Lexus LS 460

Our verdict

One of the finest big saloons on the planet, the Lexus LS460 blends utter ride isolation with reliability, craftsmanship and performance. But it just misses on the image front and in this game a near miss is still a miss.

Comfort

Motorways, long journeys, any road with a bump in it; the LS460 can anaesthetise the lot. This is where the big Lexus gains over any other competitor whether you ride or drive; it simply glides where others chop and dive. In ‘Comfort' mode, the suspension becomes the perfect foil to any sort of pothole, and you barely feel speedbumps. The LS also makes so little noise you may think you have gone partially deaf.

Performance

The 4.6-litre V8 has variable valve timing and lift and various other bits of clever trickery to allow for 375bhp to drive through a remarkably smooth eight-speed auto. And yes, you did read that right - the LS460 is the first car in the world to use eight speeds, even though it's very obviously set up for slush rather than speed. All the clever gubbins mean 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds and the usual limiter at 155mph. If it's visceral you're looking for, then look elsewhere - this is automotive Valium.

Cool

Again a tech-fest that gets lots of respect. Very popular amongst younger people who aren't as brand-snobby as old duffers, but those old duffers are the only ones with enough cash to buy the damn things.

Quality

Lexus's best built bit of kit is saying something and the LS feels like it'll comfortably outlast this galaxy at least. Great materials usage, great quality - about the only thing you can really complain about is the fact that the whole thing feels extremely conservative. Styling boundaries remain unpushed.

Handling

The LS460 comes with adaptive suspension as standard, so you can choose to adopt ‘Sport' mode for sharper steering and a more aggressive throttle map and harder damping. It tightens the 460 up considerably, but the steering still lets the big Lexus down when it comes to enjoying the safe and well-engineered chassis. It never encourages that rear-wheel drive set-up to shine like a BMW 7-series though.

Practicality

It's a big old car the LS, so best get used to the size, get a chauffeur or invest in parking sensors before you wipe out a bus queue without noticing. The boot's huge at 505litres, and you can play polo in the back seats. One of the comfiest - and largest - cabins in the business if you go for the extended SE-L.

Running costs

It's fairly efficient, but that's not to say the LS is a cheap car to run. You're looking at 25.4mpg (less if you tool around town for most of your time, more if the motorways are the usual habitat). Insurance groups are all north of group 18.