Sal Collaziano

Hey. What a difference in the interior.. The Lexus LS is far superior.. I just wanted to note this because I've asked several times about comparisons between the two. I like the looks of the Q45 exterior - maybe not better than the LS - but it IS very nice (to me).. But the inside is another story. There's no comparison. The Q45 is hard inside - almost like a BMW...

Four Door

Five years ago my brother was in the market for a used large luxury sedan and narrowed the cars down to the LS400 and Q45. I had found an article in one of the major auto magazines that compared the two and the LS400 was the clear winner according to the article. He checked out both cars and ended up with a low milage certified '93 LS400 loaded with everything but air suspension. To this day he was never disappointed with the decision to go with the LS400 and last year I purchased a '92 LS400 with 100,000 miles and complete Lexus dealer maintenance that runs 100% perfect. Four Door.

dj.ctwatt

There is no question about it. . . Lexus is the world leader in Luxury interiors, especially in the LS, GS, and LX

Sal Collaziano

How does the LX ride? Not like a truck? Just curious.

Milla...

The LX rides like anyone would expect a Lexus to ride, very very smooth and quite for an SUV, you'd probably be surprised, then again maybe not.

theRain04

LOL, no way man ! The Q's interior is much nicer IMO.. it's cozy, classy, and sporty all in one, while the LS is boring. I hate the center console in the LS, too many wooden compartments, it's looks very odd.. also it's too tall. The rest of the interior has been been left pretty much the same since 1990.. hello Toyota, a change would be nice ?!?!? The seats are more comfortable in the LS, but the Q's seats aren't too shabby either. The Q like a BMW ?? NEVER !! the BMW interior is by far the ugliest of any luxury car. There is absolutely no similarity there whatesoever.

Sal Collaziano

Well.. The seats felt hard in the Q45. Atleast compared to the LS.. Too much wood? Are you sure you like luxury cars?

dj.ctwatt

Umm, have you even been in an LS430 and a 1990 LS400? Oh and try comparing a 1990 LS400 to the new Q. . . if you ignore the updates in options, the LS is STILL hard to beat at 15 years old! But there have been significant changes since then, unless you are talking about the pre-2000's. But even through the years, there are differences. But the latest generation LS bears no resembles to the older LS's, except that it has 5 seats and L badge on the steering wheel. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of the Q, but hey let's be reasonable. But you are definitely right about the BMW's bein nasty, at least that's my opinion. But to my taste, and the general consumer trend, the LS wins. One last thing, all this stuff is totally subjective, so if you like the Q more, than you are a lucky. You are both happier with your choice, have some extra cash in your pocket, and you own an excellent, rare, exotic sedan. So more power to you.

theRain04

My friend owns a '95 LS400 and i'm in his car all the time. We were recently coming out of a store and walking toward the parking lot where his car was, and i accidentily walked to the passenger side of an '03 LS430 instead. It was the same color as my friend's 95 and looked VERY similar. The body is a little bit taller on the new LS's, but overall it has pretty much remained the same over the years with suttle changes here and there. i have in fact sat in an '03 and '04 LS quite a few times. I don't know what it is, but the aura in the new LS isn't as nice as my friends' car. The center console just looks odd to me. I liked the older LS's better, to be honest. I like the Q because it is much different inside and no other car really resembles it. And i must say, the power is really lacking on the older LS's. Before 98, they were kinda slow. 260HP on a V8 today is very underpowered. Some V6's can generate that same power. So, yeah, i think the Q's 340 horses would topple the 1990 LS.

dj.ctwatt

Dude I was in no way talking down on the Q, I have a feeling you're somewhat sore or offended. Sorry if I offended you. I didn't say the 1990 was better. Read the post. Just hard to beat(if maintained properly). This thread was originally about the new LS and the new Q, not the old LS vs the new Q. I only brought up the old LS to make a point. And the 1990 Q45 only had 270 and would not topple an LS, but it was a little faster. You know before 98 and even now, the Q's were kinda slow. 270 on a V8 is very underpowered. Some V6's can generate that same power. So yeah I think the LS430's only 290 hp would topple any Q45. By the way it actually does for the record. With only 290hp the Q's 340hp rating is embarrasing.

bluestar

You are talking about your friend's 1995 LS and comparing it to a '03 or '04 LS430 ? Huh ! You certainly do not have much knowledge about the LS. Why not take some free time and check out all the changes through 1st gen to 4th gen ? You'd be pleasantly surprised at the shear volume of differences between your friend's '95 and an '04. You may like the '95 design, no problem with that, but to insinuate that the LS have remained the same through 1990 to date is shear ignorance of the LS evolution.

Here are a few reading materials for you:

http://www.carenthusiast.com/2000/sh...s/ls430_1.html
http://www.thecarconnection.com/inde...57,183&sid=183
http://www.auto-asia.com/product/pro...02.02.01.shtml
http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/L...exus1stGen.htm

I own a '99 and have a friend who has an '02 Q45. Nice car, interior and all, but not quite up to an LS level. And I have not only sat in his Q, I have driven it many times. The seats are no more comfortable than my 1999 LS, and it sure doesn't ride any better either. Don't be fooled by the 340hp engine in the Q, it is slower than the 290hp-powered LS.

Here is what Edmund's had to say about the engine performance of their review of the 2002 Q, compared to a 3rd gen LS.

"Comparing that horsepower output to its closest rivals (Lexus LS 430 at 290 hp, BMW 540i at 282 hp, Mercedes E430 at 275hp), the Q45 has them all beat handily -- at least on paper. Subsequent track-testing revealed a Q with noticeably less gusto than its lofty horsepower figure suggests. Although Infiniti estimates a 0-to-60 time of 5.9 seconds, our best run yielded a somewhat less impressive 6.7 seconds. Even in the more horsepower-friendly quarter-mile category, the Q45 only managed a 15.1-second pass. Considering that we were able to wring faster times (6.4 and 14.8) in both categories from a slightly heavier LS 430, we can't help but wonder: Where did all the horsepower go?"

Read full details here: http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/infi...nt...Infiniti*

The '04 LS with the same 290hp engine but with a 6-speed does the 0-60 under 6s. Go figure ?

In any case, the Q is not even compared to the LS any longer. They simply belong to two different classes - the real luxury full-size sedan (LS), and the near-luxury full-size sedan category (Q45). That should already tell you something about the quality of the interior appointments between these two cars.

SC400-V8

iTrader: (1)

Wow, you gusy need to do better research...

In 1990 Road and track tested the two cars and declared it a tie. The LS400 was considered superior in styling, smoothness, luxiry and fit and finish. The Q45 was considered abotu the same, but with a more sporting nature. The old Qs were quick. Almost as quick as the new ones, testing 0-60 in 6.9 seconds, and the 1/4 in 15.4.

Road and track tested the new Q and LS against each other in 01 or 02 and this time... the results were not the same. The LS basically walked all over it. With its 290 hp, it could out accelerate the "more powerful" Q with ease... smoother better handling and with more amnenities. Go to roadandtrack.com and search lexus or infiniti and you'll find the comparison testing.

dj.ctwatt

Yup you guys are both right. . . I was just steamin that he was giving an unfair comparison of 1990 LS and a new Q, and that crap about only 260hp being weak. . . dunno what that was all about. I praised the Q, and he got pissed off. I was just stating that the new LS is different from the previous generations, and even if the interior had remained the same, the 1990 interiors are still considered top notch(if maintained). But both cars are very fast, in either year. However the newest LS is in no doubt faster than the new Q. Their interiors are great too, but the general trend tends to prefer Lexus, as almost anyone being modest would agree. Also any modest person would probably admit that Infiniti has done a great job, and arguably better job at exterior design. That's a matter of taste. I think if someone mistook an LS430 for a 1995 LS400, the problem may not be a lack of updates, but rather. . . hahaha not gonna say it. I won't stoop that low.

theRain04

I am well away of the changes between a 1995 LS and an '04 LS, however, the styling has not changed all that much. The new LS is just a little bit more bloated looking compared with the '95, otherwise it's pretty much the same box on wheels. As far as the interior goes, i have sat in ALL of them including the Q, LS, A8L, 7 Series, S Class, etc.. and the LS is seriously lacking "something". I can't put my finger on it exactly, but i guess i could describe it as melancholy. The BMW was no better (but much worse) than the LS, nor was the S Class. But if you are talking about a comfy, sporty, interior with nice ambience, the Q and the A8L have them all beat. The quality of materials in the LS are top notch, no doubt, but Lexus just doesn't know what to do with all those materials. Again, i simply detest the over-excessive amount of wooden "compartments" located within the center console of the LS. It looks odd and takes away from the smoothness and fluidity a center console is supposed to have.

As far as what you say about Edmunds review on the Q, they tested a pre-production model back in '01, which was not what was presented to the public. Tests since then have proven the Q to go from 0-60 in 6 seconds flat. Not to mention the fact that Infiniti changed the final drive ratio for '03 for better acceleration. I would probably say that both cars are about equal 0-60, with a slight edge going to the LS, simply because of the better tranny Lex's have. The LS uses a 6-speed automatic while the Q still uses a 5 speed. Anyone who knows anything about cars will tell you that that alone would give the LS an advantage over the Q in 0-60. However, In a 1 mile race, the Q would win hands down. It has too much strength under the hood. The Q also has a completely new engine as of 2001, while the LS is STILL using that same one from 1994, just tweeked here and there over the years (although still unchanged since 1997).

You say that the Q is not even compared to the LS anymore and you are are simply wrong. The LS "outsells" the Q by a ratio of about 4:1. That does not make the Q any LESS of a car, nor does it make the LS any BETTER of a car. It is simply due to poor marketing on the part of Infiniti from day 1, and very good marketing from Lexus from day 1. The same could be said for Audi's A8L. Probably one the greatest full size sedans on the road, but many people have never even seen one, let alone driven one. Doesn't make it any less of a car.

theRain04

First of all, you were the one who compared the 1990 LS to the new Q. Scroll up and you will see for yourself. And yes, 260 HP is pretty weak, but not at that time in 1995. Around then it was pretty good. Just a quick sidenote, i personally own a 1999 GS400 with the exact same 290HP engine that you boys are all hooting and hollering about. I cannot tell you how many times i've gotten smoked by an Infiniti G35 on the road. If you look at the HP ratings for both cars, you can see that my big bad GS is supposed to have 40 HP more than the G35. Now, i know the weight of the vehicle needs to be taken into consideration, but the difference of 400lbs should balance out the 40HP difference. It isnt even close. And i have taken out the E Class and 5 series on several occasions. Basically what i am trying to say is that the top of the line Lex engine is not that strong. It's almost embarrasing to have a G35 with its 260HP V6 engine go whizzing by, but what can you do ? maybe it's time to sell and switch.