roadfrog

I've had some very burly and tall law enforcement types ride in the back seat of my SWB. They commented on how much room they had back there and I didn't need to move my seat.

LS430FL

I bought the L strictly for the exterior looks. I like the proportions of the car looking from the sides on the L version for some reason. Like others have said I have never ridden back there so I really get no benefit. I dont notice differences when driving or parking in the L vs. my old LS430. LS's new and old have such great turning radius its easy. If I remember correctly when researching before buying my L, the 750Li BMW and the mercedes S550 are even longer than the LS460L so the 460L was a good compromise. However, I haven't looked in a while so I don't remember the exact numbers.

comotiger

I also prefer the proportions of the car (and windows) in the LWB. Of course, in my case, the rear seats see extensive use, both for some business and mostly family trips, and people absolutely love the massaging and reclining seats. The only time I get to revel in their comfort is when I am cleaning up the car after my kids have made a mess after a long trip

roadfrog

You mean like the multitude of gum and chocolate bar wrappers inserted in the map pockets of the seats? ARGH! lol. Yep...

comotiger

Yes, and Potato chips, popcorn and food crumbs stuck in the folds of the seats, you get the picture

Kansas

I remember the disbelief and complaints in 2006 when people started noticing that the LS460 had less rear legroom than the LS430. Prior to the LS460, each succeeding LS generation had gotten another inch or two of rear legroom.

IMO, the reaction of the Lexus organization to the complaints was extremely tacky - the rear seat legroom statistics were quietly removed from lexus.com and from hard copy LS460 brochures. All the fuss could have been avoided if the SWB LS460 was just two inches longer.

As huge as the LS460L is, I think it should have been even longer - long enough for a rear passenger to use the ottoman leg rest while the front passenger seat is occupied. A longer wheelbase would also have allowed an ottoman seat on both sides of the rear compartment.

SW17LS

I think 205 inches is long enough lol, it's not a limo, still have to drive and park the thing.

mckellyb

Yeah, as the previous captain of a land yacht or two, I'd be good with another 10" of wheelbase.

comotiger

I think that would have been really awesome! One of the reasons I ruled out the Exec package was the whining I would have to put up with from my two sons for who gets to sit in the ottoman seat.

Who knows, with "self-driving" cars in the not-too-distant future, we may eventually see ottomans for all four seats!

1WILLY1

iTrader: (9)

I also wish the L was even longer, im a little extreme in my preferences though

Not sure if any of you guys actually sat in the back seat of an L and moved both seats forward all the way, cause its pretty amazing the amount of room you have back there.

Dr. Jekyll

iTrader: (1)

Call me crazy but I feel I have more room in the back seat of my 2014 SWB F Sport than I did in my 2004! The simple test is when I'm cleaning the car and hop in the back seat can I sit comfortably and the answer is yes. Being 5'11" and have the front seat of my 2014 back with the thigh bolster extended I can still sit directly behind me without my knees touching. In my 2004 I had to move the seat up when I picked my friends up. I do think the ottoman in the L is completely ridiculous since you can't extend it enough to have your feet clear the passenger seat even when it's in the most forward position. I test drove both and immediately chose the f sport given how silly the executive package was. Pretty stupid if you ask me. I mean in reality you'd have to be much shorter to even enjoy that one car seat.

SW17LS

It is amazing the amount of room, but for me it just isn't necessary, and the trade off of a vehicle that's 5 inches longer, harder to park, won't fit in my garage at all, or as well. Not worth the tradeoff to me.

comotiger

I took the same precautions while parking my SWB car as I do now, so why is it harder to park a LWB? Most parking spots comfortably hold a 4X4 crew cab, so a LWB should be fine. Parallel parking could be an issue with a longer car, but with the backup camera, I haven't had any more difficulty backing in than with the SWB.

2KHarrier

Wow, I just read through these posts and got quite an education. I assumed the 460 SWB would have had more leg room that the 430, and am interested to learn about the Ottoman seats. My 430 is the roomiest car I've owned, especially in the back seat. I can just imagine what the LWB would be like...

Dr. Jekyll

iTrader: (1)

Not sure where your closest metropolis is but have you been to Honolulu, LA, San Francisco or Seattle lately? I have and can barely find parking for a mid size car when I'm traveling. Plus I'd guess that for most of us the amount of time spent hauling adults in the back seat is maybe 10%? So for me th he extra legroom meant nothing considering I can finally leave my seat and still fit tall guys behind me.