Test-drive: Lexus LS460 2013
I passed by Lexus agency in Shuweikh to pickup the Lexus LS460 2013 which has undergone major facelift for two days to test drive. Lexus has always been one of the most demanded luxury cars in Kuwait especially the LS460 which has three models; the large, the short and the new sport. I picked the LS460L which made driving experience a lot funnier and safer.
Design: My first impression is that this sedan does look luxurious and prestigious with strong identity, Lexus has added several elements to make this car looks distinguished such as spindle grille in the front. It’s large on the outside and spacious inside, sitting on the front or rear seats is indeed very comfy.
Engine: LS is powered by a 4.6-liter V-8 engine that produces 386 horsepower and accelerates from 0-100 Km/hr in 5.4 secs, this means the engine is the same and was only improved slightly from the previous LS460 models. However, LS460 has relatively lower engine performance when compared to say BMW 750 or Mercedes S500 but there are other features that makes LS460L great choice such as the 8-speed automatic transmission which makes the car really smooth on the road even in high speeds.
Features: This car has numerous smart options and features, I don’t know where to even start, please note that I was given the low options LS460 so the full options model has even more features. First I liked that the car has strong Xenon lights with adaptive front lighting system and bright LED rear lights, also the dashboard looked great in the evening and I liked the large Navigation system with 12.3″ screen, there was a mouse in the center to easily browse the display menu. The electrical rear curtains give privacy to passengers, the rear camera is high resolution and this car “Really Does Park Itself” using the advanced parking assist. Other features include GPS-controlled clock so time and date change as location changes, sound system with 5.1 channels and 10 speakers plus DVD player, AUX, USB, and Bluetooth. Add to this sun roof, smart key system, A/C & heater seats, 3 memory switches…etc.
Driving Experience: If there’s one thing I would buy Lexus for then because its super comfy and smooth on the road, I can barely feel the rough roads and asphalt. Also it was really quiet inside with no wind noise what so ever, thanks to the engineers that designed the body of the car with consideration for aerodynamics (study of the properties of moving air), driving at 140 Km/hr felt like 80 Km/hr. There was an option to switch driving mode between Comfy, ECOmode, Sport, and Sport+, for instance the Sport+ will make the car more stable and improve the braking and steering and give higher performance. The fuel consumption was great too, and the safety measure are high in this car, there are 10 air bags for driver and passenger and the blind spot detector feature helps you detect any cars in the blind zone.
Price & Shortcomings: All these hot features don’t come cheap, the LS460L (low options) costs KD29,500 and full options KD33,000, and the LS460 short KD26,600. In my opinion the only drawback in this car is the relatively lower engine performance when compared to say BMW 750 & Mercedes S500, also I wish if the rims were bigger than 19″ and looked more shiny, but I believe this is non-issue with the full options model.
Engine: There are three models; SL63, SL500, and SL350 based on the engine capacity. The SL350 is equipped with 3.5 liter V6 engine delivering 305 horsepower and accelerates from 0-100 in 5.9 secs which is 0.3 secs faster than older model, and top speed is 210 KM/Hr. I’ve to admit that I liked the engine roar, also the seven-speed automatic transmission made gear shifts feel smooth.
Features: I observed that SL350 lots of features and options that makes driving experience easy and enjoyable, but it’s great how I was able to recognize most of th features without reading manual. Features included all LED (adaptive headlights, break lights, signals…etc.), keyless entry, parking assist that automatically parks the car, bluetooth, USB socket, fast retractable vario-roof, navigation system, button to change transparent roof between light and dark, MP3, seat adjustments, self-closing trunk, 10-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system with 6-disc DVD/CD, rear camera, ECO system that turns off car when it’s in idle mode among many others.
Driving Experience: Personally, I think this is the most important thing, SL350 felt smooth and stable on the road (thanks to the traction-control) and made driving really easy. There was an option to switch the suspension system between sport and comfy, steering was great on turns and breaking was efficient even though it was raining. Safety is also high, I noticed 6 air bags, a first aid kit, fire distinguisher and there’s a new pre-safe technology by Mercedes which supposedly makes the car senses if there’s an imminent accident and take safety measures. I liked the fuel consumption, I read on the fuel cap that using super gasoline is ok so need for the expensive ultra super. There was a net (back wing) to reduce wind noise and disturbance when driving and vario-roof is open, nice.
Shortcomings: Even though I’m impressed with SL350 there were a few flaws, first all these cool features don’t come cheap, starting cash price is KD35,000 and climbs to KD37,000 with extra options. There was totally no space in back seat for 3rd person, I couldn’t find the blind spot detectors on side mirrors as in other Mercedes-Benz classes, sometimes doors don’t open right away when you use keyless entry, and there was no touch screen.
