Walkaround

The Lexus LS 430 is an attractive luxury sedan that makes a substantial, upscale statement. It isn't a head turner, though, and tends to blend in, particularly in areas frequented by luxury cars.

That said, the Lexus flagship is long, low, sleek and shapely. It cuts an understated profile that's attractive. Its large passenger cabin and generous greenhouse are sandwiched between the long hood and short rear deck. Its canted windshield and elegant A-pillars are set off by the slant of the backlight (rear windscreen), and by thick, curvaceous C-pillars that blend seamlessly into the rear flanks. The bold, trapezoidal grille thrusts forward, while the hood bulges with power. The grille is rimmed in bright trim. The short, horizontal deck leads to a vertical back panel with oversized lamps at the corners, camouflaging the mass of the trunk. LED brake lights are brighter, light up quicker, last longer, and draw less current than traditional brake lights, plus they look neat. Dual tailpipes protruding from the lower edge of the bumper project a look of power and performance.

One of the most aerodynamic cars on the road, the LS 430 earns a 0.26 coefficient of drag, 0.25 with the optional air suspension. That contributes to exceptionally low wind noise and improved fuel economy. The slick exterior form is further enhanced by the remarkable fit of the body panels. Although Lexus has long been recognized for superior fit and finish, the quality achieved by the LS 430 in recent years reaches a new dimension. Engineers used a supercomputer to digitize all body surfaces, then worked out new fit tolerances 10 times more precise than even Lexus could achieve just six years ago.

Interior Features

The interior of the Lexus LS 430 is quiet, comfortable and luxurious. It isn't showy, but the workmanship and attention to detail are first class.

The standard leather upholstery, called Majesty, comes in a choice of Ash, Cashmere, Ecru, and Black. (Ecru is available only with the Custom/Ultra Luxury packages). We found the light colors beautiful. The black is nice, but no one does black as well as BMW and Mercedes. Perforated Black Semi-Aniline or Saddle Comfort Nappa leather are optional (again requiring a Custom or Ultra package) and further enhance the luxurious ambiance. Rich wood trim in Golden Bird's-Eye Maple or Walnut warms the LS 430 interior beautifully. Some color combinations come with an Antique Walnut trim with fired edges that's quite interesting.

The seats are roomy and can be quickly adjusted to a comfortable driving position. The driver faces an adjustable steering wheel trimmed in wood and leather with easy-to-use controls for the audio system. Vivid electroluminescent gauges with white needles rank among the best available. Window switches are illuminated, making them easy to find at night.

The cabin of the LS 430 is loaded with technology designed to make driving safe and pleasant and, for the most part, it does just that. The available SmartAccess system eliminates the need to use the keyless remote to open doors and obviates the need to insert a key into the ignition. Just leave the fob in your pocket or purse and you can open locked doors by pulling the handle and start the car by pressing a button. This works well for the most part, but we sometimes found ourselves fighting locked doors. The system on our car was set up so it only unlocked the driver's door, leaving the passenger doors and the trunk locked; it can probably be programmed to unlock all the doors.

A seven-inch touch screen at the top of the center stack controls climate, audio and the optional navigation system. A set of hard buttons integrated along the driver's side of the touch screen is provided for the primary climate controls (Temperature, Fan, Auto, Recirculate, Defrost). It's easy to operate. Your passenger should have no trouble finding and adjusting the temperature for her or his side of the cabin. And it's quite sophisticated. Temperature sensors around the cabin detect hot spots where the sun is bearing down and direct cool air specifically to them. The system also takes voice commands. Say, "68 degrees," and it'll adjust the climate control accordingly.

A small display above the optional navigation screen shows driver's and passenger's temperature setting, outside ambient temperature, and the time. Directly below the navigation screen is a pair of vents that can oscillate from side to side.

A similar set of buttons to the right allows quick access to key navigation and audio functions. This combination of hard buttons and touch-screen control works well, though we struggled at times with the navigation system. At one point, I could not figure out how to get the system to forget one destination and accept a new one. However, navigation systems are getting better every year, and the Lexus system is sophisticated, with some 5.6 million data points. It even displays building footprints in Manhattan and Chicago. A little time spent with the owner's manual (and your salesman) should make you an expert.