It's the opposite for me. I think the exterior is quite striking (apart from the Avalon rear end) but the (relatively) cramped cabin and post-facelift tacked-on screen kill the interior.

No matter how many facelifts Lexus wants to give this car, they aren't giving buyers enough of a reason to buy this over any other flagship when it's more cramped than an ES despite being a foot longer.

I also think the pathetic NA V6 hybrid should be axed and it's outright bizarre that one has to purchase that powertrain in order to get Lexus Teammate.

 

Would take a W223 S-Class over this all day long.

 

Whole initial concept of the cabin was based on recessed screen inside the leather housing. Now with that gone it looks like a hack job. Lexus used to have the best luxury interiors hands down but that is no longer the case. I remember SC430 and it's interior that gets mimicked to this day by likes of Bentley and others. 4GS had the best interior in it's class when it showed up on the market and could keep up even with new models from Germany that showed up afterwards.

 

Not surprising. The LC500 has also had suspension changes every year since it the first 2018 version.

The LS500 has grown on me, but it's still a 'big car' with 'not much room' which makes it not so great.

 

This is news to me lol. I have no idea how you're making that connection.

 

Gee.....Where have we heard that one before? Remember the 2013-2015 Avalon, the many customer complaints of a firmer-than-necessary ride, and the softening of the suspension for the non-Touring models for 2016? History repeats itself in only a little more than half a decade. And why?....because the industry, even in this class of large luxo-sedans, still bows to pressure from the auto-press and the enthusiast-magazine for sport-oriented characteristics that the majority of the buying public doesn't want. With the Germans, at least, one is offered a choice between the standard versions (like Steve's S560) and the sport-oriented AMG, M, and R/RS models.

 

Until it gets a V8 again, me no care.

If it becomes a Model S competitor, I will reconsider that statement

 

Strange exterior styling I believe is what keeps this from selling. You truly have to be a past Lexus fan and supporter to like all elements of it. Beyond that, nothing presents itself as sporty, luxurious, or even conservative on the outside.

 

Yep. I have no idea how they got the LS500 so wrong yet were able to get the LC500 so right.

 

New Lexus LS500h advertisement in my mag. A different demographic

 

I still think they are great, but it's not a car I'd ever seriously consider owning, though that's been true of all LSs thus far.

 

The LC/LS's platform (they share the same one) seems to be designed more for a coupe or GT car than a sedan. Every implementation of that platform so far on sedans like the LS and Mirai has been cramped.

 

I see one almost daily in my neighborhood, black with stock chrome like finished wheels. It's nice, but it's just not nice enough. One of those cars you see out the corner of your eye and think "what's that", expecting to be wowed, then you focus in and it's all just "mehhh" and completely move on. This generation just doesn't have that spark/pizazz/etc at all.

 

To my knowledge SC430 was the first car to use powered covers in order to get that big chunk of wood veneer effect all over the dash. Bentley does the same on current models with their rotating three face piece.

 

SC430 had two powered covers, one for Nav screen and one for the stereo.

The wood trim was stunning in those, particularly the lighter shade. Lexus used to do wood interiors with the best of them. I didn't think any automaker other than RR, Bentley could top Lexus' wood.