2022 Lexus LS Hybrid

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Overview

As a luxury-level, full-sized gas-electric sedan, the efficient and handsome Lexus LS Hybrid (more commonly known as the LS 500h) is a rare breed. It’s the first vehicle in the high-end automaker’s U.S. lineup to include the advanced driver-assistance system called Lexus Teammate. This sophisticated system – called Teammate because it works with the driver, rather than fully autonomously – combines partial hands-free driving (the Advanced Drive component of the system) with autonomous parking (Advanced Park). Advanced Drive can control speed, steering, lane changes, and passing slow vehicles for the attentive driver on certain kinds of roadways, mainly divided highways, while Advanced Park can either parallel park or back the LS 500h into a space with the press of a button. It isn’t completely self-driving: the system monitors the driver to make sure they’re properly seated and watching the road. Nevertheless, Lexus Teammate represents technological progress that Toyota and Lexus have spent years perfecting, and its inclusion in the ’22 LS for the U.S. market is significant news.

Powertrain and Fuel Economy

The hybrid powertrain in the 2022 LS 500h consists of a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine (equipped with Lexus Multistage Hybrid Drive) and an electric motor that combine to produce a robust 354 hp. Its transmission combines an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT) and a four-speed automatic to lend the desirable feeling of a 10-speed automatic. It’s also equipped with paddle shifters and a drive mode selector (Sport S+, Custom, and EV). All-wheel drive is standard. According to the EPA’s estimates, the ’22 LS 500h achieves 22 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.

Luxurious Amenities

The ’22 LS 500h provides a quiet and luxurious drive with its adaptive variable air suspension and an interior that’s fit for royalty. Its quilted-stitch semi-aniline leather seats are power-adjustable and heated/ventilated in the front row, with cushion extenders; the second-row outboard seats are power-reclining and remote-adjustable with position memory. The driver also gets to enjoy a massage setting and a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, while everyone will appreciate the enhanced interior heater and four-zone Climate Concierge with climate-comfort front and rear outboard seats. There are also power front seatbelt buckles, power rear- and side-window sunshades, and a rear-seat center armrest with a 7-inch touchscreen controller. Some other highlights of this extraordinarily outfitted full-sized sedan are adaptive triple-beam LED headlights with washers, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a windshield wiper de-icer, auto-dimming side mirrors, a moonroof, a hands-free trunk, keyless access, a 24-inch head-up display, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Infotainment Technologies

The multimedia system in the ’22 Lexus LS 500h has a generous 12.3-inch touchscreen and every feature you could ask for: navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming, an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot, dynamic voice recognition, Amazon Alexa, and a 23-speaker Mark Levinson audio system with surround sound which is a new addition for this model year. The Lexus Enform app is also included so that you can monitor and control various vehicle functions using your smartphone.

Advanced Driver-Assist Technology

As mentioned in the intro, the recently unveiled Lexus Teammate system provides semi-autonomous driving on certain roadway categories (Advanced Drive) and automates parking (Advanced Park). The 2022 LS 500h is set up as well with the Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 suite, containing a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane tracing assist, lane departure alert with steering assist, road sign assist, all-speed dynamic radar cruise control, and automatic high beams. Also standard are a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, a surround-view camera system, and active parking assist with automatic emergency braking.