Haunted

Is there that much of a ride difference between base and L? I will rarely have passengers in the rear seats but if you think L is a better ride I will get it. What's everyone's thoughts who have driven both?

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

I doubt it. The L weighs a little more so it may be micro-marginally smoother!

DavidinCT

Unless you get the Air system, very minor, as said the L weighs a little more so it might give a smoother ride..

SW17LS

I drove the L and the SWB back to back and couldn't tell a difference. Also not a huge difference with the air ride either.

jrmckinley

I drove about 8-10 CPOSWB's as I kicked tires and had never driven an L until I bought one a few weeks ago (2010). An L was certainly not a requirement for me as I was just looking for a really well maintained car with certain options and hitting my budget.

My LWB doesn't have air ride and I actually can tell a difference in the L ride quality compared to the SWB. The longer wheel base seems to equate to a smoother ride in my opinion. I drive up to 1,000 miles in a given week so spend quite a bit of time in my car (which is why I exclusively buy the LS due to how it drives on long trips). For what it's worth my father in law has owned a '12 SWB for 3 years now and within a few minutes of riding in my car he commented it rides better than his (and his car has lower miles).

Im not trying to sell you on the L. I just think there is a difference in ride quality which is what you asked about. You should drive both and decide for yourself.

Now that I have the L I actually really appreciate the rear legroom as it offers more room for my kids to navigate the back seat getting in and out of their car seats and gives us some added storage space. And folks who have ridden in the back have been really impressed with the comfort (and things like the power window sunshades). Prior to this I owned the LS430 and LS400 so I have a frame of reference for the typical amount of space in these cars. I don't find this any harder to drive, maneuver or park (but I don't do much or any city parking). Good luck- you really can't make a bad decision..!

FatherTo1

I started out searching exclusively for L versions but ended up with a SWB and couldn't be happier. I still love the idea of extra rear room with an L, but I just didn't like the driving experience from the front seat. As others have suggested, definitely drive both SWB and LWB and see what differences, if any, that you notice yourself. I actually feel our 2013 SWB with air suspension and 19-inch tires is smoother than the 2011 460L non-air that I test drove and the 2011 actually had 15K less miles. It could also be the different seats in the 2013 or different tires, although the 2011 came with Michelins and our 2013 has Goodyear RS-A. If I could get over the sensation of always trailering something, especially during turns, then I would have went with an L. In the end, the SWB suits us best. We actually don't miss the extra legroom as much as I thought we would and I am glad not to have the extra 5-inches when parking as the SWB already sticks out of most parking spaces as it is. I really didn't know what to do when faced with a 2013 L vs 2014 SWB, of equal price and same color, as I loved the L for passenger comfort but found the SWB more enjoyable and comfortable to actually drive. Please let us know what you ultimately decide on for yourself.

SW17LS

I would peg your feeling that your SWB rides better than the 2011 LWB you drove to changes in the 2013 that improved rigidity and ride comfort in general.

I drove identical SWB and LWB brand new 2015 models and found they rode pretty much identically.