Lexus LS500h v Mercedes-Benz S350d Head-to-Head Review
Lexus shook up the establishment with its first limousine, the original LS, when Toyota's luxury division was launched in 1989.
It set new benchmarks for quality and refinement that even Mercedes-Benz couldn't match at the time, and forced traditional European brands to up their game. Despite that, and nearly 30 years later, the Japanese car maker is still considered a challenger and struggles to gain the brand cache of its rivals.
Nevertheless, it has stuck to its ethos and the fifth-generation LS – which launched in Australia late last year – promises to up the ante once more with a car that is even more refined, spacious and efficient than any of its predecessors.
But is it as good as the recently-updated Mercedes-Benz S-Class, a car that is still regarded as the pinnacle of luxury?
Value
For this head-to-head, we're comparing the most affordable, and efficient, versions of the Lexus LS and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the LS500h and S350d respectively.
On paper, there's not much in it with the Lexus costing $190,500 (plus on-roads) for the F Sport variant we're testing, while the S350d is priced from $195,900 (plus on-roads).
Both of them come loaded with most of the luxuries and conveniences you'd expect from a flagship limousine – even at the bottom of the range – with full leather interior trim, powered everything, heated and cooled front seats and the latest multimedia systems with sat nav, Bluetooth and Wifi connectivity and banging high-quality audio systems. The Lexus adds to that with heated rear seats while the Mercedes has a massage function for the fronts and a new Energizing Comfort function that tailors the cabin temperature, ambient lighting, seat settings, perfume dispenser and music to different moods.
The Merc also has Apple Carplay smartphone mirroring that isn't available in the Lexus and a configurable instrument cluster within its Widescreen Cockpit Display – which essentially mashes a pair of 12.3-inch high-resolution screens together across the dash board – that is controlled via a rotary dial in the centre console. The LS does feature the brand's own app connections within its single 12.3-inch screen that is integrated better into the dash design although its not as easy to navigate around with its fiddly touch pad next to the gear lever. It's instrument cluster is also digital but looks far more conventional with a sliding ring around the central tachometer – a design inspired by the ground-breaking Lexus LFA supercar.
Both cars ride on 20-inch alloy wheels and have multi-mode air suspension set-ups. The S-Class continues its position as a leader in safety with the latest in semi-automated crash avoidance systems, some of which are missing from the Lexus.
The Japanese brand wins back points for ownership with a longer four-year warranty, compared to Benz' standard three-year coverage, and a concierge service program with either free loan vehicles or collecting your car when it needs maintanence.
Winner: Lexus
Practicality
Limousines at this end of the business are traditionally bought by hire car operators, top-end hotels or high-flying executives that want plenty of space for those in the back to stretch out and relax or the convenience to work while on the move.
In that regard, both the LS and S-Class are physically big cars that meet the brief. But Lexus has shied away from convention with the latest LS and only offers the vehicle in a single wheelbase configuration whereas Mercedes has both short- and long-wheelbase variants across the S-Class range.
The S350d, however, is exclusively available in the former, while the latter is reserved for higher-grade models such as the S400L with a higher-output turbo diesel, the S450L with a twin-turbo petrol V6, the flagship S560L with a 4.0-litre V8 or the high-performance AMG S63L that produces 450kW of power.
Measuring 5235mm long and riding on a wheelbase of 3125mm between the front and rear axles, the LS is slightly longer than the S350d and, despite having significant portions of aluminium within its body construction, it is marginally heavier, weighing 2295kg compared to the Benz' 1970kg.
The end result is the LS is fractionally bigger inside, especially in the rear with noticeably more legroom. Having said that, the S-Class is hardly a tiddler and those travelling in the back appear to have a more airy ambience thanks to larger windows and a squarer roof that liberates additional headroom.
That more conventional body style also liberates more cargo carrying capacity in the boot, with the Benz offering 510L of space compared to the LS' 480L. While it might make the difference between an extra day bag, both are capacious enough to swallow plenty of holiday luggage or a couple of full sets of golf clubs.
For those in the front, the Mercedes has more useable small item storage in the dash, the seats are slightly softer, the driving position is better with greater vision and the controls are more intuitive to use. Its overall design fuses traditional elements like leather, open-pore woodgrain and brushed aluminium highlights with modern tech better, and it looks absolutely stunning at night with its multi-coloured ambient lighting functions.
The LS is hardly a shrinking violet though and looks equally as dramatic with its Origami-inspired design details and feels exceptionally well built with millimetre-perfect precision.
Winner: Lexus
Performance
From the outside – and the inside – both the LS and S-Class follow a fairly conventional path in what is a fairly conservative segment of the market.
However, the pair diverge when you look at what's under the bonnet, as the LS500h introduces a new-generation of hybrid powertrain for Lexus while the S350d brings a turbo diesel technology.
The LS features a 3.5-litre petrol-powered V6 that is assisted by two electric motors that are powered by a small, lightweight Lithium-Ion battery pack and drives the rear wheels through an innovative continuously variable transmission.
The petrol engine on its own produces 220kW and 350Nm while the electric motors are rated at 132kW and 300Nm, giving the LS500h a combined maximum power output of 264kW and a claimed average fuel consumption of 6.6/100km.
The S350d, meanwhile, is powered by a 3.0-litre turbo diesel which revives Mercedes' in-line six-cylinder configuration and brings mild hybrid assistance thanks to a 48-Volt electric system with an integrated motor generator. It also drives the rear wheels but through a far more conventional nine-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
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The end result is the two actually meet at fairly similar places, with the Benz producing 210kW of power and 600Nm of torque and a combined fuel consumption claim of 5.4L/100km.
Winner: Mercedes-Benz
What's it like to drive?
As you'd expect, both of these limousines are supremely comfortable on the road, with benchmark levels of refinement.
The Mercedes, because of its more conventional powertrain, has a slight edge though. The diesel engine offers effortless acceleration thanks to the fact that is maximum torque is available at just 1200rpm. It is also surprisingly whisper quiet under load, and the nine-speed automatic swaps cogs almost invisibly.
The steering is light but responsive in its default comfort setting and, while it can't mask its size or mass when hustled along briskly, it is surefooted and sits nicely through the bends.
In everyday traffic, the supple air suspension irons out any irregularities in the road, making it feel as though it wafts along on a clould of air.
Lexus has taken a slightly sportier approach with the LS in F Sport trim as it features a raft of additional systems to enhance its handling such as rear-wheel steering, variable ratio steering and multi-mode drive settings.
All of that helps mask the LS' additional weight and makes it feel slightly more agile in the bends, but it also – ever so slightly - compromises its ride quality, as more of those bumps are transferred through to the driver.
Even with its battery-powered assistance, the powertrain isn't as elastic as the Merc's as the petrol motor switches on and off when cruising and the electric motor isn't powerful on its own to substitute fully around town, like plug-in rivals such as the Porsche Panamera E Hybrid.
However, it's the complex CVT transmission that fails to live up to Lexus' reputation for refinement, as we experienced a number of alarming thuds when engaging top gear under light throttle cruising.
Winner: Mercedes-Benz
Verdict
Lexus might have given Mercedes-Benz a wake-up call when the LS first arrived 30 years ago, and the German car maker certainly took notice.
Even though the fifth-generation LS is a significant improvement over its predecessor – it's much less vanilla than before with a stunning interior and a sportier driving character – the S-Class still remains the pinnacle of luxurious limousines.
2018 Lexus LS500h Price and Specifications
Price: From $190,500 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid
Power: 264kW (Combined)
Torque: 650Nm (Combined)
Transmission: CVT automatic, RWD
Fuel use: 6.6L/100km
2018 Mercedes-Benz S350d Price and Specifications
Price: from $195,900 (plus on-roads)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo diesel
Power: 210kW at 3400rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1200rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic, RWD
Fuel use: 5.4L/100km