I know this has been asked a thousand times, but there is gonna be a twist on it........just so I'm not beating a dead horse. I'm between the two as my candidates for adding another nice car for daily driving use. So to help show what I mean I'll go over what I've observed with my 430 and you can use what I think of it to gauge if a 460 would meet or exceed it.

I have a 2002 base 430, first Lexus and first car and I am extremely impressed with it and want to get a second Lexus flagship and my main concerns are with interior blind quality and material fit and finish. I like the idea of a 460 due to the existence of the AWD option but honestly the 430 did so well for me last week during the mini snow storm in Ohio on summer tires I don't really require the option but think it would be useful for a less experienced/skilled driver.

The exterior styling is a moot point as I think the 460 doesn't look nearly as good as a 430 and both look like giant camrys of their generations but it doesn't bother me at all. So don't let that weigh into things please.

Engine performance (0-60, mpg, etc) is not relevant since I consider everything over 15 average fantastic and the power is great for a cruiser type car. So again please don't let this be a factor in recommendation.

Handling is fine on the 430, rolls around and all but I have not run into a situation where I felt uncomfortable under 90mph so I'm not to concerned but if a 460 is majorly different please explain how exactly. My standard of a good handling car is a C7 corvette and 5th gen viper so I don't expect anything near that out of a daily driver but if a 460 is like 2x the body control and ease of handling then that would sway me.

Interior quietness (lack of rattling, sound deadening, compartments not moving when closed, doors/consoles not making any sound when pressed into by arms/legs, wind noise, road noise, engine noise, silence of all motors and actuators, blower motor, blend doors, etc) is extremely important to me and the 430 is my current benchmark for how silent a car can be in all ways. It impressed me to no end how quiet the lock actuators and CD changer as well as the blend doors are, is the 460 as good or better on this?

Control feel, I LOVE how soft, smooth and delicate the buttons are on the 430. The temp control is a soft resistant roll and smooth break when you go adjust, the control sticks are all very distinct and have nice soft thuds when then are actuated, window switches are very smooth and crisp but not cheap/flimsy feeling like the nearly "cracking" feeling of Mercedes switches. How smooth are the rotating controls, how crisp and damped are the compartments and all that in a 460 vs the 430?

Audio, I have the base audio system and it's awesome. The silence of the interior lends itself well to enjoyment of audio and in legitimately impressed and my reference system consists of 2xMC501s, 1xMC402, a MC2200 preamp, a Merantz SA CD player that I forget the model of, Von Schweikert vr5 speakers, and silver cables and other minor odds and ends. Simply put the system in the 430 is good enough that I'm actually happy with it and that's not something I NEVER expected out of any car system. If the 460 is better than I'll be all over that, also how does the ML system in a 430 sound? Any real improvement?

Seat comfort, I love the seats in the 430 even though they are not really that sporty supportive but work great as normal seats. Does the 460 have as good of cushioning and leather? Quiet when you shift around in the seat? Seat trim have any issues or creaking? Are heated seats standard in the 460 because that's the one thing I am actually annoyed I don't have in my 430 since literally all my other cars have it and one is a 1999 Jeep.

The power options and heated wheel are cool and all but my other cars have those options and they don't really do it for me so that's not a deal breaker, tech doesn't impress me all that much honestly. I never use the laser system on the sequoia and I don't plan on using it in one of these cars so not really a factor.

Exterior paint and rust resistance, I assume it would be better on a 460 but I figured I would ask.

Ride smoothness, the road basically doesn't exist in a 430 aside from really big bumps. Does the 460 improve on this?

Relaxing feel/drive comfort, the 430 is physically relaxing for me to drive and use. I get a sense of calm and ease when using it and am not bothered by traffic/drivers that would otherwise **** me off since I'm having such a pleasant time in my luxobarge. Does a 460 take this up a notch?

Smell, I like the scent of clean/well maintained Lexus cars from 1999-2004 in a big way. This might seem really weird but high end cars that people haven't scented or smoked in all have very distinct smells with Lexus, BMW, and Mercedes all having their own tones. I like how this gen of Lexus smells but have never encountered a 460 in person so I'm unsure if it is different. Stupid thing to care about but it's a factor for me.

Glass clarity, the glass in the 430 is quite good. I assume it will be the same in a 460?

Heater/HVAC effectiveness, I'm blown away how well the 430 manages heating and defrosting automatically. On my other vehicles I just do everything manually since the auto systems suck but this one really does work. My only complaint is the floor vent setting (the one the system defaults to when "done" hitting a target temp) is the loudest of all options when on any setting above 3 but it's "loud" in the sense it's slightly more audible than my 2017 ram on setting 1 lol! I assume the 460 will be as quiet or better in this department?

Padding of areas, the 430 has velvet and soft touch absolutely everywhere expect the underseat sliding drawers. (I'm thinking of padding them with something since they are perfectly sized for a 1911) This is really nice and quiets everything down and just feels great to touch and interact with, does the 460 meet or exceed this level?

So sorry if I got rambling but I hope I hit the key points I'm looking at in upgrading to a 460 that matter to me that it hits. I looked around at the other threads and reviews and most are centered on the way better engine HP/Mpg and hanging and stuff like that but I really in not concerned as they are both slow and handle like boats. I am way more concerned what car is nicer to sit in traffic with, thanks guys!

My brother drives a 430
I drive a 460

460 according to me is better in everyway

Perfomance
ML sound system
No outside sounds even the windows are doubled to reduce the outside sound
Rear ac is way better
The back arm rest is a hell in 430
460 smells like a pure luxury car should smell like
The steering is smooth

Control and material feel? Road smoothness? I didn't think of the back seat honestly, I'm never back there so it slipped my mind entirely. Thanks for bringing that up

So I have had 2 LS430s a 2001 and a 2006 and then a little over 3 years ago I upgraded to a 2011 LS460L. I think the best way to summarize everything that you asked is that the LS460 is a more modern feeling LS430 but not everything is improved but much is the same. I actually think the interior quietness on both LS430s was much much better than my 460. You can actually hear the engine in the 460 and many 460s have wind noise issues depending on the year. Seats are a personal opinion. The seats in the 460 feel bigger and more modern to me but I think hwo much mileage is on your 430 and 460 will really make a difference. After a while seats just flatten and wear out. Ride smoothness again depends no whether or not you have air suspension or not but I think for coil over suspension it is about the same or maybe just slightly worse in the 460. My 2001 LS430 that had the ultra luxury package rode smoother than my coil over LS460L but the 460 is still much smoother than other sedans of this size. Everyone comments on how smooth it is. You mentioned stereo and that also depends on what year 460 you have. the 07-09 mark levinson is reported to be better than the 10-12 mark levinson and I would have to agree. It's hard to compare a 2002 base stereo to a 2011 as age again comes into play. I find the hvac a/c to be just as powerful in both models. Control ***** from what I can remember also feel the same.

At best for an LS430 you are now looking at a 14 year old car and at worst almost 20 years old. The 460 is going to feel much newer. You really should go to a couple dealerships and take a ride because everyone's opinion is going to differ. When I first got my LS460 there were many times in the back of my mind that I regretted getting rid of my 430 but now that I have had my car for 3 years I don't think I could ever turn back and go for a car as old as a 430 anymore. I enjoy the more modern feel now.

I think control is somewhat better in a 430 but the material feel is damn smooth in a 460 i just love to hold that wooden steering while i cruise in a 460 .

460 430 both are best at road smoothness

Few better features of a 460 would be
You can rip songs on your lexus hardisk
The power trunk option
Cluster lights and nav display is 10000 times better

For you, stick with a 430.

+1 i agree with this guy almost on everything except the noise part yes some of the cars had issue but they recalled them as i know

But again as this guy said go to a dealer drive a car feel it yourself some prefer 430 and some 460

Is nav standard? I personally never use in car nav and don't like having a screen if I can help it, compared to a 2015 sequoia platinum how does it stack up? What exactly do you mean by cluster lights?

Very few LS460s made without nav. I have seen some early ones pop up from time to time without nav but not many at all.

You can always shut the display off the nav screen is not standard there are versions without the touchscreen

One more cool option for people who get stuck in traffic is the hold button on the steering wheel that you can press and the car wont move until you press it again helps in giving a rest to your foot

From what I've read, the build quality was better on the 430. However, as you get newer model years you also get more technology and safety systems. My 460 is very quiet inside, but I have to admit that I've had to chase down a couple of annoying rattles (center console and driver grab handle and possibly sun visor). The ML sound system is amazing. Mine has laminated front (3) windows which really helps cut down noise.

I would definitely go test drive a couple of 460s, just so you see the differences for yourself.

460s with the cold weather package come with a better heater, wiper de-icer, and a higher capacity battery.

Look for the Comfort Plus package to get the semi-aniline leather interior, which holds up much better than the standard interior if you live in a hot climate.

I've had my 2011 for almost two years now, and I'm still blown away by it. I love when I'm doing 60mph or so on my local highway, and when I let off the gas I can't even tell it's running.
I only have 65k miles on it, and I hope to keep it a long time.

I have found ls460 (based on my experience with LS460L with semi-aniline leather and double pane windows) to be better in almost every aspect compared to my 2004 Custom Luxury LS430.
LS430 is good but it's time has passed. Now it is just an appliance to go reliably and comfortably from point A to point B. I am not getting rid of it but planning to use it just for that purpose.

LS460/LS460L
- Offers long wheelbase. it was great for me because I had come to LS430 from BMW long wheelbase 7 series and always missed it.
- Quieter
- More powerful. It is very noticeable.
- More tech. love the bluetooth audio.
- mp3 audio although I just stream the music
- Better Mark Levinson audio. 10" Sub,
- looks better. 2013+ even better, at least interior.
- No problems with folding mirrors and adjusting mirrors like LS430
- No problems with door lock actuators going bad. (I replaced 2 on LS430 and now 3rd has gone bad)
- Hold feature at traffic
- rear side sunshades without having to go for air suspension
- AWD for people who need it (I don't)
- Better fuel efficiency. Slight and I don't care much but worth a mention

LS430
- No sticky plastics like LS460 but the Lexus now offers replacement plastics for LS460
- More nimble compared to long wheelbase LS460L
- Engine sounds better
- Powertrain appears to be more reliable compared to LS460 (Based on forum posts)
- Lower cost to acquire

Never driven a 430. The dual injection variable cam timing 8 speed power train is a treat to drive. Wow.