F SPORT 4dr Rear-Wheel Drive Sedan
2021 Lexus LS 500
There was one glaring problem with the Lexus LS 500 prior to this year’s refresh: the Remote Touch infotainment system. To put it simply, it was a nightmare to use and a potential deal breaker. As it does in other Lexus products, Remote Touch featured a large display controlled by a laptop-like touchpad that was difficult and distracting to use. Lexus has surely tired of hearing the complaints from reviewers and customers alike, and for 2021, there's a touchscreen. Hurrah! That's clearly the biggest update for the 2021 Lexus LS 500, but the four-door flagship is treated to a number of other improvements for its mid-cycle freshening as well. Considering the totally new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is bearing down in the Lexus’ rearview mirror, it’s smart timing. Lexus allowed us to live with both the 2020 and 2021 LS 500s for a couple days to ensure we’d notice every last difference between them. It takes a sharp eye to see what designers have massaged on the exterior. Look closely, and you’ll notice the snazzy Z-shaped headlight fixtures have lost the Z. It’s a cleaner design, but does subtract from their flashiness. The big spindle grille is present and accounted for — Lexus applies a darker finish to it this year. It’s still as shouty and in-your-face as it gets for a car in this class, which isn’t easy considering the 7 Series’ new snout. Lexus had to redesign the dash for the touchscreen to be reachable. The large 12.3-inch widescreen that was shoved way back and nestled under a hood in the previous two-tiered dash design has been pulled way out to stand on its own in tablet-like fashion for 2021. The illuminated graphic panel that was adjacent to the infotainment screen is gone. The look is ultimately less integrated and harmonious, but at least it’s usable now. Improving how the LS 500 drives was also on Lexus’ to-do list with this update. It’s still powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, but Lexus is using a new piston design that makes the engine quieter when cold. The wastegate control was updated to improve both performance and efficiency, and the 10-speed automatic’s shift logic was re-calibrated to be smarter when the driver asks for power. Even with the changes, output is unchanged at 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough to get our rear-drive LS 500 F Sport from 0-60 mph in just 4.6 seconds, all while leaving a long patch of rubber in our wake. Plenty fun, but it’s not what the LS is about. The more vital mechanical changes for 2021 are found in the suspension. Both spring and damper rates are revised to aid ride comfort; the anti-roll bars are bigger to reduce body roll, and both front and rear liquid-filled bushings are larger for a plusher ride. The difference in ride comfort is immediately noticeable on the road. Where the 2020 LS 500 exhibits some jittery behavior, the 2021 model completely smooths the unevenness out. The …
Full Review
There was one glaring problem with the Lexus LS 500 prior to this year’s refresh: the Remote Touch infotainment system. To put it simply, it was a nightmare to use and a potential deal breaker. As it does in other Lexus products, Remote Touch featured a large display controlled by a laptop-like touchpad that was difficult and distracting to use. Lexus has surely tired of hearing the complaints from reviewers and customers alike, and for 2021, there's a touchscreen. Hurrah! That's clearly the biggest update for the 2021 Lexus LS 500, but the four-door flagship is treated to a number of other improvements for its mid-cycle freshening as well. Considering the totally new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is bearing down in the Lexus’ rearview mirror, it’s smart timing. Lexus allowed us to live with both the 2020 and 2021 LS 500s for a couple days to ensure we’d notice every last difference between them. It takes a sharp eye to see what designers have massaged on the exterior. Look closely, and you’ll notice the snazzy Z-shaped headlight fixtures have lost the Z. It’s a cleaner design, but does subtract from their flashiness. The big spindle grille is present and accounted for — Lexus applies a darker finish to it this year. It’s still as shouty and in-your-face as it gets for a car in this class, which isn’t easy considering the 7 Series’ new snout. Lexus had to redesign the dash for the touchscreen to be reachable. The large 12.3-inch widescreen that was shoved way back and nestled under a hood in the previous two-tiered dash design has been pulled way out to stand on its own in tablet-like fashion for 2021. The illuminated graphic panel that was adjacent to the infotainment screen is gone. The look is ultimately less integrated and harmonious, but at least it’s usable now. Improving how the LS 500 drives was also on Lexus’ to-do list with this update. It’s still powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, but Lexus is using a new piston design that makes the engine quieter when cold. The wastegate control was updated to improve both performance and efficiency, and the 10-speed automatic’s shift logic was re-calibrated to be smarter when the driver asks for power. Even with the changes, output is unchanged at 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough to get our rear-drive LS 500 F Sport from 0-60 mph in just 4.6 seconds, all while leaving a long patch of rubber in our wake. Plenty fun, but it’s not what the LS is about. The more vital mechanical changes for 2021 are found in the suspension. Both spring and damper rates are revised to aid ride comfort; the anti-roll bars are bigger to reduce body roll, and both front and rear liquid-filled bushings are larger for a plusher ride. The difference in ride comfort is immediately noticeable on the road. Where the 2020 LS 500 exhibits some jittery behavior, the 2021 model completely smooths the unevenness out. The …
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Retail Price
$79,600
MSRP / Window Sticker Price
| Engine | 3.5L V-6 |
| MPG | 18 City / 29 Hwy |
| Seating | 5 Passengers |
| Transmission | 10-spd auto w/OD |
| Power | 416 @ 6000 rpm |
| Drivetrain | rear-wheel |
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