2018 Lexus LS Is "Half Baked," Says Consumer Reports

Lexus has built its reputation on solid reliability and bolder-than-average design. The LS should have those, but they mean nothing if the technology package is frustrating.

Like most modern flagships, the LS is a techfest, crammed with more features then we'd ever want to count. However, Consumer Reports suggests some of them are really bad. It's not a problem of the learning curb being steep like in rival German models. No, making simple alterations requires your entire concentration, as even changing the temperature is tone through the trackpad.

This takes things to another level of driver distraction. Sure, lots of cars have the temperature controls in menus, but they use touchscreens.

Maybe Lexus can do a quick facelift after one model year, as Honda did with the Civic, because the LS isn't all bad. The seats are nicely trimmed and the reclining rear ones "make you feel like a Fortune 500 CEO."

At first glance, this is a car for those who would preferably be chauffeured, as the full-size sedan has a 123-inch wheelbase is 1.3 inches longer even than the long-wheelbase 2017 model. But headroom is apparently an issue for taller people.

There are other cool features, but CR believes they have a subpar implementation. No problems with the engine though, as the 416 horsepower turbo'd V6 moves the car effortlessly. Thanks to the chassis shared with the LC coupe, this flagship sedan was surprisingly good at cornering. And even though the shifter isn't intuitive, the transmission works very smoothly.

So if Lexus hadn't tried to reinvent climate control, this might have been a great review. Come on Lexus, trackpads are bad on laptops too, so don't put one on a car.