turn on the other. Accuracy was very good in our testing, even among tall buildings.
At this level of luxury, a voice command system is to be expected. In our testing with the LS 460L, it generally worked very well. It let us input destinations, recognizing every part of the address we spoke. We did find that we had to pronounce Rodeo Drive as ro-dee-o instead of ro-day-o. It also accepts commands for the audio system and Bluetooth cell phone integration. The phone system also worked very smoothly, letting us pair our phone up without a hitch. Even better, once the phone was initially paired, it immediately linked up with the phone again whenever we were in range (as long as our phone's Bluetooth transmitter was on). The car can copy over a phone's address book, up to 1,000 entries, although every time we tried it with our Motorola V551, it broke the Bluetooth connection.
But the feature that everyone is talking about, the one that invites awe at its technical wizardry or disdain for catering to less skilled drivers, is the parking assistant. The car can steer itself into parallel or slotted parking places. If the car has possible parking places around it and it's put into reverse, buttons appear on the touch screen that lets the driver choose parallel or slotted parking. Once the car is in self-parking mode, a green frame settles on the most likely parking spot, and arrow buttons let the driver adjust the positioning of the spot. Once the spot is chosen, the driver just needs to control the brake while the car steers itself back into the parking spot.
In our testing of the system, we found it identified a valid parking spot very quickly if we had the car positioned properly. For parallel parking, the driver's seat should be next to the front bumper of the car the Lexus is intended to park behind. We found the system works best if the curb is of normal height and there are cars in front and back of the space. Identifying a valid parking space is the biggest challenge--once it's set, the car steers itself right in. We were particularly impressed when the car put itself into a relatively tight spot. When we tried to park in a slotted spot with no cars to either side, we had to spend more time adjusting the green frame, but the car smoothly put itself into the spot. Overall, we like this feature. Although it didn't work under all circumstances, it worked in more than we would have expected.
The materials in the cabin are very luxurious. Lexus' press kit on the car points out that all interior wood comes from a single tree, just to ensure that all the grain matches. We are also impressed with the interior lighting, which uses LED spots for each seat, making it possible for a passenger to read a book without interfering with the driver's night vision.
Eight gears to choose from
Although the cabin of the LS 460L is impressive, Lexus doesn't skimp on the drivetrain, either. The automatic transmission has eight gears. And that's not just excess, as this transmission is pretty smart. In our test driving, shifts were smooth, and most of the time not even noticeable. When we needed power, the transmission was there for us. When going downhill, the transmission downshifted to add a little engine braking. When the transmission is in Drive mode, it uses all gears, but in its Sport mode it tops out at six. It also offers manual selection, where the whole range is available.
The LS 460L's main competitor, the Mercedes-Benz S550, only has seven gears, but it has a bigger engine. As the name would suggest, the LS 460L is powered by a 4.6-liter V-8 producing 380 horsepower. But the S550's bigger engine only seems to get worse gas mileage, as the LS 460L gets to 60mph in 5.4 seconds, whereas the S550 takes 6.14 seconds. We found the engine to be more than adequate to move this big car around, pushing it up hills and off the line without complaints or hesitation. Better yet, the EPA mileage on the LS 460L is 18mpg in the city and 27mpg on the highway. In our testing, which was biased toward highway driving, we observed 24mpg. Those are very good numbers for a big car with a relatively big V-8.
The S550 had a slightly more comfortable suspension than the LS 460L, making the Lexus the second best we've ever tested. It floats over potholes and road imperfections, quickly damping out jolts. There is an air suspension option available that may produce an even better ride, but our test car was not so equipped.
Handling is also good on this car. At low speeds the steering is fairly light, but it firms up underway. It is a fairly big car, and we felt that weight on the curves, but the tires stayed firmly on the road. It's helped along by Lexus' version of stability control, VDIM, which stands for vehicle dynamics integrated management. VDIM takes into account lots of vehicle data, such as wheel slip, deceleration, braking, and speed to provide a smoother driving experience than standard stability control systems.
Four braking system acronyms
The LS 460L also has an extensive array of braking technologies designed for safety and handling that go under various acronyms, such as ECB (electronically controlled braking), ABS (anti-lock braking system), EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution), and BA (brake assist). In our use, we always found the brakes responsive, without being too grippy. Even the parking brake is electronic.
Air bag coverage in the LS 460L is more than complete. The driver and front passenger get front air bags, side air bags, and knee air bags, while side curtain air bags run from front to back. Our car also had optional rear-seat side air bags. Lexus Link telematic service is also available, which will automatically send out an emergency signal if air bags are deployed. The car hasn't been rated by the NHTSA for crash protection yet.
A couple of other nice features worth mentioning are the tire pressure monitor and hill hold. Tire pressures are shown on the instrument cluster display, and even include the pressure in the spare. Hill hold is activated by pushing a button on the steering wheel. When it's activated, the car won't roll when the brake pedal is released.
The Lexus warranty offers four years or 50,000 miles of basic coverage, and six years or 70,000 miles of powertrain coverage.
Our review car was the 2007 Lexus LS 460L, with a base price of $71,000. It had a luxury package ($2,780) that added power rear seats and other options, the Mark Levinson stereo upgrade ($2,530), Lexus Link telematic service ($900), Intuitive Parking Assist ($500), and the whiz bang Advanced Parking Guidance System ($700). With the destination charge, the total came out to $79,125.
The near-$80,000 price tag is hefty, but it's substantially cheaper than the Mercedes-Benz S550 or the BMW 750Li. Its fuel economy is also substantially better than these competitors, which makes it a compelling choice in this segment. But if the price of the LS 460L still sounds on the high side, $10,000 can be quickly shaved off with the standard wheelbase LS 460, which has a base price of $60,000.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54out of 54 user reviews
waste of money
Pros: not much to get excited about
Cons: the radio started making a horrible clicking noise, you cant overide it, the tech support cant fix it and they tell you to take it to the dealer for repairs, you cant unhook the battery, you cant turn the volume off and there is no way to fix it
out of 54 user reviews
This car is a 10 for me (but I admit I am a female).
Pros: Safety and security features; COMFORT, COMFORT and COMFORT; the fact that it has "get up and go". The Lexus customer service that stands behind this vehicle. The QUALITY of it all.
Cons: There is nothing I do not like about this "PRODUCT" BUT one of my nieces (16) and one of my nephews (21) have some terriffic suggestions about making this vehicle even MORE "STATE OF THE ART".
In my opinion, LEXUS has definitely taken "the lead" and become a "model of behavior" for other car manufacturers to emulate. THANK YOU LEXUS!
out of 54 user reviews
If I compare it to BMW and MB, Audi, I think Lexus will smoke them
Pros: High tech, fun, smooth, silky, fast, entertainment, price … etc
Cons: Maybe the shifting gear area is not sporty enough!!
out of 54 user reviews
I own an '08 it is flawless you want to keep on driving!
Pros: Styling,Power,Elegance,Reliabi lity,Handling,economic
Cons: none that I can see
out of 54 user reviews
Perfect 10!!!!!
Pros: Complete package.
Cons: Absolutely nothing.
out of 54 user reviews
great car for all around comfort
Pros: quiet, excellent gas mileage, easy to work all controls
Cons: too many small items they have overlooked
out of 54 user reviews
Just Perfect
Pros: nice look , perfect performance , lot of gadgets
Cons: no single mistake
out of 54 user reviews
Beware of wind and road noise on the LS460
Pros: Ride is wonderful, ML stereo is great
Cons: Significant road and wind noise,
out of 54 user reviews
This realy is the best car out there. I test drove the S550, also a great car , too expensive and u
Pros: EVERYTHING
Cons: a bit conservative looking
out of 54 user reviews
No matter what...it's just a Toy O Ta
Pros: gas mileage
Cons: It's a toyota
out of 54 user reviews
The Best car I HAVE EVER OWNED
Pros: The car drove silently with great power and had all of the Toys I could possible want!
Cons: I'm still looking for one.
out of 54 user reviews
"Park Assist" waste of time and money
Pros: Excellent array of features
Cons: Some features a bit confusing to get through...Especially while operating a CAR
out of 54 user reviews
Other makers can just dream of building a car like this...
Pros: Everything is perfect in this car
Cons: Haven't found anything that should be improved
It is true, that if You buy an LS You will not want any other car. Mercedes costs much more and it constantly breaks, same with BMW. Jaguar is total crap with tons of Ford parts in it...
out of 54 user reviews
perfect car under Ideal conditions
Pros: The car drive well in good onditions
Cons: NO all wheel drive, not good in snow and ice
Car should also be rated on how they handle real world conditions such as rain storms and Snow/ice. safety?
Please do a rating on hybrid cars and luxury cars that work well in rough environments
out of 54 user reviews
Perfect automobile
Pros: Have never seen a car built so well
Cons: Looks a little too muchlike the earlier model
out of 54 user reviews
Excellent vehicle, impeccable service
Pros: New styling, improve cabin comforts and tech
Cons: Could offer LS features across the lineup!
With the excellent Lexus service, a great car, I look forward to having a wonderful vehicle ownership experience--by the time I can afford this beauty. For now, I'm hoping that LS features like NavTraffic etc can be added to the rest of the Lexus lineup--and soon!
out of 54 user reviews
Get the touring package if you want more sport.
Pros: Smooth ride, excellent customer service
Cons: Not all LS 430 features carried over
Just like CNET said, it is one of the smoothest rides of any car they've had--next to the S550. The car is elegant and beautiful, and definitely possesses the breeding of a flagship vehicle. I will however miss the articulating A/C vents and extra storage drawers that are on the LS 430, but the larger compartments obviate that.
out of 54 user reviews
Profoundly disappointing
Pros: Quiet, comfortable. Tech (mostly) done right.
Cons: A car for people who HATE to drive
The not-ready-for prime-time automatic parking option crystalizes the problem: a lot of tech which does poorly and slowly what you could do better yourself -- especially if you had an Infiniti-type backup camera which shows where the car is going. Too bad they did not put some of those resources into trying to build in German-style steering and handling.
In sum: if you hate driving you will love this car. If you enjoy driving you will hate it.
You can get a perfectly good car for $30K. You should expect a LOT more for $70K. I believe that this should start with an exceptional combination of ride, quiet, steering and handling. This is where Mercedes, BMW and Audi shine.
Lexus needs a vast improvement in steering and handling to play in the same league. I have driven the LS 460 extensively over a wide variety of roads, including Mulholland Highway in the Santa Monica Mountains. The more I drove it, the more I hated it.
The Touring package option is available only on the long wheelbase L. It makes a modest improvement.
I put 130,000 miles on a 1990 LS 400 before moving on to cars with more feel. The 460 is a much worse driver's car than the original LS 17 years ago!
out of 54 user reviews
Lexus/Toyota Customer Service is the Worst
Pros: Good design
Cons: Poor Customer Service
out of 54 user reviews
Nice technology, but at that price style is The Must
Pros: Relaibility
Cons: Design, driving
Second, bad, very bad design. While Audi, BMW and Mercedes have a noble appearance, Lexus seems like a construction worker in a rented tuxedo. Sorry, but a Chrysler 300 has more sophisticated and luxury look.
Car technology is pretty much the same across luxury segment. But bad styling and mediocre driving puts Lexus on the same level with Acura and Cadillac, below the true luxury represented by German three.
Car And Driver - the true automotive review source - ranked this vehicle worst of 5. Why am I not surprised?
Fifth Place: Lexus LS460L
Fourth Place: Jaguar Super V-8
Third Place: BMW 750Li
Second Place: Audi A8L Quattro
First Place: Mercedes-Benz S550
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/12082/2007-lexus-ls460l.html
out of 54 user reviews
Not a very good looking car
Pros: Navigation system
Cons: underpowered and homely.
out of 54 user reviews
I think that Cnet is bribed
Pros: Great technology and gadgets, great parking system
Cons: Not as stylish as the germans, the driving isn't as much fun, the interior is not at the same level
You always gave Lexus a bit more points then you should, but this time you have gone to far.
10 points?
The best thing to do is just to buy a nice S550.
out of 54 user reviews
Haters always say it looks like a Toyota
Pros: Fantastic tech, awesome ride, quiet interior.
Cons: Wish there was more legroom.
out of 54 user reviews
I actually have an LS and have had them since '90.
Pros: 16 Years and I've never been disappointed
Cons: It's not a sports car
I wonder about those who make negative comments - have they ever actually owned an LS? Or driven one longterm ?
Some thoughts (in no particular order):
1. The LS is not and is not meant to be a wildly exciting car. It is what it is - a luxury sedan - if I wanted a sportscar, I would get one. The LS has plenty of power and quite a bit of zip - it can glide around hindering cars on the open highway - it can cut them off so quickly that they don't even realize they've been cut off. (Not that I make a practice of this - but sometimes one is just late.) It makes a day trip from Boston to NYC quite feasible and not at all fatiguing.
2. The Car and Driver types simply don't get it - they want the LS to be something it is not. If they want to pick on Lexus, they should pick on the SC, the Lexus sportscar that could be sportier. It's a car that doesn't seem to be particularly sure of its identity. But the LS is - it looks like itself - have the critics noticed that while the LS doesn't really change its look much, Benzes have started to try to look more like the LS? It's not Beyonce - more like the younger Sally Fields - you don't fall down looking at it, but it's something you'd like to see again and again. And it is powerful, luxurious, understated and not at all flashy.
3. Oh, and it works. Look at the Consumer Reports repair records of Benzes and BMW's. In sixteen years, the most serious problem I have had (a couple of LS's ago) was that some neighbor's garage door opener also opened my trunk. Everyone connected with Lexus goes way out of their way to be helpful and s for the auto-opening trunk? The service manager came to our house and fixed it in our garage - I hadn't even complained, merely asked if there was something I could do. Moreover, the dealership I have used for the past 16 years is about 45 minutes away - much more in traffic.
4. Finally, as for stopping distance, I don't really know anything about the statistics, but I do know that I have been repeatedly stunned and grateful for how quickly my LS's have braked in extreme situations.
5. Are there no flaws? Well, you really do need to have snowtires (over a grand) in New England winters, and, even then, you need to be careful in heavy snow or ice. And Lexus can be quirky - the 2005 would not pair cellphones except with Cingular - which is not great around us, and it dropped Lexus Link (apparently now back) the automatic satellite phone connection while switching to digital.
5. The LS has always been one of the most environmentally friendly of the luxury cars (maybe the most.) It has never been subject to the gas guzzler tax, and now it will be the first hybrid luxury flagship.
6. Why have I bothered to write all this? Because I do love my LS, and I get really annoyed with critiques based upon misconceptions of what the LS is meant to be.
Bottom line: If you want the best luxury sedan in the world (and I admit that I have never had the money for Bentleys or Maybachs), you will not go wrong with an LS. On the other hand, if you want a sportscar, get one.
out of 54 user reviews
The best luxury car available, anywhere.
Pros: Best sound system, best safety features, best navigation.
Cons: Very little.
out of 54 user reviews
Flash! Scoring by Online Reviewers Reveals Lifestyle!
Pros: Lots of cool gadgets
Cons: What the Taurus would have been at $70K
out of 54 user reviews
This car is far from perfect
Pros: Comfort and luxury appointments
Cons: HORRIBLE BRAKES!! Not fun to drive
This car is wonderfull if you are sitting in the back in the reclining seats but a dud if you want to have an exciting driving experience.
In addition the 0-60 time for this car according to Car and Driver is 6.2 for the lexus and 5.6 for the mercedes S550. I think I will trust C&D over Cnet on performance numbers any day.
out of 54 user reviews
Nice, but perfect car is ssi-racing 2SSIC
Pros: Good power, performance, luxury
Cons: mediocre mile, no good renewable energy options
out of 54 user reviews
Deadly dull
Pros: Excellent engineering
Cons: Bland styling
out of 54 user reviews
How will this car rate 2 - 3 -4 -5 -10 years from now?
Pros: Why is Cnet rating cars
Cons: There are sure to be high cost of problems in the future.
For a plain old 2004 Ford Focus the cost is over $1000.00 at the dealer to get 2 new keys and a pass key and to reprogram them. There is an anti-theft chip in the key! I know this, as my wife lost hers, though we have AAA and the locksmiths had the equipment to reprogram on the spot for an outpocket cost of $350.00, of which AAA pd $100.00. The $1k was the est. I rcvd from the dealer.
I understand that some of these high end cars that incorporate customization into keys to activate garage/gate openers, seat positions, and other gizmos can cost up to $6 - $9k to replace!!! Why? Special equipment is needed that only applies to a certain model/year/or series of models. And this equipment can cost in excess of $20k. And that many times CPU's have to replaced for security reasons.
For example many times purses are taken that then gives the thieves the address and access to ones home. Requiring replacement of the keys and reprogramming of the vehicle. Some of these folks put as much time into their career, as we do making a legitimate living
Then how will all the electronics and sensors and all else electronic hold up over the years?
We live in a country of wide and diverse climate conditions that can wreak havoc on a vehicle and its systems. There is heat, cold, vibration. water, salt spray. rust and time, to name just a few of vehicles enemies.
I have first hand experience with this, as I work for a Major U.S.Manufacturer and when electronics go bad, it can be very costly to track down the cause and correct it. I am one of the first people call, when they have problems with their vehicles [after they have exhausted the dealers knowledge in repairing their vehicle or have become frustrated].
To top the prior paragraph, the first contact my customers have is with an agent overseas, who has most likely never seen YOUR vehicle and most likely WILL never see it. They do not have rapport with the vehicles, here in the STATES!!!!
I drive an older Japanase product as a Transportation Vehicle Only - half of the electronics do not work and it is only 10 years old!!!!
I offer the above for one's consideration and a prediction of what problems may come from some of these gizmo's in the future. Will you have the money and patience to repair. Did you buy an extended contract that covers electronics in full and for a long enough time.
So a review would be better served to have some of the caveats listed.
And as many reviews include maintenance costs for such things as Alternators, engines. etc. Is it now time to include Electronics in the list of possible repair Costs?
Just wondering? Remember the old rule.
out of 54 user reviews
Autoweek Magazine agrees...
Pros: Silky ride, supreme comfort
Cons: Not much at all
Previously, the LS 430 had already had a luxurious interior, close to the Audi IMO. Now, with the improved design, it surpasses all the others. And no ridiculous knob idrive thing like in the Germans.
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061116/BLOG06/61116002/1065
out of 54 user reviews
Car & Driver says you're wrong
Pros: Great build quality
Cons: Sloppy handling
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/12081/2006-jaguar-super-v-8-vs-2007-mercedes-benz-s550-vs-2006-audi-a8l-quattro-vs-2007-lexus-ls460l-vs-2006-bmw-750li.html
out of 54 user reviews
Floating luxo-barge that looks like a Camry
Pros: Isolation and comfort
Cons: Floating barge handling, similarity to Camry
CNET reviews this car as if it were an electronic toy on wheels. Come on, this is a *car* first and foremost, and should be reviewed for it's driving abilities as well as creature comforts.
I have driven the new S klasse from Mercedes and the BMW 750 Li as well as the Jaguar XJR. XJR will get my money. That car is all Aluminium, only 3800 lbs heavy and handles like a dream. Lexus really screwed up with this one.
out of 54 user reviews
I don't own one, this is just for all those low ratings from people who haven't even drove this car
Pros: When you buy an LS, you usually never buy anything else
Cons: Do you own this car?
out of 54 user reviews
For those who want reliability
Pros: Reliability, Fuel economy, self-parking
Cons: I don't know
out of 54 user reviews
Sub par handling with a comfortable interior.
Pros: simple controls, plenty of space
Cons: soft mushy suspension
The Lexus Ls 460L is basically a car for elderly people that want a luxury car and nothing more. To me it seems as if Lexus has
rated their own car, and given it a ten.
c-net really needs to stop rating cars or at least take into account the car as a whole. And by the way the Lexus gets the same street mpg as its competitors with one mpg better on the highway.
out of 54 user reviews
Are the German lovers right?
Pros: Powerful, reliable, beautiful
Cons: Not perfect, but what really can be?
out of 54 user reviews
Best Car You Can Buy
Pros: Power, Styling, attention to detail, REFINED...SMOOTH!
Cons: none...this car is simply outstanding.
out of 54 user reviews
Close to Perfect - But Not Perfect
Pros: Total package - tech, tech, tech
Cons: Handling Pails to 7-Series
out of 54 user reviews
This is the perfect car. Period.
Pros: Quiet, creature comforts.
Cons: No cons at all.
out of 54 user reviews
Spectacular car
Pros: Very impressive technological tour-de-force
Cons: Very little I can think of.
out of 54 user reviews
Almost perfect...
Pros: Build quality and reliability
Cons: A bit conservative in design
out of 54 user reviews
Beautiful and impressive vehicle...
Pros: 8-speed automatic transmission, 19-speaker sound system, HDD sound system, real-time traffic updates
Cons: Could offermore customizable build options
If only they made cars like this for the rest of us common folk, and not the CEOs and celebrities that can afford this car. I had a chance to drive this vehicle at Taste of Lexus and was very impressed. From the outside, where the vehicle is stunning and refined, to the inside cabin, which is where you spend the most of your time (and where IMO a commensurate amount of design thought should be incorporated), the LS is a standout.
When you entered, the TFT instrument panel display appears--with an animated 3d graphic of the car. You can toggle it to show all sorts of information, including the individual psi tire pressures of each of the 4 wheels plus the spare--a lot of detail! Then there is the center stack, which unlike the iDrive/COMAND/etc knob equipped vehicles is utterly simple to use, despite an increase in buttons. Simply touch the button you want, and that's it--no scrolling around! Imagine that. The luxury of simplicity.
And I found the navigation quite simple to use--had a chance to try a stand-alone unit. The real-time traffic updates loaded quickly and showed the traffic conditions in one of three colors. This feature will be a godsend for stressed-out commuters. When I drove the vehicle on the test track, it handled ably and there was more power than I'd ever need in regular driving. The 380 horses plus 8-speed automatic transmission are impressive indeed.
Inside, I found the black perforated leather interior trim to be the most becoming on this model, and the walnut wood accents complements the cabin wonderfully. The cabin was as silent as a personal spa chamber, and the leather soft like a baby's skin. This is the car I would get in to relax and shut out the worries and cares of the world, and just be in my own space.
out of 54 user reviews
The ultimate luxury vehicle...
Pros: Indulgent luxury, seamless technology, excellent quality
Cons: Very expensive; difficult to obtain...
out of 54 user reviews
It's still a toyota!!
Pros: reliable - yes - keeps the wannabe 'luxury' owners away from the real luxury Cars
Cons: more camry owners will want one
out of 54 user reviews
Boring and unattractive
Pros: Has a hard drive
Cons: Doesn't draw attention, fat, bright red wood color
A technological advanced car would be a Tesla roadster. A car that runs completely on batteries, clean, and FAST. That would be driving nirvana.
Or the Arial Atom.
But not a 2007 Lexus LS 460 L. Please.
out of 54 user reviews
Fantastic car for those who hate driving
Pros: Smooth ride, lots of gadgets
Cons: Detatched driving experience with little to no excitement
CNET is not a car review site, and it shows through the utter lack of focus and ignorance that permeates each of the car reviews posted here. Anyone that takes the reviews posted here seriously is making a big mistake.
out of 54 user reviews
Great technology, Blah styling.
Pros: Amazing combination of technology with driving systems.
Cons: This car would not get a second look based on styling.
out of 54 user reviews
CNET should not be reviewing cars
Pros: CNET is usually a good source of info on electronics.
Cons: Car reviews should be left to car-people, not gadget-people.
out of 54 user reviews
Comfortable... but drives like a house
Pros: Super Comfortable, Very high tech
Cons: Stops and turns like a truck.
out of 54 user reviews
CNET really needs to stop reviewing cars
Pros: Lots of technological features, 8 speed automatic
Cons: Self parking system doesn't work very easily, boring to look at, boring to drive
out of 54 user reviews
WHY SOOOO HIGH
Pros: Technological Masterpiece
Cons: Not a driver's car
Plus, this car appeals to those ages 50+ which is probably not the demographic of cnet. I cannot express my disappointment enough. Like I said, will the Lexus 600L hybrid receive an 11??? Comeon.
out of 54 user reviews
Best Luxury Car Available
Pros: Best Car Stereo Ever, Superbly Quiet and Supple Ride, Brilliant Ergonomics, Phenomenal Engine(Performance and Efficency), Reliability, Safety, Quality, Excellent Styling(IMO), Reasonable Price
Cons: Difficult Process to Get The 19" Wheels
out of 54 user reviews
Why a "10"score, CNET?
Pros: This vehicle is not perfect, but it comes close.
Cons: It does not deserve a "10" rating.
The bad thing about this score is that for anything to be perfect, it should have no flaws. This means that there should be nothing under the "bad" section of the review.
