I have always been curious about the 600s. Today a 2010 600hL showed up locally and I jumped at the chance to test drive it.

For a 2010, it was in fairly good condition except for the leather dash coming apart near the base of the windshield and around the center speaker. No problem since I am not planning to purchase it. The rear flip-down entertainment screen is nice but easily supplanted by an iPad. Also, I could not figure out how to lower the screen without the remote. What happens if you lose the remote?? I recall others reporting that the 600hL has shiatsu massage, but this particular 2010 still only offered rear-seat vibration rather than any true massaging feature. The 2010 is also missing the rear cooler box option. Surprisingly, the trunk was not much smaller than our current 2013 SWB UL. The 2010 600hL trunk is much roomier than that of previous hybrid years though.

I was allowed to test drive by myself and the hybrid power is what the 600hL is all about. The immediate passing power and surge of speed is intoxicating. I feel our 2013 LS has adequate power but doesn't really come to life until VVT-i kicks in at 3500 RPM. With the 600hL, there is immediate response anytime and 0-40 MPH seems to occur in two seconds! Motion truly feels effortless, especially for such a loaded and heavy vehicle. The power is the best thing about the 600hL. It may not reach 60 MPH any faster than a regular LS but the true hybrid benefit is the instantaneous response. I was grinning from ear to ear every time I stabbed the throttle. That is one fun hybrid!

I walked away really impressed by the hybrid package but overall the 600hL didn't blow me away. I really loved the extra legroom and marvel at how much difference 4.8" makes in the rear. I am so tempted to trade our 2013 UL for a non-air 2013 L if the opportunity ever comes by. I liked the 600hL CVT a lot but could still feel the ICE come on and there was also a low grumbling noise at 1000 RPM. The 600hL is quiet but not significantly quieter than our 460. I liked the old-school touchscreen interface but it did point out something else I hadn't noticed before, mainly the glare off of buttons and the screen at noon. The 2013+ LS pushed the screen further away and also had hoods that blocked off glare from everything. I didn't appreciate those changes as much until I noticed all the glare while driving the 2010 -- glare on the map screen and strong glare off all of the buttons directly beneath the instrument cluster (odometer, trip reset, brightness control, etc.).

I was really bothered by the extra length of a 2011 460L that I first test drove, but the length of the 600hL never made itself apparent today! I liked that the pre-2013 models with air suspension allow you to set throttle and suspension separately. However, the Comfort setting wallows side-to-side way too much on this particular 600hL. The 600hL was great fun to experience today and I am glad to have the memory of the hybrid powertrain. If only I could magically turn our 2013 LS Ultra Lux into an L. Sigh.

 

Thanks for sharing! Some quick thoughts, for starters...

For MY2010, the battery pack changed, indeed freeing up additional trunk space. Thus, while I lost some space relative to my 2008 LS460L with Rear AC (package wasn't called UL back then), it wasn't all that much. My 460L did have a cool box, and it was an unpleasant surprise to discover it was gone.

I am shocked (and a bit worried) about that dashboard. I wonder what happened there.

I spent much of winter, while my car was parked, wondering what to do with it. After taking it out of hibernation and experiencing my first 50-to-90 "launch" of the season, I decided to keep it, so I hear you

The screen can be lowered without the remote, but the RSES cannot be operated (at least fully) without. This is true of the system on every Lexus I've had.

And my, those wheels (IMHO)

 

caha14, how do you lower the screen without the remote? I didn't want to pull too hard on it with the salesperson present at the time, plus it is difficult to grip the display anyways. I was taken aback by the wheels at first but don't find them so gruesome now. I was more surprised to find that they're 20" and fit with apparently no other modification. They also didn't appear to affect ride quality. I couldn't engage EV-only mode. Is that simply because the batteries were not sufficiently charged?

 

They definitely affect ride quality. You would have noted more difference compared to your SWB car if it had been on 19s.

I would not suggest you trade your air SWB car in on a non-air LWB car, find an air LWB car. Having had the air and the non air, the air is the way to go.

 

True, that would be the ideal way to go. I was thinking in terms of zero net cost. The extra cost of LWB could be offset by not having to deal with air suspension repairs. I have read the non-air rides somewhere in between Normal and Comfort on the air car, is that accurate? LWB is the only thing I would want to add to our LS. Well, LWB and the rear DVD screen even though I find the latter option superfluous. Having that flip-down screen just looks so boss. Okay okay, maybe add LWB, RES, and AWD, lol.

 

 

To lower the Rear Entertainment System screen on the LS600hL, you push the "Display" icon on the touchscreen, and then you have an option to lower the rear screen from the next menu. I do it all the time so my son doesn't have to fish around for the remote. My LS600 actually has the second DVD player built into the center console, so we can be watching two different movies at the same time (I have the Prestigious Society DVD bypass to allow use of my front screen).

Having just moved from a 2010 LS460L AWD to a 2010 LS600hL, I can definitely testify to the increased overall power and refinement afforded by the 5.0L V8 and the Hybrid Drive motors in the LS600. It's not like "night and day" difference, but it takes a very refined car and gives it that extra 10% of refinement to really make it feel luxurious. I do like the additional trunk space I get in my 2010 LS600 over my old 2008 LS600, and I really don't miss the Cool Box one bit.

I've never seen the leather dash come apart in an LS600 - that looks really bad. Wonder what happened there?

The eV mode will only work if the hybrid batteries are fairly well charged, and it will shut off automatically once you get going over 15-20 mph. I don't really use it much, but it's useful if you want to sneak up on someone stealthily without engine noise.

I think the only way to get the Shiatsu massaging back seat option is to find a car with the Executive Rear Seat Package II. I don't think much of the vibrating rear seat, but the Shiatsu massage seat is legitimately very nice.

Out of curiosity, what was the asking price on the LS600 you drove? How many miles? I paid $27,250 for mine (w/66k 1-owner miles) - original sticker price was $126,600. I bought a CNA warranty for $2800 that will cover everything for the next 6 years (including hybrid batteries). I'm very happy with my LS600hL!

 

Rick covered the screen lowering part (and he's ahead of me with that second DVD player ). FWIW, LS and LX (2008-11) are/were the only ones with power drop-down screens.

As to EV mode, beyond what Rick said, other factors come into play. Even when the batteries are charged and you are within the allowable speed range, EV may not come on if the load on the batteries is high (e.g., when the AC is blasting). Interestingly, in such cases, the gas engine may actually be off, but in the car's mind, it may need to be fired up shortly, hence EV is not allowed. EV availability can also be a function of temperature - ambient and engine, among other reasons due to emissions (i.e., keeping catalytic converters at operating temperature).

I use EV on occasion, and it can warn of imminent shutoff based on vehicle speed or accelerator position.