2023 Lexus LS 500 AWD F Sport review

As human beings, we often make hasty judgments about things that later prove to be untrue, and then we’re left feeling foolish for our shortsightedness. This pretty well describes our experience with the 2023 Lexus LS 500 F Sport. For one thing, we’ve never been big sedan fans, so we weren’t particularly jazzed about getting behind the wheel of the F Sport. And a cursory glance at the interior made us turn up our snobbish noses even more. 

We quickly identified all the (minor) annoyances that we thought added up to an overpriced car: few cupholders, lack of cabin storage space, oddly placed driving mode knobs that resembled Frankenstein monster bolts on the dash. It was a brutally harsh first assessment. But we will tell you — after a few days, we became the best of friends. We wound up enjoying it far more than expected and were sad to see it go. Check out Lexus listings

Price and value 

As a brand Lexus may not be the most economical choice, but when you compare other full-size luxury sedans to the LS 500, it feels like a relative bargain. You certainly get your money’s worth, at the very least. The LS 500 comes in three different trims, with a starting MSRP range of $78,535 for the base trim to $114,635 for the LS 500h, which is the hybrid model. Some of the major differences in trim levels are noted below. 

• LS 500: $78,535 See listings

3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 engine

19-inch alloy wheels

12.3-inch touch screen

• LS 500 F Sport: $82,135 See listings

20-inch F Sport wheels

Adaptive variable suspension 

Performance based instrumentation 

• LS 500h: $114,635 See listings

Advanced drive system

Surround-view camera

Four-zone Climate Concierge

Our tester was the F Sport, which included a head up display, a 23-speaker Mark Levinson sound system and a panorama glass roof. After delivery and handling fees, the grand total was $88,545. At first, this felt like a bit of a stretch for a sedan, and we questioned the nearly $90K price tag. But we’d soon learn that it was well worth it.

Performance 

This Lexus delivers a smooth ride around town in Comfort mode but also demonstrates fairly impressive performance chops when you throw it into Sport S+ mode. The latter was our favorite — and the No. 1 reason why we’d recommend this car. 

Engine and drivetrain

Many may lament the loss of the V8 from the old LS, but we found the 3.4-liter twin turbo V6 engine with 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque to be more than adequate. The 10-speed automatic transmission shifted through gears effortlessly. It was responsive, smooth and powerful — particularly when we needed to make a quick pass on the freeway. Rear-wheel drive is standard, but the F Sport tester came with all-wheel drive. For the hybrid model, all-wheel drive is standard and the engine is a 3.5-liter V6 with two electric motors that combine to make 354 horsepower.

Fuel economy 

The all-wheel drive F Sport was rated at 17/27/21 mpg for city/highway/combined driving. We averaged around 22 mpg with mostly city driving. 

Acceleration and handling 

This was where we had the most fun with the Lexus LS 500 F Sport. We didn’t fully appreciate its potential as a moonlighting supercar until we tested out the aforementioned Sport S+ mode and then — wow. We were smiling ear to ear. Not only does this mode give you an extra boost when cruising on the freeway, but the instrument panel changed to a bolder, sportier theme and the engine emitted a deeper, throatier (albeit artificial) growl. We were so impressed by both the acceleration and sharp handling. The F Sport “features a specially tuned suspension system,” according to Lexus, “engineered by the same team behind the iconic LFA supercar.”

Lexus also says the car can go from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds. Car and Driver clocked the LS 500 at 5.4 seconds. Rest assured, it’s zippy when you want it to be. 

Braking

Keeping with the general theme of the car, the braking was as smooth and responsive as you might hope. We found no issues with it at high or low speeds.

Interior comfort and convenience 

As a luxury sedan, you can expect comfort to be a key part of the package. Once again, Lexus delivers. As for convenience, we do have some notes in that regard.

Seats

The F Sport leather, 28-way power front seats were soft enough to keep you comfortable but firm enough not to put you to sleep. The front seats were heated and ventilated, but we were surprised that the back seats were neither. That was one minor complaint we had about the car. At $90K, we think that would be a given. Browse all Lexus LS listings

Climate control 

We appreciated that the dual-zone climate control worked quickly to keep us heated and cooled as needed. No complaints here.

Cargo space and cabin storage 

For cargo space, we give the Lexus LS 500 F Sport five stars for its 17 cubic feet of volume in the trunk. Not bad for a sedan. For cabin storage, we give it two stars. Why Lexus only chose to include two cup holders in the whole cabin is a bit of a mystery. And aside from the cubby under the center armrest, we couldn’t find anywhere to store a phone and other belongings. Perhaps that’s the company’s way of ensuring less distracted driving? Who knows. But if Lexus could throw in a little more storage on the inside, we would be even bigger fans of this car.

Infotainment system 

We liked the user-friendly 12.3-inch touchscreen and infotainment system, Mark Levinson surround system and easy-to-connect wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Once we discovered that Sport S+ mode, we enjoyed blaring some of our favorite classic rock tunes on the speakers while we slipped away for several joyrides through the hills above our house.

Exterior appearance and functionality 

Here’s another thing about humans: We like pretty things. If there’s one thing we heard a lot while the Lexus LS 500 F Sport was in the driveway, it was, “Wow, that’s a good-looking car.” Luckily, it had the substance to go along with the looks. 

Wheels 

The 20-inch alloy Dark Vapor chrome finish wheels were easy on the eyes and on the road. They blissfully kept cabin noise to a minimum.

Lights and turn signals

The LS 500 F Sport was equipped with LED headlamps, taillamps and daytime running lights that provided ample illumination no matter the time of day. We don’t remember anything particularly notable about the turn signals other than that they functioned as expected.

Front and rear windshield 

We’re always fans of rain-sensing wipers, so the F Sport gets points for including these alongside a windshield wiper de-icer. Front visibility was great, even with the sheer length of this car. Without the backup camera, rear visibility would be a bit more challenging. Thankfully, the camera makes reversing a cinch. 

Cameras and side mirrors

The front and backup camera worked great, but we were surprised that this car didn’t have a 360-degree system as a standard feature.

Safety

For all the fun we had driving this car, we would not have enjoyed it nearly as much had it not been for a good assortment of standard safety features. These included:

• Lexus Safety System+ 2.5

• Adaptive cruise control

• Pedestrian detection

• Lane departure warning

• Lane keeping assist

• Blind spot monitoring

• Intuitive parking assist with auto braking

• Rearview camera

Awards and ratings 

At the time of this writing, neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has officially rated the 2023 Lexus LS 500. 

Final impression 

We’re well aware that the LS 500 is not at the top of everyone’s list for high performance cars. Some might initially judge it to be pretty but vapid, as we had initially done. But if you get the chance to drive one, be sure to test out all those driving modes. They make you feel as if you’re driving two separate cars — particularly for the F Sport trim. You get the mild-mannered luxury car and a taste of a supercar all in one. For just under $90K, that seems like a pretty great deal. Find a Lexus LS 500 today

FAQs 

What’s new for 2023?

Many consumers will be happy to know that Lexus ditched the unpopular touchpad in favor of the 12.3-inch touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, more USB ports and more intuitive software are also part of the 2023 model.

Is the F Sport worth it? 

For some, the $4k jump between the LS 500 and the LS 500 F Sport might not feel worth it, since most of the differences are visual. Personally, we loved the F Sport package and thought that beefier engine sound enhanced the driving experience in Sport S+ mode. If it’s in your budget, you may as well spring for the F Sport.

What kind of fuel does this car take?

The recommended fuel for the 2023 Lexus LS 500 is 91 octane (premium) gasoline. 

Find a new or used Lexus LS 500 on KSL Cars.

*KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.