The Lexus LS sets a benchmark for soothing luxury motoring, providing a cosseting and isolating environment in a very spacious cabin. Even though this generation's 4.6-liter V8 and eight-speed automatic transmission date back to the 2007 makeover, the powertrain remained a paragon of response and smoothness. We measured 21 mpg overall -- impressive for this very large and swift sedan.
Updates for 2013 include updated styling, a revised dashboard and suspension tweaks for more responsive handling, while preserving the creamily serene ride. The LS remains a terrific highway cruiser and yet it won't completely disappoint if it's occasionally hurried.
The biggest change was the move to more complicated controls, including a mouse-like controller that moves around a giant center dashboard screen. This represents a step backward compared to the relative simplicity of the previous touchscreen system.
It's hard to beat the Lexus LS for comfort, luxury and refinement.