Anthony FongaroThe Last Lexus LS A Flagship Ends Without a Proper Sendoff
Automotive models come and go. Some vehicles, like the Chevy Camaro and Toyota Supra, are put out to pasture at a specific moment, only to come back. Others make it to a certain point but don’t last. Thank the changing landscape of an SUV-dominant clientele, stagnation by Lexus in not upgrading it since 2018, or evolving competition, but the fact still remains: 2026 will be the last year of the Lexus LS. The vehicle that jump-started Lexus and brought it into the luxury space is done.
The Lexus LS Heritage Edition
For 2026, Lexus gave the LS one last hurrah with a 250-unit Heritage Edition. That version comes in an exclusive Ninety Noir exterior paint, Rioja Red interior, and various Lexus LS Heritage Edition badging. Since this is an exclusive vehicle, I tested a 2025 LS 500 F Sport AWD. Although the F Sport retains a majority of the luxurious appointments of an LS, after a week of testing, Lexus made some weird decisions with the F Sport that made the LS 500 feel worse.
The design of the Lexus LS is almost identical to the 2018 model, which is striking but quite dated. A large black waterfall grille dominates the front, with L-shaped DRLs and a large Lexus badge. F Sport models get more aggressive front fascias along with 20-inch split 10-spoke gray wheels and F Sport badges on the front fenders. This LS 500 F Sport came with a $3,100 Silver Illusion paint job and chrome accents along the windows. The rear dons large LED taillights, another large Lexus badge, LS 500, and AWD badging on a power-operated trunk. It’s still an elegant, large, luxurious vehicle, but the interior is where the F Sport portion of the LS starts to fall apart.
Lexus LS F Sport
Luxury is still a large part of the Lexus LS, and at first glance, the interior is nice. Material quality is high, along with build quality. When you get inside, you notice F Sport seats that are heated and ventilated, but are not as comfortable as the standard LS seats. An F Sport-specific steering wheel almost looks like it was borrowed from other vehicles, but it uses real buttons instead of the capacitive buttons found in other Lexus models. On top of this are two dials for traction control and drive modes, once again straight from eight years ago. The digital gauges are 12.3 inches, and a standard 10-inch head-up display was both clear and packed with information. Next to the driver is a 12.3-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a small physical clock. It works fine, but the display is small for a vehicle in 2025.
Physical controls for the climate control are easier to use than the buttons integrated into other Lexus vehicles. Under those are a few buttons for auto hold and seats, but the F Sport does not come with the option of massaging seats. Another button missing is for the 360-degree camera, because this $90,000 vehicle doesn’t come with that as an option either. The shifter is similar to all other Lexus vehicles. Since the cabin is from 2018, the location where Lexus once had a touchpad for the infotainment system now houses buttons for heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a rear blind. Rear passengers are a bit jipped when it comes to features. Similar to the front seats, the rear seats aren’t as comfortable as those in the regular LS. Also, they don’t have any adjustability, nor do they come with heating or ventilation.
What is a Lexus LS without a Mark Levinson sound system? The one in this model was a $1,940 23-speaker setup, and it’s one of the best in the business. It’s a bit of an oxymoron of an interior. On one hand, there are plenty of luxurious surfaces and appointments, but on the other, it just feels like a bigger version of an ES. Even before driving the LS, the F Sport package seems to detract from the overall appeal of the LS.
2026 Lexus LS Heritage Edition Interior
For 2026, the Lexus LS Heritage Edition comes exclusively with the 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6, similar to this vehicle. The hybrid was discontinued for 2026. This V6 produces 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a 10-speed automatic, the LS 500 accelerates from 0–60 MPH in around 5 seconds. That’s more powerful and quicker than a Genesis G90 while remaining competent and composed. The engine pulls strongly in every drive mode and handles well, even in Chicagoland snow. Speaking of drive modes, they include Eco, Normal, Custom, Comfort, Sport S, and Sport S+. Being a luxo-barge, I kept it in Comfort and enjoyed the strong heated seats. Handling was good for a large vehicle, but nothing special, especially for an F Sport-badged model. Although there are paddle shifters, they shift the transmission too slowly. This engine isn’t the most efficient, returning around 19 MPG. Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 comes standard and includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, and lane keep assist.
Pricing for the 2025 LS 500 starts at around $82,000 for the rear-wheel-drive model, with AWD being an additional $3,000. F Sport models start at $86,000, with the AWD model starting closer to $89,000. This model, with the $1,940 Mark Levinson sound system, $3,100 paint, $1,000 panoramic roof, and a few other small options, came out to around $95,000. Is the F Sport version of the LS recommendable? Not at all. It lacks the most basic features, like a 360-degree camera and massaging seats—hallmarks of large luxury sedans. German competitors may be more expensive, and the Genesis G90 has a less powerful engine, but they all feel modern. It’s a shame that Lexus decided to cancel the LS instead of giving it a proper sendoff. The 2026 Heritage Edition goes for around $100,000 and is the final version of the LS. It may be disappointing, but if it weren’t for the original LS 400, we wouldn’t have some of the amazing Lexus vehicles we’ve had.
Photos Courtesy of Lexus
