2018 Lexus LS 500h

There is one great quality about owning a hybrid and that’s that around town they are exceptionally more economical than a straight conventional combustion engine.  Hybrid cars have the ability to switch over from combustion power to electric power when conditions allow – usually in slow, congested city streets where the technology is ideal.  It’s in these conditions that hybrid cars can draw on the power stored in the regenerative battery packs and drive with zero emissions.  Once you hit the open road or need stronger acceleration and speed, the hybrid car switches from electric to combustion to meet the greater demands of driving at higher road speeds.

Hybrid cars are becoming much more common, and Lexus has been in the hybrid game for a long time now.  In fact, they were one of the earlier luxury marques to introduce hybrid technology into their fleet of luxury brands.  The 2018 Lexus LS 500h draws on the knowledge past as well as on the state-of-the-art hybrid engineering that is used in the even better hybrid technology used by Lexus today.  It’s quite an amazing feat to be able to drive a big luxury sedan like the LS 500h around the city streets with no emissions and no combustion power.  When electric mode is selected, the ride is uncannily quiet and superbly refined.

2018 Lexus LS 500h

The new Lexus LS 500h is a big and long luxury sedan, and it has a low, wide presence on the road – more akin to a Maserati.  Lexus has given the new LS 500h an imposing appearance with bold eye-catching exterior features like the massive spindle-grille at the front that uses the full space between the bonnet lip and the bottom of the front air dam.  It’s a classy look that makes more of a racy statement than any rival’s equivalent styling.  Matching the sharp horizontal angles of the grille the fluted LED slim-line headlamps are really nice to look at in their ‘Z’ formation – and the DRLs are incorporated into this sharp-looking design.

Classy 20-inch chrome wheels and nice touches of slim-line chrome surrounds for the windows looks really smooth and stylish.  A smooth finish to the rear-end of the new Lexus 500h is nice on the eye, and the tail lights look very nice with their modern LED technology.  A boot spoiler hints to the car’s performance potential and, again, there is plenty of chrome surrounds in the detailing.

2018 Lexus LS 500h

Things are just as beautiful when you enter the interior of LS 500h.  Lexus has worked very hard to create a distinctive appearance that you would find hard to match in other big premium luxury sedans.  Crafting an interior with pleated leather trim, furrowed door appendices, accent leather stitching and soft touch materials has resulted in a cabin that oozes with luxury and refinement.  There is a digital speedo and display in the driver’s instrument cluster and a multi-function steering wheel that looks and feels superb.  Lexus’s 2018 LS 500h is a real work of art, and it boasts a cabin that is immensely satisfying.  I love the small analogue clock situated just to the right of the large infotainment screen fascia in the centre of the dash.  The infotainment display is controlled via the touch pad on the centre console – pretty cool – but it does take a little getting used to.  Lexus also boasts the largest Heads-Up display in any car, and it spans 24-inches across and 6-inches high in the front windscreen glass.

2018 Lexus LS 500h

Other features you’ll find on-board the 2018 Lexus LS 500h are the 23-speaker Mark Levinson audio system that is just first-class, a fast satellite navigation system, an electric sunroof, 4-zone automatic climate control, automatic LED headlamps, active noise cancellation (the quietest LS yet), hollowed rims for a quieter ride, cooled and heated seats, electronic seats with massage functions, a rear seat entertainment system, a 360^o camera and air suspension.  The air suspension rises 35 mm to accommodate occupants on entry and then settles to its normal ride height once they are on board – wow!

The Lexus LS 500h is a quality driver’s car, and one that is happy to entertain with a vigorous drive through the corners.  The car is very settled and composed offering superb grip for all occasions thanks to the AWD capability.  The LS 500h is powered by a 3.5-litre V6 which is linked to two electric motors.  The drive is via a very slick 10-speed auto.  Put the foot down and the new LS 500h really flies – Lexus claiming a 5.6 second run for the 0-100 km/h sprint.  There is a lovely growling engine note that sings inside the cabin when you put your foot down – great for entertainment.

Safety systems inside the 2018 Lexus 500h is as good as you’ll get, with automatic steering, collision detection and avoidance, active cruise control, autonomous braking all being part of the standard flagship LS package.

If the truth be told, the best seat in the house is in the rear seats of the new LS 500h.  That’s not saying that the front seats aren’t superb, it’s just that there is heaps of reclining leg space and oodles of goodies for your information and entertainment.  Your massaging rear seat will recline in 22 different ways for getting you that optimum relaxed ‘executive” position.

Just remember that the ‘L’ in the centre of the steering wheels stands for maximum Luxury!

2018 Lexus LS 500h

The 2018 Lexus LS 500h model series includes the:

• Lexus LS 500h V6 10-speed auto

For any more information on the 2018 Lexus LS 500h or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181.  If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Lexus dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours.  Private Fleet – car buying made easy!