Our staff of enthusiast drivers continues to find the quiet, smooth Lexus too much of an isolation chamber for real driving enjoyment. Most push the “Sport” button as a matter of routine, to dial out some of the plush, gliding effect, though we do like being coddled sometimes—for example, when the Lexus awaits at the airport after 24 hours of flying home from China.
If there’s no ocean in the way, we skip the airport and take the car. The LS 460 L has been a favorite for long-distance travel, and there’s plenty of power to shorten the trip. The eight-speed contributes to exceptional fuel economy for this class. Long freeway runs have pushed mpg up beyond 25 for a 700-mile range. Road-trippers do note that the reclining back seat steals trunk space. Several times, drivers with three aboard have stowed the third person’s baggage in a rear seat. For four of you, pack lightly. There’s scads of legroom, though.
Also this quarter, our managing editor had a fright-inducing moment when a slab of steel covering a construction site on the road triggered the Lexus’ precrash safety systems. The car slammed on its own brakes (the driver wasn’t even grazing the pedal), and the seatbelts ratcheted down tight to prepare for what the system assumed was an imminent collision. It didn’t last long, but he felt as if the car had roughed him up unnecessarily. Overengineered? Maybe.
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