Liquid smooth and whisper quiet, quicker and more sophisticated.

Introduction

The Lexus LS 430 benefits from substantial engineering upgrades for 2004 that significantly improve what was already a superb luxury car. It's quicker and more sophisticated than last year's model. 

The LS 430 is everything a flagship luxury sedan should be. Its ride is silky and its steering is liquid smooth. Its soft suspension and slow steering lead some to believe that the LS 430 doesn't handle well when compared with such European benchmarks as the BMW 7 Series or Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but we haven't found that to be the case. The LS 430 can, in fact, be driven hard, whereupon it reveals lots of grip and very good handling. It boasts a powerful V8 engine, a new six-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive, and the latest in active safety technology. 

Inside is a beautiful interior with rich wood accents and buttery soft leather, seats so comfortable that you never think about them, and controls that are a paragon of ergonomic excellence. Lexus provides every convenience feature imaginable. Finding failings in this car devolves into whining about bland styling or nitpicking about the lack of inconsequential features such as being able to grind the starter when the engine is running. In other words, the Lexus LS 430 plays its role to near perfection. That role is of a smooth, luxurious sedan that whisks occupants along in supreme comfort, allowing the driver to concentrate on other, more pressing matters than the automobile. 

Toyota launched its Lexus luxury channel in fall 1989 with the introduction of the 1990 LS 400, an event that changed the rules for luxury car ownership. The third-generation Lexus LS appeared for 2001. 

Model year 2004 brings major changes to the LS 430: revised styling, suspension refinements, safety improvements, and mind-boggling technology. A new six-speed automatic replaces last year's five-speed for improved acceleration performance without sacrificing fuel economy. There are more airbags than ever before (eight) and a system that tightens the seat belts before a crash. There's a tire-pressure monitor, a backup camera, headlights that swivel for seeing around corners, and Dynamic Laser Cruise Control that maintains a set following distance to the car ahead. With Bluetooth technology and SmartAccess, you can unlock the doors, start the car, drive off, and make hands-free phone calls without even pulling your key or your cell phone out of your pocket or purse. 

Quality, durability and reliability are Lexus hallmarks. For the seventh consecutive year, the LS 430 ranked highest among luxury cars in the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Initial Quality Study, a survey of owners after 90 days of ownership. And for the ninth consecutive year, J.D. Power's vehicle dependability study named the LS 430 the most problem-free car after three years of ownership. 

Clearly, the Lexus LS 430 is a luxury vehicle that owners do not need to worry about. They can simply enjoy its comfortable ambiance as it whisks them to their destinations. 

Lineup

The Lexus LS 430 ($55,125) is powered by a 290-horsepower 4.3-liter aluminum V8 and comes standard with a new six-speed automatic transmission. The LS 430 comes as one model, loaded with every feature expected of a flagship luxury sedan and more. For 2004, Lexus has added as standard equipment features that were previously optional, including a power moonroof with an auto open/close feature, a power rear sunshade, and lighted rear-seat vanity mirrors. 

Several important option packages are available. A Sport Package ($220) sharpens the handling of the LS 430 with a sport-tuned suspension and 18-inch wheels and 245/45R18 summer tires. 

In addition to the leather upholstery that comes standard, two grades of leather trim are available as optional, Semi-Aniline ($2,100) and Nappa ($1,460). A Premium Package ($1,390) adds front climate-controlled (heating/cooling) seats, heated rear seats, and sonar-based Intuitive Parking Assist. 

A Custom Luxury Package ($5,935) is available with the Mark Levinson audio system, the navigation system with rear back-up camera, Bluetooth, the new Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Intuitive Parking Assist, climate-controlled front seats with fans that circulate heated or chilled air, rear seat heaters, headlamp washers, and power door closers. The aptly named Ultra Luxury Package ($11,320) features all that plus the Adaptive Variable Air Suspension, SmartAccess, rear door sunshades, a rear seat adjuster with memory and massage feature, rear climate-controlled seats, rear air conditioner with optical deodorizer, and other rear-seat features. 

Walkaround

The Lexus LS 430 is an attractive luxury car that makes a substantial, upscale statement, but don't expect young people to stop what they're doing to gawk as you whisper by. It tends to blend in, particularly in areas frequented by other luxury cars. It's somewhat distinguished for 2004 with styling revisions that are substantial but subtle to the casual observer. 

The front fenders, hood, headlamps, fog lamps, grille, front and rear bumpers, trunk lid, and rear combination lamps are all new and the front headlamps have been redesigned. The standard 17-inch wheels have been redesigned and new 18-inch wheels are available with the Sport Package, freshening the profile. These changes clearly upgrade the appearance for 2004, giving it a more substantial look and more presence, but few are likely to say, 'Ohmigosh! It's the new LS 430!' Perhaps most noticeable to other motorists are the newly exposed dual exhaust tailpipes, which protrude from the lower edge of the bumper and project a look of power and performance to those in your rearview mirror. New LED brake lights are brighter, light up quicker, last longer, and draw less current, plus they look neat. 

The LS 430 looks long and low, sleek and shapely. It cuts a handsome, though subtle profile. Its large passenger cabin with a generous greenhouse is sandwiched between a long hood and a short tail. Its canted windshield and elegant A-pillars are set off by the slant of the backlight (rear window) and thick, curvacious C-pillars that blend seamlessly into the rear flanks. The bold, trapezoidal grille thrusts it forward, while the hood bulges with power. The grille is rimmed in bright trim. The short, horizontal deck leads to a vertical back panel with oversized lamps at the corners, camouflaging the mass of the trunk. 

The LS 430 is so streamlined that it earns a 0.26 coefficient of drag, 0.25 with the optional air suspension, making it one of the most aerodynamic shapes on the road. That contributes to exceptionally low wind noise and improved fuel economy. The slick exterior form is further enhanced by the remarkable fit of the body panels. Although Lexus has long been recognized for superior fit and finish, the quality achieved by the LS 430 reaches a new dimension. Engineers used a supercomputer to digitize all body surfaces, then worked out new fit tolerances ten times more precise than on the previous-generation (pre-2001) model. 

Interior

The interior of the Lexus LS 430 is quiet, comfortable and luxurious and is loaded with high-tech gear designed to make driving safe and pleasurable. It isn't a showy interior, but the workmanship and attention to detail are first class. And a number of revisions improve what was already an excellent interior. 

Majesty leather upholstery is standard and comes in a choice of Ash, Cashmere, Semi-Aniline Black and Comfort Interior in Saddle and Ecru. We found the light colors beautiful, but no one does black as well as the Germans. Snazzy perforated semi-aniline or luxury leather trim are optional. Rich wood trim in Bird's-Eye Maple or Walnut warms the LS 430 interior beautifully and there's an optional Antique Walnut with fired edges that's quite interesting. 

The seats are roomy and can be quickly adjusted to a comfortable driving position. The driver faces an adjustable steering wheel trimmed in wood and leather with easy-to-use controls for the audio system. Vivid electroluminescent gauges rank among the best available and, for 2004, the needles are white, making the instruments easier to read. Window switches are illuminated, making them easy to find at night. 

To the right, at the top of the center stack, is a seven-inch touch screen used to control climate and audio, as well as the optional navigation system. Thankfully, a set of hard buttons integrated along the driver's side of the touch screen is provided for the primary climate controls (temperature, fan speed, Auto, recirculate, defrost). A similar set of buttons to the right allows quick access to key navigation and audio functions. This combination of hard buttons and touch-screen buttons seems to work well. You can also use voice commands to direct the action: '68 degrees.' Your passenger should have no trouble finding and adjusting the separate temperature control. The automatic climate system reads temperature sensors around the cabin and aims cool air specifically at any hot spots where the sun is baring down. 

The navigation system is improved for 2004 with more datapoints (5.6 million vs. last year's 785,000). It's also more sophisticated, using icons to show points of interest, and even displays building footprints in Manhattan and Chicago. Navigation systems are getting better every year. A new backup camera can help the driver spot objects behind the car. Whenever Reverse is selected, the system automatically projects an image (in living color) onto the navigation screen of whatever the camera lens can detect behind the car. Looking at this screen can help the driver spot objects that might be difficult to see in the mirrors or over the shoulder. As if that wasn't enough, the navigation system is linked to the optional Lexus Dual Mode Mobile Phone. For example, if a point of interest is called up on the navigation screen, a push of a button will dial the location directly. 

Bluetooth technology is part of the optional navigation system as well. When combined with a Bluetooth-equipped phone, this wireless technology allows the driver to transfer personal phone books to the navigation system and make hands-free phone calls using the car's touch-screen display. Customers can place a hands-free call in different ways depending on their preference. To help prevent driver distraction, the one-touch dial feature is the only dialing function that a customer can access when the vehicle is in motion. The system can store up to 18 one-touch dial numbers. Some Bluetooth technology functions are disabled when the vehicle is in motion, but the driver can use steering wheel controls to answer and end calls as well as adjust call volume. This greatly extends the utility of the handheld cell phone, which can remain in the driver's pocket while underway. The system can be programmed to work with up to four different phones. The Lexus dealer orders a compatible phone for you. 

Driving Impression

The Lexus LS 430 sets the benchmark for smooth ride quality. This is one smooth, quiet car, and riding in it is very pleasant. The engine is barely audible. Mechanical and road vibration is damped out. No other automaker does a better job than Lexus in creating a zone of serenity for driver and passengers. 

The LS 430 handles well for such a large, luxurious sedan. It responds predictably when driven to the limit of the tires in corners, though it doesn't encourage you to do so the way a BMW does. The softness of the suspension results in squirmy transient response when compared with say, the BMW 745i. But the LS 430 does generate lots of grip and offers the responsiveness afforded by rear-wheel drive and double-wishbone suspension front and rear. New monotube shock absorbers improve handling for 2004. The new shocks are larger and more technologically advanced, resulting in flatter cornering response and a smoother ride. The steering system has also been improved for 2004, providing more road feel, more feedback, more precision. 

Two suspension options are available, a sport suspension and an air suspension. The Sport Package features a sport-tuned suspension and 18-inch wheels and tires. This setup improves handling feel while maintaining a smooth, comfortable ride. While Mercedes and other manufacturers offer sport suspension packages that result in a harsh, choppy ride, this isn't one of them. Even with the sport suspension, the LS 430 rides smoothly and softly. The optional air suspension allows the driver to switch between two shock-damping modes (and to raise the ride height for driving in deep snow). However, the car floats a little more on the air suspension, even in the Sport mode, making it feel bigger, more boatlike. For this reason, we prefer the sport suspension. 

The Lexus V8 is smooth and quiet, and the new six-speed automatic shifts so smoothly it's almost seamless. The 4.3-liter V8 generates 290 horsepower and 320 pounds-feet of torque. Acceleration performance has been improved significantly over last year's model. Lexus says the 2004 LS 430 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, a significant improvement over last year's 6.3-second performance. The performance improvement is almost entirely a result of the new six-speed automatic. First gear is lower, and second, third, and fourth gears are closer together, all of which makes for a quicker launch and quicker acceleration. Yet the LS 430 still earns an EPA-estimated 18/25 mpg City/Highway, a benefit of the transmission's long-legged fifth and sixth gears. The driver can manually control shifting, though we found it usually best to put it in Drive and let it do its job. Engine and transmission are designed to favor smoothness over performance, however, so they do not offer the crispness of a BMW powertrain, the other end of the spectrum. The engine's electronic throttle control (drive-by-wire) system helps smooth acceleration from a standing start by very slightly delaying throttle opening when the driver steps on the accelerator pedal, and the transmission favors smoothness over shifting speed. But overall, the Lexus V8 and six-speed automatic are a powerful team, delivering strong acceleration performance for quick passing and freeway merging. 

The brakes are responsive and easy to modulate for smooth stopping power. Four-channel, four sensor ABS helps the driver maintain steering control during panic stops. Brake Assist is designed to determine if the driver is attempting emergency braking and, if the driver has not stepped hard enough on the brake pedal to activate the anti-lock brake system, it applies maximum braking pressure until pedal pressure is released. Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) is an excellent active safety feature that helps control side skids under demanding conditions by correcting loss of lateral traction during cornering. VSC integrates traction control t. 

Summary

The Lexus LS 430 excels as a luxury sedan with a cabin that's quiet, comfortable, and luxurious. It is a meticulously crafted car that offers every luxury amenity imaginable, plus a few we would not have imagined. Its construction quality is the best in the industry. Everything about its operation is smooth. Its powerful V8 and six-speed automatic are a smooth, silent team. Its ride is silky, its steering is smooth and precise, its brakes allow easy modulation for smooth stops. If you want a premium luxury sedan that delivers no-hassle smooth, luxurious sailing, the Lexus LS 430 should be at the top of the list. 

Model Lineup

Lexus LS 430 ($55,125). 

Assembled In

Tahara, Japan. 

Options As Tested

Sport Package ($220) includes Euro-tuned sport suspension, 18x7.5-inch aluminum wheels with 245/45R18 summer tires; Modern Luxury Package ($4,980) includes Mark Levinson Audio, Lexus Navigation system with rear back-up camera and Bluetooth technology? 4-spoke wood and leather steering wheel with Voice command, front climate control seats with heating/cooling control, rear seat heaters, Intuitive Parking Assist.