I currently have a 2000 Toyota Avalon, I recently just got a 1998 LS 400 as a gift from my friend (I will physically have the car in a week and a half). I usually have a lot of friends in my backseat so I did some looking online to see what the backseat legroom was like and I found this website: https://www.thecarconnection.com/spe...s_1998_4dr-sdn and I also found this for the 2000 Avalon: https://www.thecarconnection.com/spe...w-bucket-seats On the website, it appears that the Avalon actually has more leg room. How can this be? In all the videos I've seen online, the Lexus seems to be more spacious. On the website there's a specs for 'front' and 'second' legroom, I assume 'second' means the rear. Can anyone confirm this?

 

Yes. The Avalon is a bit bigger and especially so for the trunk. That continues even against the 460L variants if I recall correctly. The 2000 Camrys are close too. All depends how far forward-back the front seats are in the LS for that spacious feeling.

You'll like the VVTi motor in the LS over the Avalon.

 

I'm 6'5 and I can sit behind myself. I'd say it's sufficient.

I'd have to say the LS's main "issue" is the smaller than average trunk. I believe (someone please confirm) that the rear seats are about a mile thick, and then behind them is the gas tank? That's why, all things considered, the trunk is fairly small.

 

Ah I see, I wonder why they made the 00-04 Avalon have even more rear legroom than the LS460 LWB, that one really surprised me.

 

the LS and avalon are both basically the same length (the 3rd gen avalon is actually a bit bigger), but one has a longitudinally mounted V8 with rwd, and the other a transverse mounted V6 with fwd, so the extra space you save with the smaller engine mounted sideways can go toward more rear legroom. also since the avalon isn't rwd you don't have that hump on the floor in the back where the driveshaft goes.

in the LS you can have 4 full sized men all be very comfortable with adequate space, add a 5th though and they'll be a bit cramped in the back.

 

back seat room isnt too bad in the 3rd gen Ls400. like yours. no it isnt a Cadillac but theirs enough room. reson the avalon is bigger in the back mostly is because its FWD so no hump in the middle, and the LS400 has about a mile of cushioning, insulation, as well as the gas tank which is actually mounted above the rear axel then under the trunk like most cars. yes trunk space in the Ls400 SUCKS. but again, the gas tank is back there, as well as a full size spare which was a rarity even in those days. now the 1st gen Ls400 had awful room in the back seat, however i used to roll REAL deep with my buddies back in the day in my first Ls400 (had it as a teenager), and it was a 1st gen. i remember riding around 7 or 8 heads deep in that car. still dont know how we managed to pull that off lol

 

The 3rd generation (2004-2012) Avalon also had a standard reclining rear seat. A rear reclining seat was available but not standard on the LS460L - the one I test drove in 2012 didn't have one. Reclining the rear seat in the Avalon does not affect rear legroom. Reclining the optional reclining rear seat in the LS460L reduces rear legroom.

The lack of rear legroom is one of the reasons sedans don't work well for us anymore - people with artificial joints sometimes can't get into the back seats of sedans.

 

Yeah the seat back once removed allows you a view of a metal wall. Behind that is the gas tank and behind that gas tank...a carpet board wall.

You know how I know a gas tank is there? I was mounting an audio system in my trunk when I put two screws into the tank. Didn't realize it at the time because the car was low on gas but when I filled up the next day.....yeah...gas everywhere! I had to pull my entire system out of the trunk, plus all carpeting to get to the tank and repair it. What a mess that was.

So yeah...these cars have the gas tank behind the seat. You can see it in this picture: