2008 Lexus LS 600h L Review

If you appreciate the styling of other models in the Lexus lineup, you'll like the 2008 Lexus LS 600h L, since it strongly resembles its siblings.

Some reviewers from around the Web feel the 2008 Lexus LS 600h L is less distinctive than its ultra-luxury competitors. “Park those high-wattage rivals beside the Lexus, and the modestly styled LS virtually disappears,” the New York Times proclaims. Most observe the opposite: “This newest iteration, however, is arguably more attractive than the S-Class against which it now competes, though it’s a close call,” ForbesAutos writes. “This big sedan has a clean, conservative, yet absolutely contemporary shape, accentuated by a forward-thrusting arrowhead motif carried through from door handles to the front and rear lamp units and even the large, unusual twin exhaust-pipe diverters low in the rear bumper.” Edmunds observes, "from the outside it looks identical to the [Lexus] LS 460 L," which it acknowledges is "a handsome car, having moved far from its unimaginative origin as a Japanese version of a mid-range Mercedes with more generic styling."

As for differences with the hybrid edition, Kelley Blue Book says this Lexus 2008 is "essentially the same in overall appearance as the extended-length LS 460 L sedan," but notes that it gets "several special touches, [such as] blue accents on headlamps, taillamps [and] badging." Cars.com says the hybrid LS "differs little from the LS 460 in its exterior appearance"; the most notable is that "aside from the model badge on the trunk lid, the word HYBRID appears on the trim near the bottom of the rear doors."

The interior of the 2008 Lexus LS 600h L is “near perfection,” Edmunds says, “in an ergonomic sense.” Its “Optitron electroluminescent gauges are both handsome-looking and effective,” and “the rest of the interior is just as brilliant in an aesthetic sense.” However, ForbesAutos feels the dash “has a riot of buttons and switches, some of them half-hidden, with sometimes-incomprehensible acronyms.” Amid the array of controls, Kelley Blue Book reports that in the 2008 Lexus "semi-aniline leather highlights the cabin, and leather trim extends onto the instrument panel, upper front doors and door armrests." Edmunds describes the interior of this Lexus 2008 model in glowing terms: "Beautifully crafted and comfortable interior...rich wood trim is complemented by perforated leather upholstery."

This 2008 Lexus' interior is not much different than its gasoline-powered relatives. Cars.com reports that the 2008 Lexus LS 600h L "shares the gas-only L model's interior appointments," but points out that "special to the hybrid is a power-flow diagram on the dashboard's central LCD screen...the basics are repeated in color graphics between the speedometer and tachometer."