2019 Lexus LS 500h hybrid
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
Certified 2019 Lexus LS 500h hybrid
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
2018 Lexus LS 500h hybrid
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid EVT)
2018 Lexus LS 500h hybrid
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid EVT)
2018 Lexus LS 500h hybrid
4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid EVT)
2018 Lexus LS 500h hybrid
4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid EVT)
2019 Lexus LS 500h hybrid Review
Pros
- Plush cabin design and materials
- Plentiful of standard safety and convenience features
- Affordable pricing for a luxury sedan
- Utmost reliability
Cons
- Irking user experience with the infotainment controls
- Not a fun drive as compared to the rivals
- Low boot space
Everyone knows Lexus as Toyota's luxury division and for its bold aesthetic choices, however, there is more to Lexus than just that.
Overview
Lexus is seen as the pinnacle of Japaneseluxury around the world. Their efforts to bring the trust and reliability of Toyota and make it elegant and auspicious has been celebrated for a while now. The LS 500H sits among their best. It takes the excitement of the LS500 and upgrades it with an electric drive system. The V6 engine combined with an Electric motor powers the Lexus into a hybrid world that is environmentally conscious but still uncompromising on the driving and performance front. The Lexus's interior is some of the most intricate and well-made cabin one can see in a sedan.
Pricing and Features6.0/10
The Lexus 500h is a well-equipped car that has the best of both world and combines the hybrid and old school petrol engine to make it a complete package.
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Trims |
LS 500h |
|---|---|
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MSRP |
$83,180 |
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Features |
19-inch alloy wheels |
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Adaptive Suspension |
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Heated Steering wheel |
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Back-up Camera |
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Lane Departure warning and Blind-Spot |
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16-way Power adjustable heated and ventilated seats |
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Adaptive Cruise control |
We recommend
The only trim shall be able to satiate most of the people. The well-appointed trim can be made better with a few optional packages that are worth it.
Engine and Performance7.9/10
Lexus employs a 3.5L V6 engine coupled with an electric motor to muster 354 ponies and 295 lb-ft. Of torque. A 4-speed automatic CVT transmission is the last piece of the puzzle. This powertrain looks impressive though pedal response is rather slow and underwhelming, a serious flaw that can't be overlooked. The smaller V6 feels underpowered and the lack of power is felt almost immediately.
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Models |
Lexus LS 500h AWD |
BMW 740e xDrive iPerformance |
Tesla Model S (100D) |
Porsche Panamera 4 (E-Hybrid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$83,180 |
$90,700 |
$94,000 |
$99,600 |
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Engine |
3.5L DOHC V6 Dual VVT |
AC Synchronous Electric Motor with integrated power electronics |
3-Phase/4-Pole Electric |
2.9L Twin-Turbocharged V6 -inc: electric motor |
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Transmission |
4-Speed Automatic |
8-Speed Automatic |
Single Speed Automatic |
8-speed automatic |
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Power |
354 hp @ 6600 rpm |
322 hp @ 5000 rpm |
417 hp |
462 hp @ 6000 rpm |
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Torque |
295 lb-ft @ 4900 rpm |
369 lb-ft |
387 lb-ft |
516 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm |
Sitting comfortably at the bottom of the table the Lexus makes no attempt at proving its sportiness as the people at this company have always focused on luxury. Luxury over performance is what the Lexus offers and it delivers on this front.
Acceleration
Even after being a well-endowed car the V6 coupled with dual electric motor does not translate into good power or acceleration figures. The 5.2s time on the clock may be impressive on
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Models |
Lexus LS 500h AWD |
BMW 740e |
Tesla Model S (100D) |
Porsche Panamera 4 (E-Hybrid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0-60 MPH |
5.2 seconds |
5.1 seconds |
4.2 seconds |
4.4 seconds |
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Quarter mile |
12.0 seconds |
13.7 seconds |
10.7 seconds |
11.6 seconds |
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Engine |
3.5L Hybrid |
2.0L Hybrid |
Electric Motor |
2.9L Hybrid |
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Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year) |
6.8 |
N/A |
0 |
2.5 |
The Tesla Model S takes the cake in this parameter and leaves the German rivals behind by quite a good time. With the Tesla being 1s faster than the Lexus the American repeats history and overcomes the axis powers.
Ride and handling
Ever since their inception Lexus has dedicated itself in bettering in what the German counterparts did the best. Now fast forward in 2019 and you have the Japanese not even trying to one-up everyone. Although the Lexus might be a supreme vehicle on paper, in reality, its driving dynamics are rather lackluster.
The pedal response is rather slow and frustrating which ruins the whole ride experience. So if driving was the Achilles heel of the car then the size of the heel is gargantuan and much more significant than previously thought. Also considering the fact that most of the people will give this car to their chauffeur it is worth noting that the Hybrid engine manages to give great MPG.
Braking
Equipped with not the biggest brake discs in the segments but the highest curb weight it is no surprise that the Lexus takes 113 ft to come to a halt from 60mph. The 14-inch brake discs in the front and 13 in the back make the Japanese Mastercraft stop in 113ft which is impressive considering the fact this is the heaviest of the bunch
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Model |
Lexus LS 500h AWD |
BMW 740e |
Tesla Model S (100D) |
Porsche Panamera 4 (E-Hybrid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Brake Front(in) |
14.0 |
14.7 |
14.0 |
15.3 |
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Brake Rear(in) |
13.1 |
14.5 |
14.4 |
14.3 |
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Curb weight(lbs) |
5027 |
4740 |
4736 |
4787 |
|
60-0 MPH (ft.) |
113 feet |
123 feet |
N/A |
104 feet |
With Japanese wizardry at its side, the Lexus manages to outrank the BMW on this front but the Stuttgart special is indeed special with the braking distance of 104 ft.
Fuel Economy5.3/10
Offering better mileage than a normal not so environmentally conscious car the Lexus falls behind appallingly short of its competition. With the Tesla and the BMW outshining the Lexus by hundreds of miles. Considering the fact this isn't an all-out electric vehicle the fact that it has a combined mpg of 26 is appreciable.
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Model |
Lexus LS 500h AWD |
BMW 740e |
Tesla Model S (100D) |
Porsche Panamera 4 (E-Hybrid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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MPG e (City) |
40 |
N/A |
101 |
N/A |
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MPG e (Highway) |
41 |
N/A |
102 |
31 miles |
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MPG e (Range) |
40 |
340 |
335 |
86 |
The amazing figures achieved by Tesla and BMW are awe-inspiring and the right step in the future. However, being electric vehicles and not hybrids, they will obviously have an edge here. The LS 500H and the Panamera E Hybrid are hybrids. Their numbers here only represent how much they can travel on their electric powertrains alone.
Interior6.2/10
This is one parameter the Lexus wins hands down. What might be lacking in the exterior is more than made up for whilst looking at what's inside.
With the origami-esque intermingling and intricate metal thread work the door handles and the surrounding area exuberate an aura of craftsmanship and attention to detail.
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Model |
Lexus LS 500h AWD |
BMW 740e |
Tesla Model S (100D) |
Porsche Panamera 4 (E-Hybrid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Passenger capacity |
5 |
5 |
5+(2 children) |
4 |
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Passenger Volume (ft cube) |
99.4 |
121.9 |
120.0 |
122.0 |
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Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
37.3/58.8/41.0 |
39.9/59.2/41.4 |
38.8/57.7/42.7 |
38.0/51.9/41.9 |
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Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
37.3/56.4/38.9 |
38.9/57.7/44.4 |
35.3/55.0/35.4 |
38.2/51.7/39.2 |
Dimension wise the Lexus comes in the bottom half of the table and lags behind the BMW and the Porsche. The Lexus's interiors reek of opulence and handcrafted luxury that seemingly blends with each other
Cargo volume
At the heart of a sedan is its practicality and the Lexus is only second to the Tesla Model S in this regard the Lexus offers the required space very graciously.
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Model |
Lexus LS 500h AWD |
BMW 740e |
Tesla Model S (100D) |
Porsche Panamera (E-Hybrid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Trunk volume (ft.cube) |
15.2 |
14.8 |
26.3 |
14.3 |
With the Tesla offering the most space the Tesla is the best in class when it comes to offering space.
Exterior7.9/10
The Lexus has a special vibe going on for it with its distinctive front grille. It either makes it or breaks it with this one. The Japanese finesse combined with efficiency also makes its presence felt as soon as you look at the car.
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Model |
Lexus LS 500h AWD |
BMW 740e |
Tesla Model S (100D) |
Porsche Panamera 4 (E-Hybrid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Curb weight(lbs) |
5027 lbs |
4740 lbs |
4736 lbs |
4787 lbs |
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Length(in) |
206.1 |
206.6 |
196.0 |
198.8 |
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Width(in) |
74.8 |
74.9 |
77.3 |
76.3 |
|
Height(in) |
57.9 |
58.2 |
56.5 |
56.0 |
|
Ground clearance(in) |
5.8 |
5.3 |
4.6 |
5.3 |
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Wheelbase(in) |
123.0 |
126.4 |
116.5 |
116.1 |
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Track width(in) F/R |
64.2/64.4 |
63.4//64.6 |
65.4/66.9 |
65.8/65.0 |
The longest wheelbase ensures that the cabin is big, spacious and roomy. Surpassing each car when the length and height is considered it is safe to say that this is one big car. Cutting through the air with the precision of a katana the Lexus LS 500h manages to capture one's attention too.
Safety8.5/10
Below are the safety features of the Lexus LS 500h
- Driver and front passenger dual-stage airbags, front thorax side airbags, knee airbags, and Sideguard head curtain airbags
- Front passenger occupant detection
- Power central locking system with safety unlock feature if airbags deploy
- Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and brake assist
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with secondary collision brake assist and traction control (ASR)
- Anti-theft alarm system with immobilizer
- Tire-pressure monitoring system
- Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) in rear seats
- Electromechanical parking brake
- Safety belt reminder for driver and front passenger
Competition8.0/10
Lexus LS 500h vs BMW 740e
The Lexus might one up the German on the interiors front but when all else is considered the Beemer offers a better ride, Better mileage, and better acceleration. So the BMW is the clear winner here. With the class-leading MPG, the BMW is the choice for the environmentally conscious.
Tesla Model S
The american underdog stands tall with its claim of great mileage and does live up to the expectations. The Tesla Model S is better at everything except the interiors when compared to the Lexus.
Elon Musk definitely knows what he is doing with this car. Only lagging behind by a hair the Tesla Model S may not be the best looking car but it sure acts like one.
Porsche Panamera E hybrid
The Porsche Panamera is the German rival that does everything effortlessly and still manages to be the best at what it does.
The German rival manages to outclass the Lexus on the acceleration and fuel economy and there aren't many things that you may consider while buying a hybrid.
Final Verdict
The Lexus offers a great value for price car but like all Lexus, the curse of being at the bottom half of the table does not leave this car behind too. With competition offering more mileage and better technology, the Lexus can only harp about its interiors.