Ascari_2

Hi everyone,

While poking around the net a little yesterday I found a few forum where people have complained about the lack of seat comfort in an LS460. So I wanted to ask here and see what the majority would say.

To take a step back, I am in my early 30s with no chronic back problem but a finicky right knee. My ISF is currently for sale and once that goes there is a very high likelihood that it will be replaced with an LS. My daily commute involves a 60-mile round trip with about 90% highway driving to work and about 75% highway driving back home. What I am looking for in my next car is peace and quiet combined with a comfortable ride. That includes being seated in a comfortable driving position in a comfortable seat.

Now I have had the LS as a loaner car for a few days, so I know how they drive/feel, and I certainly had no complaints then. But both times these cars were relatively new (I think 2012s with low miles). And that brings me to the question of how well does the integrity of the seat hold up? Some people seemed very vocal about their dislike of the LS seats (pretty sure this was on an edmunds.com forum) and I guess there is actually a TSB for a seat comfort issue. So is there really an issue with the seats? Or is this more of a case of someone wanting perfection that they will never find and just whining.

Thanks for any feedback.

hjones4841

My wife and I both have severe back issues - hers with scoliosis correction surgery and me with degenerative disc disease. My previous cars have been domestics with bench seats since 1970 something. Last one was an '06 Town Car. In December I bought a CPO 2011 LS and both my wife and I have found the seats to be very comfortable. We have only had one 500 mile round trip in it so far, but the back support works very well for us. The driver side bottom cushion has independent front and back movement that adjusts leg support - very nice.

I am at only 28K miles on mine, but my brother has an '07 with probably three times that. He also has back issues and never complains about the seats; in fact, the seat comfort is what led him to buy a LS.

I am sure others will have different opinions, but this is my story and I am sticking to it.

lbintab

iTrader: (1)

This has actually been discussed. I believe there was a recall or something like that for the seat bottom. I'm OK with my 07 but I wouldn't mind more cushion on the seat bottom.

GXtoGStoLS

I actually bought an LS (2014) for the first time a few weeks ago because I found the seats more comfortable for my own fairly severe back pain. I came from a 2009 GS450h but found it quite uncomfortable on my long commutes, mostly due to the proximity to the ground and the less comfortable suspension. It was otherwise a great car, enough so that we decided to keep it rather than trade it. Our Lexus salesman called us on a heavily discounted, left-over-from-2013 GS450h a few weeks ago, and we went to test drive it. I was underwhelmed by the styling change and found it just as uncomfortable as my 2009. For kicks, I drove an LS, and that was all it took. The thing I noticed after that 15-mile test drive was that I returned to the dealership in no pain. It was a stunning contrast to what I had been used to. While the LS drives much differently than the GS, it is one heck of a comfortable car for a long commute, not to mention just a beautiful car. It doesn't eliminate my pain, but I would say that it doesn't stir it up like the GS did. I've put about 1500 miles on it three weeks and am in love with the LS, so much so that I can't imagine ever driving anything else.

I know this doesn't answer the long-term integrity of the seats question since my car is very new, but I wanted to add my two cents on the LS from the comfort standpoint. That adjustable front/back movement makes all the difference, IMO. There is also far more leg room than in the IS or GS, and that could possibly be good for your knee issue. I found the GS somewhat brutal on the side of my right knee on long trips. I'm not sure if the IS is any different in that regard.

Best of luck with your decision!

greg3852

I found my old seats in the 98 LS 400 to be more comfortable than the 2007 LS 460. Having said that, I find the additional adjustments in the 07 to be much better. I'm not saying the 460 isn't comfortable, because it is. I just remember the 400 having more cushion.

Nospinzone

I think this is just such a personal preference that there is no right or wrong as to the comfort of the seats. Although I must say that since I have no back problems, I may be an easier fit into any seat while others could be uncomfortable. Personally I've found all the adjustments available in the LS460 to be very accommodating for me. I've driven hundreds of miles at a time quite comfortably.

The one function a love is the adjustable lumbar support.

peteybabes

My 2001 LS430 definitely had more cushion and was more squishy and comfortable in that sense, but it had less support compared to the LS460. . .

PatsSoxfan

I would agree with the more comfortable seat cushion on the LS430. Having said this, the seat on the LS460 is much better than the seat on my wife's RX450h. My lower back feels pretty good on long trips on the LS460L but on the RX450h it is really soar.

Valley101

Just recently returned from a trip that encompassed approximately 2200 miles and I had no seat discomfort issues. I am getting fairly old , so I think if they were a problem I would have noticed. My car is a 2012...previous was a 2010 and they felt about the same.

AWaz

I agree with Nospinzone, this is all about personal preference. I recently bought a 2012 LS 460 L, coming from a 07 750 Li. I do think the seats in the LS are comfortable, but they do seem less comfortable as compared to the BMW we just got rid of and the seats in my fathers 05 LS 430. I have noticed that the seats feel narrower than the LS 430 seats. They also seem to have an odd feel on the side bolster of the seat bottom. I would suggest that you try and spend a little more time in the car if you can. Again, this is just what I have noticed in a very short time period of owning the car. The seats are very comfortable, I just didn't expect the narrower seat cussion and firmer side bolster.

bruceko

the 2007 and 2008 had a very hard seat on the back portion if the seat was fully extended. They did a tsb to add more padding.

Nospinzone

Hey, GXtoGStoLS and AWaz, welcomed to the Club!

Thanks for contributing to this thread. Please feel free to start your own thread and introduce yourselves and maybe post a pic or two of your new rides.

Ascari_2

Thank you for the confirmation. I was quite surprised to read the reports of such bad seats and some people made it seem like they were sitting on a wooden bench. Glad to see that this doesn't appear to be the majority view.

I think the few other cars where it seems like I can get comfortable are the S550, A8, and the 7 series (all have longer bottom cushions and provide greater thigh support which helps with relieving pressure from the knees). But given that this will be a daily driver which will be used 60 miles (and very possibly about 80-90 miles if we move) each day, reliability is a huge concern. So paying more for a marginally more comfortable but less reliable S550 isn't a very attractive proposition.

AWaz

Ascari,

The seats in my 2012 are far from sitting on a wooden bench. I will admit that I am a little ****, and notice minor things that others may not notice. I'm sure that there have been some minor differences from year to year, but I would think that most Lexus LS seats are very comfortable. In my comment above, I was merly pointing out that I was expecting something different based on my expectation from sitting in my fathers 05 LS 430.

I can tell you from experience that the the seat cushion on the LS extends more comfortably than the seat extender on the BMW 7series. Quite frankly, BMW's design sucks!. Lexus did it right when they designed the entire seat cussion with the ability to travel back and forth to accomodate the driver.

As you implied, recent model year German cars seem to have poor reliability. My experience with my 2007 7series was that the car needed $8,000.00 worth of work shortly after it hit 94,000 miles, thats when I traded it in for a 2012 LS 460 L. (Quick supporting facts - my fathers LS has 215,000 miles on it and still running strong, my GS has 145,000 and expect that it will be around for quite a few more years.)

Coming from ISF you may find the LS a little spongy in the handling and braking department, that is the one thing I miss about my 750Li, it was a sports car in disguise. Other than that the LS outperforms in my opinion.

Good luck with your search, and make sure you spend some more time sitting in the LS.

______________________
2012 LS 460L AWD
2007 GS 350 AWD

Chaos236

iTrader: (1)

Did the lower cushions replacement on my 06 GS. Much more comfortable and much cooler. Bought at Sewell and installed at a body shop.