Text by Tom Appel
2025 Lexus LS 500 F Sport AWD
Specs
Class: Premium Large Sedan
Country of manufacture: Japan
Seating capacity: 5
Color: Silver Illusion
Miles driven: 131
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Comfort | B+ |
| Power and Performance | B- |
| Fit and Finish | B+ |
| Fuel Economy | A |
| Value | A |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup. | |
| Big & Tall Comfort | |
| Big Guy | B+ |
| Tall Guy | B |
| Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 149-horsepower 2.0-liter |
| Engine Type | 4-cylinder |
| Transmission | CVT-automatic |
| Drive Wheels | Front-wheel drive |
Observed fuel economy: 19.9 mpg
Driving mix: 35% city, 65% highway
EPA-estimated fuel economy: 17/27/21 (mpg city/highway/combined)
Fuel type: Premium gas
Base price: $86,925 (not including $1350 (destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Mark Levinson-brand audio system ($2400), special color ($3100), Panorama Glass Roof ($1000), illuminated door sills ($450), rear bumper applique ($95), trunk mat ($130)
Price as tested: $94,990
Audio-System Brand
Mark Levinson
Audio-System Quality
Poor Fair Good Very-Good Excellent
Pros and Cons
The great: Classy, refined, outstanding highway poise
The good: Class-leading build quality, plenty of power
The not so good: Limited passenger space for a vehicle of this size
Review
There’s nothing wrong with the car—well, maybe a couple of things—the problem is society. At some point in time, luxury-vehicle buyers around the world decided to abandon the sedan in favor of crossovers.
Lexus LS Discontinued
It isn’t just luxury-vehicle shoppers that are passing on purchasing sedans, but the impact of waning premium car sales is being felt acutely this year—especially in the large-sedan segment.
Because of slowing sales, the LS, the Lexus brand’s long-time flagship—and the car that launched and defined the brand—is being discontinued after 2026. For those of us who were paying attention at the close of the Eighties, the LS is more than just another Lexus model, it is the car that scared Mercedes-Benz straight.
Lexus History
I have written several posts about how important the Lexus LS was, and I invite you to check them out:
Of Rice Burners and Jap Crap: An Open Letter to Idiots
How Lexus Leavened the Price of Benzes
Large Luxury Sedan Sales Decline
But flagship sedans have given way to flagship crossovers, and big luxury car sales have cratered. Here are U.S.-market big luxury sedan sales totals for 2025:
- BMW 7-Series: 11,393
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class: 5,006
- Genesis G90: 1687
- Audi A8: 1405
- Lexus LS: 1,082
For comparison, Lexus sold 57,346 of its new 3-row TX crossovers last year, or about two and a half times the combined total of all the sedans listed above.
Lexus isn’t the only maker in the segment throwing in the towel. Audi has stopped taking orders for the A8, though the German luxury carmaker promises the badge will return later in the decade.
Test Car
But enough sales and history, let’s talk about the LS in its current state. Consumer Guide recently spent a week behind the wheel of a 2025 LS—details above—but Lexus is making a special farewell edition available in very limited quantities.
Lexus LS 500 Heritage Edition
Just 250 Heritage edition LS 500s will be built for the U.S. for 2026, all in Ninety Noir (black) and fitted with thin-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels. The only interior motif is red and black, and a 23-speaker Mark Levenson audio system comes standard. Price: $99,280, including destination charge.
Engines
Power comes exclusively from a twin-turbocharged 416-horsepower 3.4-liter V6 mated to a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission. A hybrid powertrain offered through 2025 for the LS has been dropped for its final year.
As the 2025 and 2026 LS models are otherwise the same, we feel comfortable writing our last review of the long-running Lexus sedan based on our 2025 experience.
Cabin
The LS cabin in black and white comes off as snappy and upscale. But what strikes this editor as most impressive is the apparent attention to detail and quality of materials used in lining the car’s cabin. We appreciate the simple, sweeping lines, as well as the old-school mechanical controls for frequently used functions, especially climate.
Room and Comfort
What we don’t appreciate is the wide center console, which cuts into seat space, and seems an unnecessary design affectation. This wide editor could have used a little more hip space, though we suspect most adults will fit just fine.
But herein likely lies the reason monied shoppers have steered clear of the traditional big sedan: space. The LS, for all its goodness, isn’t really all that roomy. While there’s a fair amount of second-row seating space, the Lexus’ door openings are relatively small, making for less-than-graceful entry and exiting. The brand’s own midsize ES sedan serves up more space and easier cabin access than does the LS.
Ride and Handling
Once settled in, however, the LS shines in ways that are in keeping with its flagship role. The cabin is supremely quiet, both around town and on the highway, with only a carefully calculated amount of engine noise allow to filter past the sound deadening.
Ride quality is excellent, though definitely on the firm side. Traditional European sedan fans will appreciate with ride/handling balance. A firm, controlled ride has long been part of the LS tradition, and it’s good to see the car hasn’t been compromised over the years in this regard.
Highway King
Where the LS truly shines is on the open road, on which the car’s power, stability, and quietness merge to create a true long-distance missile. The turbocharged V6 produces plenty of merging power, getting the big sedan up to speed with ease. At speed, the LS settles in impressively, making quick work of city-to-city Interstate runs. The excellent Mark Levinson sound system helps make the most of that road time.
Fuel Economy
We saw 20 mpg over the course of our evaluation. The LS is hardly thrifty, but given the power and performance, we’re not complaining.
Value, and Farewell
The LS was the car that launched the Lexus brand. First seen in 1989, the original LS emulated every attribute and feature of the then vaunted Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and for a far more compelling price. We’re sad to see this legend being parked in the history lot, but we understand that times have charged. That said, we’ve recently spent time with the brand’s excellent LX large SUV, and feel confident that many large-luxury sedan shoppers will find what they’re looking for in that big Lexus—except for maybe brand history.
Oh, and if you’re thinking about a Heritage Edition, we suggest moving fast. We can’t find may listed for sale. They may truly be collectible.
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2025 Lexus LS 500 Pictures
(Click below for enlarged images)
