We spend a lot of time cataloging how cars grow more refined and more expensive year by year. So it’s a surprise when an automaker notifies us that a car has grown more refined but not more expensive.
But the flagship sedan of the Lexus line has done just that. The Lexus LS drives into the 2022 model year with some tweaks to make the already-supple ride smoother and a few features that were added-cost options now appearing as standard equipment. But its price stays exactly the same.
The base LS 500 with rear-wheel-drive keeps its $76,000 sticker price. The quicker LS 500 F sport keeps its $79,600 price tag. Lexus hasn’t announced pricing for the LS 500h hybrid, so we don’t know if it will keep its $90,500 price tag. All LS sedans also require a $1,075 destination fee.
What’s Quieter Than Near-Silent?
The base 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 keeps its 416 horsepower rating. But Lexus says it has reworked the engine to run quieter when cold. The LS already made the list of the quietest gasoline-powered luxury cars available, so we can’t wait to not hear the changes. Emissions are also lower. And engineers retuned the 10-speed automatic transmission to make more power available at lower speeds.
They also reworked the suspension, adding larger anti-roll bars to reduce body roll and adjusting spring and damper rates to make the ride even more stable.
Automated Safety Equipment Standard
Lexus makes its Safety System+ 2.5 standard on all trim levels. It features a frontal-collision warning, a pre-collision system, automatic emergency braking with bicycle and pedestrian detection, and lane-tracing assist to help keep the car centered in its lane.
Interior Refinements
A 2,400-watt Mark Levinson sound system with an astounding 23 speakers is now available on all trim levels.
Buyers who opt for the Luxury or Executive packages can select a new trim finish called Haku. According to Lexus, “The creation of Haku foil is a Japanese technique that has been passed down over 400 years. It is made by meticulously flattening a piece of metal until it becomes as thin as one ten-thousandth of a millimeter. The Haku foil is so extremely thin that it must be applied by hand with exquisite craftsmanship, achieving a delicate shine reminiscent of moonlight reflecting over ocean waves.”
Such distinctive touches can make a difference in the rarified air where the LS competes with other ultra-luxe sedans like the BMW 7 Series and Genesis G90. The LS is extraordinarily capable, but so is every other car a shopper might test drive in its price range. A hand-applied finish with a romantic history, unavailable on any competitor, might be just the nudge some shoppers need to make up their minds.
Class of 2022: All the New and Redesigned Cars, Trucks, and SUVs
