2025 Lexus LS 500: Evaluate, Costs, and Specs | The Each day Drive

Textual content by Tom Appel

2025 Lexus LS 500 F Sport AWD

Specs

Class: Premium Massive Sedan

Nation of manufacture: Japan

Seating capability: 5

Shade: Silver Phantasm

Miles pushed: 131

Noticed gasoline financial system: 19.9 mpg

Driving combine: 35% metropolis, 65% freeway

EPA-estimated gasoline financial system: 17/27/21 (mpg metropolis/freeway/mixed)

Gasoline kind: Premium fuel

Base worth: $86,925 (not together with $1350 (vacation spot cost)

Choices on take a look at automobile:  Mark Levinson-brand audio system ($2400), particular colour ($3100), Panorama Glass Roof ($1000), illuminated door sills ($450), rear bumper applique ($95), trunk mat ($130)

Worth as examined: $94,990

Audio-System Model

Mark Levinson

Audio-System High quality

Poor  Honest  Good Very-Good  Wonderful

Professionals and Cons

The good: Elegant, refined, excellent freeway poise

The great: Class-leading construct high quality, loads of energy

The not so good: Restricted passenger area for a automobile of this dimension

Evaluate

There’s nothing mistaken with the automobile—effectively, possibly a few issues—the issue is society. Sooner or later in time, luxury-vehicle consumers around the globe determined to desert the sedan in favor of crossovers.

Lexus LS Discontinued

It isn’t simply luxury-vehicle customers which might be passing on buying sedans, however the affect of waning premium automobile gross sales is being felt acutely this yr—particularly within the large-sedan section.

Due to slowing gross sales, the LS, the Lexus model’s long-time flagship—and the automobile that launched and outlined the model—is being discontinued after 2026. For these of us who had been paying consideration on the shut of the Eighties, the LS is extra than simply one other Lexus mannequin, it’s the automobile that scared Mercedes-Benz straight.

Lexus Historical past

I’ve written a number of posts about how vital the Lexus LS was, and I invite you to verify them out:

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Massive Luxurious Sedan Gross sales Decline

However flagship sedans have given technique to flagship crossovers, and large luxurious automobile gross sales have cratered. Listed here are U.S.-market large luxurious sedan gross sales totals for 2025:

• BMW 7-Sequence: 11,393
• Mercedes-Benz S-Class: 5,006
• Genesis G90: 1687
• Audi A8: 1405
• Lexus LS: 1,082

For comparability, Lexus bought 57,346 of its new 3-row TX crossovers final yr, or about two and a half instances the mixed complete of all of the sedans listed above.

Lexus isn’t the one maker within the section falling by the wayside. Audi has stopped taking orders for the A8, although the German luxurious carmaker guarantees the badge will return later within the decade.

Take a look at Automobile

However sufficient gross sales and historical past, let’s speak in regards to the LS in its present state. Shopper Information just lately spent every week behind the wheel of a 2025 LS—particulars above—however Lexus is making a particular 2026 farewell version out there in very restricted portions.

Lexus LS 500 Heritage Version

Simply 250 Heritage version LS 500s shall be constructed for the U.S. for 2026, all in Ninety Noir (black) and fitted with thin-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels. The one inside motif is purple and black, and a 23-speaker Mark Levinson audio system comes customary. Worth: $99,280, together with vacation spot cost.

Engines

Energy comes completely from a twin-turbocharged 416-horsepower 3.4-liter V6 mated to a smooth-shifting 10-speed computerized transmission. A hybrid powertrain provided via 2025 for the LS has been dropped for its last yr.

Because the 2025 and 2026 LS fashions are in any other case the identical, we really feel comfy writing our final evaluation of the long-running Lexus sedan primarily based on our 2025 expertise.

Cabin

The LS cabin in black and white comes off as snappy and upscale. However what strikes this editor as most spectacular is the obvious consideration to element and high quality of supplies utilized in lining the automobile’s cabin. We admire the straightforward, sweeping traces, in addition to the old-school mechanical controls for continuously used capabilities, particularly local weather.

Room and Consolation

What we don’t admire is the vast middle console, which cuts into seat area, and appears an pointless design affectation. This huge editor may have used just a little extra hip area, although we suspect most adults will match simply fantastic.

However herein probably lies the rationale many monied customers have steered away from the standard large sedan: area. The LS, for all its goodness, isn’t actually all that roomy. Whereas there’s a good quantity of second-row seating area, the Lexus’ door openings are comparatively small, making for less-than-graceful entry and exiting. The model’s personal midsize ES sedan serves up extra space and simpler cabin entry than does the LS.

Experience and Dealing with

As soon as settled in, nonetheless, the LS shines in methods which might be in line with its flagship function. The cabin is supremely quiet, each round city and on the freeway, with solely a rigorously calculated quantity of engine noise allowed to filter previous the sound deadening.

Experience high quality is superb, although positively on the agency aspect. Conventional European sedan followers will admire the trip/dealing with stability. A agency, managed trip has lengthy been a part of the LS custom, and it’s good to see the automobile hasn’t been compromised through the years on this regard.

Freeway King

The place the LS really shines is on the open street, on which the automobile’s energy, stability, and tranquility mix to create a real long-distance missile. The turbocharged V6 produces loads of merging energy, getting the massive sedan on top of things with ease. At velocity, the LS settles in impressively, making fast work of city-to-city Interstate runs. The wonderful Mark Levinson sound system helps profit from that street time.

Gasoline Financial system

We noticed 20 mpg over the course of our analysis. The LS is hardly thrifty, however given the ability and efficiency, we’re not complaining.

Worth, and Farewell

The LS was the automobile that launched the Lexus model. First seen in 1989, the unique LS emulated each attribute and have of the then vaunted Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and for a much more compelling worth. We’re unhappy to see this legend being parked within the historical past lot, however we perceive that instances have charged.We blame society.

That stated, we’ve just lately frolicked with the model’s glorious LX giant SUV, and really feel assured that many large-luxury sedan customers will discover what they’re in search of in that large Lexus—aside from possibly model historical past.

Oh, and in case you’re fascinated with a Heritage Version, we advise shifting quick. We are able to’t discover many listed on the market. They could really be collectible.

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2025 Lexus LS 500 Footage

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