Tec80

Try driving a 2010-12 Sport. Not the Sport appearance package, but the actual Sport model with the paddle-shifted IS-F transmission. More leather, a different steering wheel, Brembo 6-piston front brakes, forged 19" wheels, different suspension calibration. Yes, it has air suspension but that is the only way to get the different shock modes. The emphasis of the LS is smoothness, hence the shift characteristics - which are biased towards imperceptibility. It isn't going to light the road on fire, but that's not the point of this car. Yes, it does get boring sometimes. Supremely competent cars with incredibly high reliability where you aren't constantly worrying about failures tend to lift a weight off your shoulders that you didn't know was there - which is a good kind of boredom.

DedBirdDog

I can't imagine having to rack up hundreds of miles a week in a Golf. At least not under duress. The LS is a luxury car designed to cover miles in comfort. It's really an apples to oranges comparison.

icon901

This.

Everything you're saying sounds like you are looking for a sport-tuned car designed for aggressive driving. While the LS has exceptional power and handling for a car of it's type, it is still a 4800lb touring sedan designed to carry you from point A to point B in comfort. Long road trips in this car are a dream.This car is designed to isolate you from the road/outside while many of the cars you seem to favor are about transferring road feel.

Frankly its 50-100 acceleration is better than it's 0-50 acceleration.

This likely just isn't the car for you, no worries. Good luck in your search!

UDel

If you like Lexus vehicles, a 2011 LS will probably satisfy you, especially if it has some upgraded packages. If you are into German cars like a A8 and don't mind the cost of owning those cars past a warranty then I can see where someone would find a LS to be boring or lacking. The Germans are generally nicer in many ways, are quicker, handle better, make more power, have more features in most cases. I love the 2nd Gen A8, have always wanted one, think it is much nicer then a LS in just about every way but the reliability and cost of ownership is a deal breaker, 3rd Gen A8 to me is ugly, interior is very nice, 8 cylinder power is good but again reliability is scary.

2013 LS is the same basic car as the pre 2013, it does not drive much different or have many more features, it is mainly cosmetic differences. Personally I find the pre 2013 LS much nicer looking but if I get a LS it will probably still be a 2013 or higher just to try to avoid as many issues as possible. I doubt a 2013 LS is going to change you mind much, it makes the same exact power as the pre 2013.

Vicqlo

Well, I can relate to some of your concerns. Years ago, I too had a 1999 Cadillac Deville D'elegance. White Diamond paint with red leather interior. It was beautiful! And, in some ways, that car was better than my 2011 LS. I know there may be some younger guys and gals on here that may think I'm crazy. lol But, that car was truly just a bit more capable at handling road imperfections. In other words, bumps in the cabin were rarely felt. Additionally, the 4-speed auto was superb! The car was just effortless driving. And, yes, the Northstar V-8 was awful in terms of maintenance. Unfortunately, I got rid of it at approximately 45k due to excessive oil consumption.

My 2011 LS AWD has disappointed me in some respects. I expected better from this flagship model. I've had a brake actuator replacement, front coils, all new brake components. (and the car still grunts whenever I'm in traffic and have to brake.) The transmission sometimes functions perfectly and sometimes it seems to hunt for the correct gear. Also, after a cold start, it always hesitates between 2nd and 3rd gear. Annoying!!!! But, they all do this. I found out the hard way. Additionally, top of the line Michelin Tires will last maybe 35k. That's just the way it is. Even rotated every 5k, the car just eats them. This past Summer, I noticed my door panels on the front doors fading. Luckily, I just received a notice that may cover this repair. But, all in all, more issues than I expected. BUT, the car is an excellent highway cruiser, it's big and heavy and I feel safe in it. Getting close to 40k now and I guess I'll hang on to it for a while longer.

Tec80

If your car eats tires, get a 4-wheel alignment. Our 2012 AWD received new Michelins and a 4-wheel alignment at 58k and we just replaced them at 102k, with more than half the tread depth remaining.

Shintsu

I'm bowing out here since I don't have a horse in this race anymore, but rather than look down your nose at "inferior" brands you might actually consider there are other good cars out there. I have a Golf R, 292 HP stock easily tuned to 380 HP with a tune and zero degradation in reliability (numerous others have ran on Stage 2 tunes for 80k miles and had no issues at all). It was tantamount to my decision. It took looking at this LS for me to realize how much I really appreciate my R and how nothing else for now could replace it (save maybe an RS3).

I find this too much, where someone with a Lexus gets some glee out of a chance to put down a German make when you often don't realize Lexus lacks a lot of things that some buyers find appealing. I know from having looked up various videos on features or other things around various Lexus models with invariably some comment deriding German cars. Before I sat in a single Audi, I felt the same way which makes me think many of the same people jumping on that bandwagon are also ones who never even set foot in one. Before that Audi, I had over the years looked at old BMWs and the like and since they were higher mile and cheap always had issues. The good ones were more money than I wanted to spend so I never even considered them. At one point I looked about a year ago I looked at a 2014 328i Wagon, lovely car other than the one I looked at was disappointingly equipped. The ZF 8 speed was great and I was surprised how powerful an "only 240 hp" turbo 4 cylinder was. Handling was great and the sport seats it had were very nice.

Lexus may have the market on big floaty cars. I looked at a 2010 RX350 some years ago, I despise to say it because I really don't like SUVs but it rode better than the LS. It was more isolated and felt nothing of the road underneath it. When you go looking for something with modern features, fun to drive, exciting performance, Lexus is usually not involved. Even the F cars, the now defunct IS F and the current GS F and RC F are decent enough but not any threat of dethroning BMW's M-series, Audi's S-series, or Mercedes AMG offerings. They might be more reliable, but subtract so much of the thrill of driving that kind of car as to miss the point.

Anyway, I know where I posted this so I'll leave it at that. I appreciate what Lexus does and does well. They're a safe recommendation for affordable (second hand, at least) luxury that typically won't break the bank. All just about what you want out of a car. For me, I'm not ready to give up the fun just yet and there's nothing in the lineup that I think is for me but perhaps that'll change in the future either as I age into the appropriate demographic or new/updated models come out. I'd love for Lexus to make a real competitor to the German sport offerings, as such competitiveness invariably ends up improving them as well and we all win. Appreciate the thoughts from all here, cheers

ameli0rate

Interesting. I was worried about an '07 I just drove that did this while cold. I called it a shift-flare. So it's a common thing in these and not an indication of transmission failure?

DedBirdDog

I don't think that flare is common. My 2013 with 149k miles doesn't do it at all. My 2007 Camry V6 XLE developed a single cold 2-3 flare at around 140k miles and it still has it at 230k. It does it once and that's it. A flush at 170k (yeah, I know but I gambled) didn't affect it one way or the other. Yes, it's annoying, but I wouldn't consider it a sign of imminent transmission failure.

SW17LS

The bottom line is, you're wanting the LS to be something that it isn't. Its okay for you to drive it and not care for it, there's nothing wrong with that. Not every car is for every person, hence the reactions here you've gotten about VWs etc that you are reacting to. What appeals to you doesn't appeal to the LS owners here, which shouldn't be a surprise since the LS doesn't appeal to you and it does appeal to us. Different strokes for different folks. I would never buy a Golf, its just not a sort of vehicle that appeals to me on any level, and its a completely different car than an LS. If thats what you like, then drive that.

What I love about my LS is the simple elegance, the feeling of quality in everything it does, the incredible soft and comfortable ride, the extremely quiet interior, the space, I love how big and substantial it is. I've driven everything competitive, and sure the German cars have appeal in some places the LS doesn't. There are also tradeoffs too.

Richyb1

Hojo

Shintsu

The leather in my VW feels more premium than any of the regular Lexus I've looked at, and that includes an '05 LS430, '06 IS350, '13 GS350 F-Sport, '08 LS460, '10 RX350, and '11 LS460 that I looked at most recently. I'm sure I never found an LS with that upgraded leather package FWIW. Absolutely no car I've looked at before or since has had leather as nice as the '11 Audi A8 I looked at. Had the chance at that with extended warranty, definitely the only big cruiser car I've driven so far that ticked all the boxes. Others just feel like big grandpa cars.

I don't care if a car "lasts forever" so to say, if it's so bland to drive I'd rather drive something else anyway. Same reason why I utterly have zero interest in basically any Toyota product, I like that they're reliable but there's not one thing they make that even slightly piques my interest. Even the new Supra, with that being mostly BMW I don't really see the point. I'd rather just buy the BMW if they're going to make a low effort and just call a BMW a Toyota.

Nissan killed any desire I had by CVT'ing every car basically, Honda equally has had little interest to me (the Civic Type R is the closest thing, but FWD only and the appearance is just ridiculous and not my taste), and Subarus are mostly all CVTs and very dreadfully slow besides the WRX/STi. Acuras are generic looking uptrimmed Hondas, Lexus are up optioned mildly more sporty Toyotas, and Infiniti are tarted up Nissans with awful sounding piped in engine noises and gadgets for gadgets sake with no prestige. Sorry, I love Japanese cars for reliability and drove an old Maxima for years but unless I go back about 15-20+ years they all lost their way for me. Probably fine commuter cars for those who don't really mind, but zero appeal to me.

Johnny Rad

SW17LS