The Lexus LS600h L offers the the performance, luxury, and technology typical of the Lexus line-up, coupled with true hybrid power for the first time in a luxury sedan. Now if we could just figure out how to enjoy the satisfaction of the driving experience and the elegant comfort of the huge back seats at the same time!

For those who have the $118,000 sticker price, this automobile delivers every advantage Lexus has come to represent, and breaks new ground with the Toyota-developed hybrid system, that produces 438 horsepower in this sedan while still offering 21 miles-per-gallon in combined driving.

What is It?

The flagship LS600h L is the quintessential luxury car. Lexus starts with the luxury, ride quality, and quiet cabin for which Lexus has become recognized, and then adds high-efficiency hybrid power, a spacious luxury rear cabin (It’s only available as the long wheelbase L model), and every high-tech feature available on any production car, including ultra-advanced collision protection and the (in our view, superfluous) Lexus park-by-itself capability.

What’s It Up Against?

In the luxury sedan class, considering price and power, the LS600h L has some worthy adversaries in the Audi S8, BMW Alpina B7 or 760Li, and Mercedes S63; The competitors may be preferred for enthusiastic driving performance, but none excels in comfort and styling, or comes within five mpg of matching the Lexus hybrid’s mileage.

Any Big Breakthroughs?

Lexus solves the problem of providing good acceleration and top speed in a heavy long-wheelbase luxury sedan without sacrificing fuel efficiency by using a “full-hybrid system.” This Toyota-developed system supplements a five-liter 389 horsepower V8 gasoline engine with a 221 horsepower driving/regenerative braking electric motor, working through the continuously variable transmission, to produce a combined 438 horsepower.

The result is power that can move the 5000-pound vehicle from zero to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, and from 50 to 70 in 3.5 seconds while maintaining fuel economy of 20 mpg city and 22 highway. A second electric motor works as a starter and generator.

Our press vehicle also came equipped with the $12,000 Premium Package II option, which included the Lexus Advanced Pre-Collision System (APCS) and the Advanced Parking Guidance System. We hope Lexus will allow buyers to opt for the first but decline the second part of the package.

The new APCS has two cameras in front to detect pedestrians in the vehicle’s path, and intelligent radar-enhanced cruise control to manage cruising speed and slow the car.

In addition, the APCS includes the breakthrough Driver Monitor System, which uses a camera mounted on the steeing column to monitor the driver’s face. If the system determines that the driver is not looking ahead when an obstacle is detected in the vehicle’s path, the system successively triggers a sound and light warning, then begins to gently apply the brakes and reprograms the steering ratio to increase steering response, retracts the front seat belts, and increases brake system force.

The Premium II package also included the Lexus Advanced Parking System, which has gotten buckets of printing ink since its introduction, but frankly, if the car could be purchased without this option, we’d do it.

Our experience echoed that of other journalists: lining up the template on the parking place is difficult with the available controls (maybe a true joystick would make this easier), parking requires a longer parking space than offered in most urban settings, and we don’t parallel park enough anymore to justify mastering the system, much less paying extra for it.

How Does It Look?

The LS600 is quite a handsome car — probably one of the better exteriors in the automaker’s lineup — with skillful use of subtle feature lines extending back from the grille and from the headlamps to minimize the bulk of the car.

Headlamps are simple, echoing the shape of the signature Lexus grille, with neat triple projector beams providing primary lighting. The only other chrome highlights on the front are the foglights tucked into the lower splitter and air intake openings.

Lexus engineers have eschewed the temptations of added chrome trim, or LED lights in favor of understated styling. in proof that form does follow function, the smooth lines of the car produce a drag coefficient of only 0.27, lower than many supercars and obviously a contributing element in fuel efficiency.

Rear-end styling is very similar to BMW’s current sedans, though proving that if the BMW stylists had just rounded off the feature lines, they would have had a more attractive car. We liked the trapezoidal brushed aluminum frames around the exhaust openings, expressing the car’s power without suggesting street-tuning gaucheness.

Our test car was painted in “Verdigris Mica” which we found exceptionally pleasing, transitting from a medium gray in bright sunlight to a rich olive-green in indirect light.

And Inside?

If the exterior was handsome and stylish, the interior was even better. The verdigris-green body color was nicely complemented by light beige soft trim and grey hard trim, with only the lightest hints of chrome accents. The wood finish could have been just a bit less red, but this was a small issue.

Placement of the controls did contribute significantly to the effectiveness of the interior styling, but we can’t say the placement and usage is entirely intuitive. It would take a new owner a few weeks before the myriad switches and knobs made sense.

The spaciousness of the rear cabin was truly impressive, though rear headroom wouldn’t be adequate for anyone much over six feet. The extent of the controls available to backseat passengers, including a full set of HVAC, audio and window screen controls, as well as a remote for the video screen that folded down from the roof, suggested that this model had its genesis as a car designed for chauffeur-driven home market executives, before being upgraded for sale to chauffeur-less overseas buyers.

The one drawback in all this multi-purpose luxury was the diminutive trunk. Because the space between the trunk and rear seat is taken up by the nickle-metal-hydride batteries of the hybrid system, the trunk holds less than 12 cubic feet of luggage. As a result, the luggage required for a long trip by anyone weathy enough to own this car is going to have to go on the floor in that extra space between the front and rear seats.

But Does It Go?

This was the most pleasant, though perhaps least involving car we’ve had the pleasure of driving over the past year. It simply did everything right from insulating us from exterior noise, cushioning us from any pavement imperfections, and cornering smoothly and evenly without ever causing any passenger consternation. Maybe that’s not what an enthusiast driver is looking for, but is exactly what would be preferred by someone carrying on a serious business conversation, or just wanting a bit of relaxation after a hard day at the hedge fund.

The acceleration capability of those combined 438 horses hidden under the modesty panels in the engine compartment was more than enough to put us wherever we wanted to be in traffic, but it was more fun to try keeping the needle on the fuel efficiency dial in the “econ” and “charging” range.

The full hybrid system works exactly as promised: when trapped in a back-up behind an accident on one of the San Jose freeways, we were able to drive for nearly five miles at stop-and-go speeds up to 30 mph using just the electric motor.

Why You Would Buy It

When you want nothing but the very best in luxury motoring based on cutting-edge technology, the Lexus is justifiably a great value, even at its elevated price. The best-in-class mileage, with that little “Hybrid” badge on the rocker panel to prove it, is a great trade-off for the bragging rights once reserved for owners of V12-engined luxury sedans.

Why You Wouldn’t

Most of the luxury in the LS600h L can be found in cars selling for up to $40,000 less, which will buy a lot of gasoline, even at today’s prices. And unless you’ve got very important clients to drive around (preferably ones without much luggage) you really aren’t ever going to take full advantage of that back-seat space.

Price as Tested

$117,119 including MSRP of $104,000, plus $12,000 for Premium Package II including parking guidance system, heated and cooled power-adjustable sliding reclinable rear seats, and advanced pre-collision system wth dynamic radar cruise control, pedestrian detection system, and driver attention monitor, and $354 for premium floor and trunk mats, plus $765 delivery and prep.

Words and Photos by Gary and Genie Anderson.

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