Sputtering Tiger Silent Dragon

Author's Rating:

Pros: Superb ride, world class engine, great content and quality for a reasonable price.

Cons: Numb steering and poor road feel... not a real driver's car

The Bottom Line: 
The car that had Munich and Stutgart panicked just keeps getting better and better year after year.

Author's Review
The Year: 1991.
The Place: US Luxury Car market

For years, European Luxury car makers had grown accustomed to having a market almost completely to themselves. They built cars the way they liked to build them, and charged customers ridiculous prices at will. Anybody got a problem with that? Go buy a Toyota. Of course, they would soon eat these words when people decided to do just that.

Lexus, a division of Toyota, came to America in the early 90's. Their philosophy was simple: Build a solid, reliable, smooth riding, feature laden luxury car with Toyota level quality and engineering and then charge less than everyone else. Their first offering, the V6 powered LS sedan, rocked the luxury car market on its heels by offering the same luxury car feel as other makers, combined with Toyota quality, while undercutting its nearest competitors by thousands of dollars.

Since then the LS400 has moved up to become their premium luxury sedan, sporting a 60 thousand dollar-plus price tag. The V-6 powered ES300 has taken the entry-level spot. Over the years, the LS has received an infusion of power in the form of a V8 to replace the V6 with which it was originally available, and that V8 has grown in the last few years from a displacement of 4 liters to 4.3, with an accompanying increase in horsepower to 300.

When my aunt's 1993 Jaguar XJ6 sedan recently failed to start for about the millionth time, she immediately made for the nearest Lexus dealer to trade in the heap(the sputtering tiger) and drive out in a used 1994 LS400 sedan with 87,000 miles on the odometer(The silent dragon). Of course, being the cool aunt that she is, she let me take it for a spin.

Approaching the LS400, I was in awe of its gorgeous, elegant, yet understated styling. The chrome 16 inch rims and 225/60/16 tires look right at home, filling out the wheel wells quite well. Overall, the impression I get, which I'm sure is what Lexus was shooting for when they introduced the LS and refined its look, was one of imposing elegance, similar to Mercedes Benz sedans. Perhaps the only disappointment is that it's so derivative of Mercades Benz styling, from the large, curved rectangular tail lights to the bold, imposing front fascia. The newer LS seems to me to resemble a Benz even more closely. However, as derivative as it may be, I find it's softer grill and front fascia to be elegant and tasteful and a bit easier on the eyes than the front end of the previous model.

The first thing I noticed about the LS sedan's interior was its excellent comfort in all seating positions. The tilting/telescoping steering wheel automatically tilts upward when the key is in the ignition with the engine off to make entry and exit easier. The driver's seat features infinitely variable power adjust plus power lumbar support, which the passenger seat does without. The controls for the seats were less than what I would call intuitive, but the range of adjustment meant anyone could get comfortable in the driver's seat, from a 5 foot 9 inch, average weight male such as myself to my 300 pound aunt. The driver's seat adjustable lumbar support provided excellent lower back support. The passenger seat's lower back bolstering was just slightly better than average, as was the side support on both seats, though they were both very comfortable. This felt like a car I could drive for 24 hours non-stop and still be just as fresh as when I slid behind the wheel. The rear seat had plenty of leg, toe, hip, and shoulder room for 2 or 3 and head rests in all three positions.

Unlike many other luxury cars, which often get so bloated with gimics that their controls are about as clear as those on the space shuttle, the dashboard arrangement in this car was simple and very straight forward. The radio controls were large and easy to find without looking. I figured out how to pre-program all the radio stations, use the CD changer, and deactivate and re-activate the traction control and cruise control within 5 minutes of first getting into the car. The instruments were clear and easy to read and included a 160 mph speedo, tachometer, engine temperature gauge, and the other expected displays, as well as one that even reads outside temperature. A clearly marked button on the dash can be pushed to de-activate the traction control if one is in the mood for smokey burn-outs, but it's unlikely that your average Lexus owner would ever engage in such antics, so it's easiest to simply leave it on. The only thing that I had trouble finding was the hood release, which is not in clear view like the trunk and parking brake releases. Also, the glove compartment could stand to be a bit larger.

The premium sound system consisted of a stereo/cassette head unit with a subwolfer and tweeters on the doors. This was complemented by a 6 disk trunk mounted CD changer. For the sake of easier access that unit would probably be better placed in the car somewhere, perhaps the glove compartment. The sound system is more about a balance of clarity and bass than thundering, ground pounding boom.

If you like wood and lots of it, the LS400 interior may not be for you. Whereas my aunt's old Jaguar practically lathered almost every available surface of the interior with fine wood trim, the Lexus makes do with a more low-key interior design that includes a few oak inserts around the shifter and in the doors along with leather and quality plastics. The use of less extravagant interior materials is probably one of the reasons for the more reasonable price.

The 32 valve over-head cam 4.0 liter V8 (I call it one of the most sophisticated and finely engineered power plants in the world for short)is an absolute jewel. It is a muted whisper at idle but escalates into... well... a muted burble on hard acceleration. If you like loud, snarling, aggressive exhaust notes look eslewhere. That's not what the Lexus is about. It's about serene, isolated, comfortable travel, with a suspension and an engine designed to do everything with minimal effort or strain, not to engage in sports car antics. Don't get me wrong, that big V8 makes this car fly, but it's not a stop light drag racer. Most of that great power is felt in the mid and high rev ranges. Floor it on an on ramp or put the pedal to the medal while at highway speeds and the car rockets forward without seeming to exert any strain. From a stand still, pick-up is OK, but you get the feeling the throttle was tuned more for smooth, even acceleration than for stop-light burn-outs.

Handling is safe, smooth, and devoid of all drama, but not sporty. It's a nice compromise between athleticism and serene ride isolation. Steering is almost completely devoid of feel, which I don't like. I need at least a little weight. When I'd heard about that novacaine-injected Lexus steering I'd always mark it up to exaggeration, but now I know better. The LS400 is for those who think they already feel the road enough when they walk on it. I'd turn the wheel, and the car would change direction, but I could never guess that the two had anything to do with eachother just from gauging steering feed-back. The numb steering is a plus for those who get annoyed by wheel kick-back caused by bumps and ruts in the road. However, it'll definitely irritate anyone who likes to get some idea of what the front tires are doing from how the steering wheel reacts to to changes in direction and road conditions. The relatively tame 225-60-16 Goodyear Invicta GL's are not exactly race-track running gear either. The bias here is toward a smooth, comfy ride. I put this car on all sorts of road surfaces, from coble-stoned avenues with railroad tracks to a bumpy 100 yard driveway with pot holes, and almost nothing ever intruded on the peace and quiet of the cabin.

The car is stable and competent, and the acceleration is smooth and effortless, especially at higher speeds. However, an auto-crosser it is not. And to expect that from it is to miss the point. A lexus is about driving down a poorly maintained road feeling like you're on brand new asphalt. A Lexus is about being able to role up the windows and make the car so quiet inside that you forget there's even a world outside the confines your own personal space. And that is where the car excels, offering first class ride comfort and noise isolation as well as a simple, clean, yet tasteful, if slightly bland interior. Combine this with world class chasis and mechanical engineering and you can't deny that it's simply an excellent car when examined on its own terms.

The Lexus LS400 offers an excellent package, beating competitors price-wise by thousands whether purchased brand new or pre-owned. Dealer customer service is first rate, offering complementary loaners and highly trained, courteous personel. My aunt picked hers up in pristine condition for 15 thousand. It has 87,000 miles and runs like a new car. No matter which way you cut it, this car makes perfect sense and is an excellent value for those who want both luxury and practicality in a clean, reliable package. Yes, that's right, I said value. It was probably because of this car and other offerings from Lexus and Acura that it even became fashionable to use the words value and luxury in the same sentence. The days when Luxury car manufacturers could get away with charging high prices just for a name are long gone, and content and engineering excellence have risen to whole new level, thanks in no small part to a Japanese economy car manufacturer that invented its own formula for luxury.

Equipment and Features:
cruise control, traction control, infinite power adjustment on both front seats, power lumbar adjustment of the driver's seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror, tilting and telescoping steering wheel, Premium sound system with 6 disk trunk mounted CD changer, 16 inch chrome aluminum wheels, 4.0 liter V8 with 4 speed automatic, tilting and sliding sunroof, leather.