Lexus has announced subtle but numerous changes to its flagship luxury sedan, the 2021 Lexus LS. Among the most noticeable modifications, the LS gets minor styling updates, a revised infotainment interface, enhanced driving assistance technologies, upgraded powertrain responsiveness, and an improved ride and handling character.
Minor revisions to the bumper and grille, combined with new headlights, alter the appearance of the LS’s front end. Lexus also adds a trendy side vent to the front fenders, and in the back of the car the lower bumper and taillights are a bit different. You can also opt for a new Gin-ei Luster exterior color, which uses aluminum in its complicated paint process that gives the LS a mirror-smooth finish.
Inside, the 2021 Lexus LS gets updated interior detailing and finishes, and revised seat cushions promise greater comfort in what Lexus claims is a quieter cabin. A digital rearview mirror shows a high-definition video view of what’s behind the car.
Perhaps more important, the LS gets a new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that gives users a third way to operate the system in addition to voice control and the Remote Touch Interface (RTI) touchpad. Android Auto smartphone integration is finally offered in the LS, joining the previously available Apple CarPlay. Lexus also adds a new quick-access button for the on-screen seat and steering wheel heater controls.
You can get the 2021 Lexus LS with your choice between two powertrains. The LS 500 is motivated by a 416-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6, while the LS 500h features a gas-electric drivetrain delivering 354 hp. Both are enhanced for quicker acceleration and quieter operation. Lexus also retunes the LS’s adaptive suspension and makes the run-flat tires more compliant in order to create an even plusher ride but without any loss in handling capability.
Lexus Teammate also debuts in the new 2021 LS, but it is unclear whether it or its features will be available in the U.S. market. Lexus Teammate includes Advanced Drive, a partially-automated driving assistance technology similar to Cadillac Super Cruise, designed for use on limited-access highways and offering steering assistance in addition to adaptive cruise control and lane-centering capability. Advanced Park is a system that takes full autonomous control of vehicle parking.
Lexus plans to offer over-the-air software updates to improve Teammate over time, and the company underscores that Advanced Drive, Advanced Park, or any other future offerings will put the human driver at the center of the driving experience, rather than replacing him or her.
Sales of the revised 2021 LS start in Japan later this year, and the car will make its way to other global markets, including the US, after that.
The information in this article is from Lexus. It could change when Lexus releases official information for the U.S. market.
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