Road test: Lexus LS430

By Damien Tomlinson

A newcomer packing relatively keenly-priced products with extras and glam to gain ground on and take market share from its more established competition.

Sound familiar? No, it's not Hyundai, I'm talking about Lexus - and this is possibly the first and last time you'll see the two brands mentioned in the same sentence.

While the companies are literally worlds apart in refinement, reputation, quality etc, the business model is basically the same. Just as Hyundai mowed down the competition with its $13,990 Excel in 1994, Toyota's more stately cousin uses innovation and luxury, coupled with a reasonable price tag, to tackle its rivals in the prestige motoring world.

Unlike Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, the kings of the sub-$300,000 luxury limousine market, Lexus cannot rely on racing history, or history at all in order to move its cars.

Instead, Lexus's flagship LS430, named recently 'Car of the Decade' for the 1990s by Wheels, states its case for your motoring dollar by providing all the creature comforts of its rivals, together with Japanese quality and precision and an excellent customer service and loyalty program.

The latest iteration of the LS limousine was launched in October 2003, including all options you could tick on the previous model and for $300 less.

At $175,900, the Lexus beats its cubic-centimetre rivals:
Mercedes-Benz S430 (4.3-litre V8, $207,900)
BMW 745i (4.4-litre V8, $208,200)
Audi A8 4.2 Quattro (4.2-litre V8, $206,900)

And all by at least $30,000. Only Jaguar's XJ8 (4.2-litre V8, $189,900) comes close. So, can the western incumbents fend off this latest assault from the whippersnapper from Japan, or does the underdog newcomer continue to land scoring shots in this luxury main event?

Drive

The Lexus LS430

The first thing you notice about the Lexus flagship upon entry is the size of the thing, with a dashboard and steering wheel that looks transplanted from the Toyota Landcruiser-based LX470, or a Mack truck.

It's been about 20 years since I felt like I needed to sit on a phone book to see over the dash.

Entry itself is a nice little novelty, with Lexus's keyless entry system meaning doors unlock as the key holder touches a door or boot handle. The system works on proximity, which means only the door closest to the key will open, and it is through this system that the days of locked-in keys and roadside repairers are coming to an end.

This keyless system extends to the ignition too, where you have the option of inserting the key or physically turning the ignition assembly. I like Mercedes-Benz's system better, which features a big red starter button atop the shifter.

Turning the ignition does not seem to prompt any reaction from the car, except that the electronics switch on. It's not until you look at the tachometer or tune your hearing to the faint whirring of some fans under the bonnet, that you realise the engine is running.

Lexus has gone to great lengths to provide a driver environment which focuses on comfort, rather than speed, though there's plenty of the latter at your disposal.

The 207kW V8's inclusion, I'm sure, was not chosen for the same reason a Monaro includes one. The 4.3-litre mill, mated to the six-speed sequential shifter, is an excellent marriage. While the car's power output struggles against its rivals, I had occasion to nudge 180km/h, and can report that comfort levels and manners at low speed are replicated on the other side of the speed limit, too. The air suspension is geared toward comfort, too, and as a result ride quality and bodyroll suffers when the car is pushed.

Auto-swivel headlights make night-time driving much easier

Big 18-inch alloys and low profile rubber help, but the car's nose lifts noticeably when launched off the line, and sways side to side more than expected through the urban chicanes - yet the car's manner still belies its 1900kg kerb weight.

But the appeal of the cars in this category is their focus not so much on driving, but on the driver and passengers. Progressive steering power assistance makes light work of supermarket car parks, but backs off at speed to allow subtle steering adjustments.

New adaptive headlights "turn" to illuminate the road around the bend, and the car's laser-guided cruise control system is magic.

This clever invention uses laser precision to keep the car off the back bumper of the car in front, no matter how fast they're going (down to a minimum of 40km/h). In practice, my only concern with the system is that at the closest of the three available vehicle-to-vehicle distance settings, about 20 metres, still allowed enough room for other cars to dive in front of me on the motorway, which of course sends the car into a panic, with warning alarms and braking. An even closer setting would be better.

Around town, the Lexus sure draws enough attention from fellow motorists, other Lexus owners and kids. The only letdown of the car in the urban environment is that which makes it great: its size. While wonderfully light steering and an effortless driving experience are great, the size of this car (five metres long and 1.8 metres wide) will take some getting used to.

Lexus has recognised this factor and included the company's boot mounted rear-view camera system. Upon engaging reverse, this super wide angle camera's image is displayed on the control screen, allowing centimetre-perfect reverse manoeuvring. Sadly, this is the only kind of TV LS430 owners will experience, with the omission of an idiot box, almost standard fare in this class.

Engine

The all-alloy 3UZ-FE V8, for pure output, is a lightweight in the company of its German and English rivals.

I'm not sure whether the engine is detuned to 207kW, a figure a lot of Japanese cars are rated at, but it could certainly do with some more herbs in this department.

With all 207 kilowatts pumping out @ 5600rpm, coupled with 417Nm of torque available from 3500rpm, the LS430 is at its best from about 2100rpm. As I said, this is one of the quietest engines out there. Only when applying serious right-foot pressure will you hear the all-alloy donk, and only at the top of the rev-range, usually after kick-down.

The six-speed gearbox is a smooth operator, with close ratios ensuring silky power delivery to the rear wheels, and the 84 litre tank is good for well over 600km with the claimed consumption.

While it's not the most powerful motor you'll find in this class, the focus is on refinement rather than raw gristle, and I think the engine performs its function, in light of the car's intentions as a package, well.

Exterior

The Lexus compares well with Audi and Merc (Learjet costs extra)

The latest LS430, released last October, included what Lexus calls "subtle" styling adjustments, but if you park a current car next to a previous model, released in 2000, the differences are amazing.

Recognising the worldwide fad for sporty appearances (though not necessarily performance) the 2003 LS430 gains 18-inch alloys and low-profile rubber, clear headlight lenses, a new front end and headlamps and rear bumper.

Lexus has also exposed the chrome twin exhausts, exiting at either side, which were previously hidden underneath the bumper.

The changes translate to a more aggressive appearance, but the LS430 has lost none of its regal charm. Standing still or cruising on the road, the Lexus cuts an imposing figure. The car's impressive glasshouse, coupled with its ripples and smooth lines, combine to make an attractive statement.

Our test car was finished in a midnight blue paint scheme which, while hard to keep clean, really set it off. A new colour, platinum silver, has been added to the updated range, but I lean towards darker colours and contrasting light leather and wood, as our car featured.

Interior

The style and class of the reshaped exterior are carried through to the interior, with leather everything, punctuated by felt, dimming lights and other subtle touches.

One gripe on the interior is that it seems to lack personality. I feel this is something most Toyotas suffer from too, where it feels obvious that the car you are sitting in is mass-produced. Big buttons, very simple controls (though there are lots of them) and an efficient look and feel unfortunately come at the expense of personality.

The interior is more like an aircraft cockpit with satellite navigation, laser cruise control, sonar rear parking sensors - and plenty of supple leather

The driver, the most important person in the car most of the time (sorry, Jeeves), is well accommodated in the cockpit of the big Lexus. The fully-electric seat and steering wheel, which is enormous, fall away to their furthest settings to allow easy access, and readjust once the ignition is switched on.

The centrally-mounted touch screen monitor houses everything from satellite navigation, climate, audio and car settings to bluetooth phone systems. After a few practice runs, everything becomes simple to use and easy to adjust.

One problem I had, though, was that it was a switchable option whether the navigation would automatically recalculate your route if you strayed from the path. Our car had this option switched off, which caused some frustration when navigating urban streets.

The cabin has every creature comfort you could imagine, and possibly some you can't, from swivelling air- conditioning vents, which swivel in opposite directions when dual-zone climate control is activated, reclining and vibrating rear seats, an automatic rear sunshade which retracts when you you're in reverse, a rear chiller (not to be confused with a fridge) for your champers and cheese, and rear controls for seat heating/cooling, air conditioning and audio systems.

Little highlights of the car's pampering include the illumination of the footwell and overhead lights of only the exiting/entering passenger, and the way the interior lights switch on as the car senses its owner (or its key, more specifically) approaching.

Accommodation for all passengers is a cut above. Legroom is excellent, even behind my tallish position, and my partner preferred the back for the variable massage system. Certainly the rear passengers are pampered, but the omission of a rear entertainment system, standard in Holden's sub-$100,000 Caprice, is notable.

Overall: 4/5

The Lexus story continues to impress as the years roll on, and this latest iteration of its flagship is a world-class luxury car, let down, I think, only by its conservative approach in some areas.

The new style of its big car looks the goods, but if Lexus ever feels like upping the output of its V8, the motoring public will rejoice.

However, for a price tag coming in well below its rivals, Lexus pitches a convincing argument to the executive and top-end buyers.