2022 Lexus LS 500h

　　

2022 Lexus LS 500h Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　What a difference three decades can make. In the early 1990s, the Lexus LS was all anyone could talk about. Now, in the early 2020s, people may not even realize the car still exists. It certainly isn't for lack of style, quality or technology because the 2022 Lexus LS 500h possesses all three. Plus, it has a standard hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive, blending fuel efficiency with quick acceleration and added traction on slippery roads. So why is this car as rare as a rainstorm in Los Angeles?

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Lexus LS 500h 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid EVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$188/mo  for LS 500h Base

　　LS 500h Base

　　4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid EVT) (Most Popular) - $112,000 MSRP

　　vs

　　$198/mo

　　Avg. Large Car

　　Your guess is as good as ours, especially since the LS 500h is the only six-figure luxury sedan from Asia. Undoubtedly, the consumer shift to SUVs has something to do with it, not to mention how moneyed car buyers increasingly choose electric models like the Lucid Air and Tesla Model S. However, it must also be said that if you're dropping this kind of coin on a luxury car, you want a statement vehicle. Maybe the Lexus LS speaks too softly.

　　Adding the automaker's Lexus Teammate system as standard equipment for 2022 might help. Think Cadillac Super Cruise, Lincoln ActiveGlide and Tesla Autopilot, but in a Lexus. On specific approved highways, Lexus Teammate can take full control of the LS 500h, allowing drivers to release their hands from the steering wheel. However, this system still requires an attentive driver, and it won't work if you're not looking ahead and prepared to retake control of the vehicle at any time.

　　In addition to competitive technology like Teammate, what the Lexus LS 500h needs (desperately) is something to excite a driver, even though the latest LS is the most dynamic example of the car in the nameplate's history. When the competition primarily includes the likes of the Audi A8/S8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, a greater degree of engagement is required in a flagship luxury car.

　　

Which LS 500h does zzdcar recommend?

This Lexus comes one way, and that's as the fully loaded LS 500h AWD. You can upgrade the car with extra-cost paint, a different wheel design and special metal interior trim. Otherwise, Lexus includes everything as standard equipment.

　　

Lexus LS 500h models

The 2022 Lexus LS 500h is available in a single trim level that's powered by a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine enhanced with two electric motors. Combined output is 354 horsepower. A unique transmission marries a traditional four-speed automatic to a continuously variable automatic, creating a single unit. Lexus discontinued the rear-wheel-drive version of the LS 500h this year, making all-wheel drive standard, and the LS 500h earns an EPA estimate of 25 mpg in combined city/highway driving. Every LS 500h includes a long and comprehensive list of standard features. The highlights include:      

　　20-inch alloy wheels Adaptive air suspension system (adjusts to enhance ride comfort and handling as well as the ride height) LED headlights with automatic high-beam assist Rain-sensing windshield wipers Wiper de-icer system Hands-free power open and close trunk Power sunroof Premium leather upholstery Four-zone climate control Heated wood-and-leather steering wheel Power-adjustable front seats with massage Heated and ventilated front seats Power-reclining rear seats with memory function Heated rear seats Power rear sunshade Power side window shadesTechnology features include:

　　12.3-inch touchscreen display Navigation system Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connection Amazon Alexa compatibility Lexus Enform connected services 23-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound system Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield) Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see out the back even with a fully loaded cargo area)The list of standard driver assist features is a long one too. It includes:

　　Forward collision warning with automatic braking (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse) Blind-spot intervention (automatically steers the car back into its lane if you try to change lanes while a car is in the vehicle's blind spot) Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the LS 500h and its surroundings for tight parking situations) Adaptive cruise control with Lane Change Assist (can automatically change lanes during cruise control when the driver activates the turn signal) Lexus Teammate (uses the adaptive cruise control and other systems to allow for hands-free driving under certain conditions) Active steering assistance (applies corrective steering action to avoid or minimize an imminent forward collision if the driver doesn't react in time) Front cross-traffic alert (warns if a vehicle is about to cross the vehicle's forward path) Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with little or no driver intervention)

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