Lexus LS 600h driven

Lexus LS 600h driven

Twenty years ago, the Lexus LS put the wind up the Mercedes S-Class, helping to launch Toyota's posh division with a bang. Sadly, its cars' competitiveness has been declining ever since.

This heavy facelift does little to turn the tide, despite the fact it's a thorough re-engineering that stretches right down to the methods used to weld the chassis together. No stone has been left unturned. The steering wheel is smaller, the steering column has more adjustment. The wheelarches have a new type of sound insulation. Seat cushions are 20mm thicker. The climate control uses infrared sensors to measure occupants' body temperature and adjust accordingly. Even the analogue clock hasn't been forgotten - it's now automatically controlled via GPS. Truly obsessive