Lexus LS 500 F Sport 2026 Review

The LS is a big deal for the luxury-focused Toyota offshoot. After all, the venerable LS 400 launched the brand in 1989 (but 1990 in Australia) with an onslaught of German-beating fanfare. With $1b in investment and six years of development, it was the car to take on the mighty Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series.

History shows that the bold move paid off for the brand, if not the launch model. In the current climate, big sedans are no longer the meal ticket they once were. Hence, the 2026 Lexus LS 500 F Sport is the last of its ilk for the prestige Japanese marque. Australia is one of the last prominent global markets to offer it, so if you want one, get in now.

There are two variants to choose from – F Sport and Sports Luxury – and a pair of powertrains, including a twin-turbo V6 or a petrol-electric hybrid V6. The latter commands a price premium.

We’re behind the wheel of the base model $199,850 F Sport with the boosted V6, while the Sports Luxury is a $5450 premium. If the hybrid route is more your style, the F Sport is $202,500 and the Sports Luxury rounds out the range at $207,940, all prices being exclusive of on-road costs.

No, this isn’t chump change, but the Lexus is competitive against its main European rivals, which has shrunk to two with the axing of the Audi A8 in Australia. Both the BMW 7 Series (including i7) and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class wear sticker prices well north of $200k.

There’s something to be said about ageing gracefully and the 2026 Lexus LS 500 F Sport is a great proponent of this. While the oversized ‘Spindle grille’ shocked at launch almost a decade ago, it’s now settled as the flagship face and works with the generous proportions.

Being the ‘sportier’ model line, the F Sport gains a slightly altered aesthetic with black accents. It gains bespoke 20-inch dark metallic alloy wheels, too, with directional LED headlights, striking LED daytime running lights and progressive turn signals.

It also has soft-close doors, keyless entry and push-button start, powered boot release with kick sensor and a sunroof.

Inside, the LS 500 is a leather-clad cocoon. And naturally at this price point, it is genuine cowhide, with ‘our’ F Sport pairing Flare Red leather with Naguri-style aluminium accents (and the White Nova exterior hue). The front seats are 28-way power adjustable, including lumbar and memory settings as well as heating and ventilation.

Back-seat passengers aren’t treated to the powered pews found in the Sports Luxury, but they are heated. Elsewhere there’s steering-wheel heating, a digital rear-view mirror, electric rear sunshade and tri-zone climate control.

The LS 500 is covered by the brand’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing is every 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes first), while those annual visits are $845 a pop for the first five years/75,000km.

Yet, there’s a cherry on top with the Lexus Encore program. The LS comes with three years of complimentary Platinum membership which affords access to valet parking at certain shopping centres, culinary and travel experiences, event invitations and a massive 10 years of roadside assistance and service loan cars.

Even more enticing within the Encore program is the fact you can borrow other Lexus products for defined periods (four times for up to eight days) via ‘Lexus on Demand’.

Like most of its competition, the 2026 Lexus LS 500 F Sport does not run with an ANCAP safety rating. Yet it is packed with 10 airbags (the Sports Luxury has 12) as well as the latest Lexus Safety System 3.0.

Active systems include autonomous emergency braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning with lane keeping assist, cross-traffic alert as well as driver fatigue warning and road sign recognition.

Aiding parking, handy given the overall dimensions, are the 360-degree surround-view cameras as well as auto parking and all-round sensors.

Yes, the 2026 Lexus LS 500 F Sport is now up to date in terms of technology – but it wasn’t always the case.

For the latest version of the fifth generation LS, it now gains a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with an upgraded 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster – up from the previous 8.0-inch unit. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now wireless, too, and the maligned track pad is gone.

The detailing within the dash retains some LFA flair, but it’s also joined by an informative head-up display. While the functionality of the central screen has improved, the graphics and menu systems are more Toyota than Lexus luxury. Still, there’s native sat-nav, Bluetooth, DAB+ digital radio, voice activation and modern USB-C ports.

The star of the show is the 23-speaker Mark Levinson audio that’s standard in every LS 500. It features a subwoofer to cover off the bass, so if you’re into high-fidelity drives, it’s hard to go past this system.

Nope, unlike the original, it isn’t a burly V8. Instead, the 2026 Lexus LS 500 F Sport packs a twin-turbo V6.

And despite the company branding it a 3.5-litre engine, it’s actually 3445cc (so 3.4-litre). It produces 310kW at 6000rpm and 600Nm between 1600-4800rpm, which is enough to propel the 2.2-tonne sedan from zero to 100km/h in 5.0 seconds. And it’s very smooth and refined while doing it, too, with revised pistons lowering any unwanted harsh noise.

Everything is sent to the rear axle alone via a 10-speed automatic gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters – overseas markets did receive an all-wheel drive (AWD) version. Those variants also gained a Torsen limited-slip differential at the back, which is missing Down Under.

Ultimately, while the turbocharged 3.4-litre V6 offers decent performance, it never really feels as effortless as it should. You really have to prod the accelerator to make meaningful progress and it doesn’t sound anything like the glorious eight-cylinder soundtrack of old.

Erm, not very. But it could be worse. Officially, the 2026 Lexus LS 500 F Sport is rated at 10L/100km on a combined cycle. However, unless you’re schlepping along a highway in top gear, seeing anything close to that figure is a pipe dream.

Throughout a week of driving that includes city, urban, dynamic and highway scenarios, the F Sport chugged 12.9L/100km on average. Which, in all honesty, isn’t as bad as we expected. Although, if efficiency is a priority in your $200k sedan, the hybrid ‘sips’ 6.8L/100km.

A slight win is the fact the massive 82-litre tank accepts 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.

Usually, a car like this is all about being driven in. But, with some key dynamic additions over the Sports Luxury, the 2026 Lexus LS 500 F Sport is a car you’re more than likely going to want to drive.

It’s also the reason to pick the F Sport over the Sports Luxury given it gains variable-gear-ratio steering up front and rear-wheel steering at the back, as well as active anti-roll bars to help contain some of the 2.2-tonne kerb weight.

Okay, it isn’t a ballerina and tight corners highlight the lack of LSD. However, there is an impressive amount of agility through flowing changes of direction and body roll is kept to a minimum – especially when you play with the Shrek ear dials flanking the instrument cluster facia.

Yep, this might be a ‘limo’, but the F Sport includes Sport and Sport+ modes. The biggest impacts to the driving dynamics through the modes is felt in the ride quality, with the harder settings losing some of the waft found in comfort. Yet while the secondary ride quality suffers slightly, the primary response always remains absorbing and compliant.

Where the LS 500 F Sport feels most at home is on sweeping, open-radius corners through the countryside, or cruising along the highway. It gives everything a chance to breathe with the road and in these conditions the light, but positive, steering and adaptive air suspension do their best work.

Despite measuring 5235mm long and 1900mm wide, the big four-door LS isn’t intimidating to drive. Yes, there’s no getting away from its size, but it isn’t a chore. The rear-wheel steering aids this by essentially shrinking the wheelbase and tightening the turning circle.

Plus, vision out is aided by good sight lines and a plethora of cameras and sensors.

This is where you really want your $200k to shine. And the cabin of the limo-esque Lexus is as opulent as you’d expect. It’s a high-quality experience, one that is filled with plush materials and intricate design. It even has a name – ‘Takumi craftmanship’.

While the 2026 Lexus LS 500 F Sport is endowed with a few mechanical additions, it misses out on massaging seats and the reclining rear pews found in the Sports Luxury. Yet, it enjoys the same level of sound deadening, meaning the cabin is whisper quiet with unwanted noise, vibration and harshness filtered out.

It might be odd to point out, but the LS 500 also has one of the most overengineered dials in the automotive industry. The volume knob is both aesthetically pleasing and an utter delight to use. The analogue clock is also a thing of beauty and there’s just a general sense of old-school luxury matched with quality.

It might not be as flashy, tech heavy or as filled with ambient lighting as its rivals, but the cabin works.

A massive ergonomic win is the deletion of the maligned trackpad that used to control the infotainment screen. In its place are some rather crudely placed buttons for things like seat heating and ventilation. Although, it also solves a previous bugbear of the LS 500 cabin where those functions were hidden within the 12.3-inch display.

Space in the back is generous, a benefactor of the 3125mm wheelbase. And while the F Sport doesn’t have the Sports Luxury’s powered pews to recline, you can still sink into the plush cushioning. Headroom is also palatial, with the fold-down centre armrest filled with buttons to play with for the climate control and rear blind.

Interestingly, the boot is on the smaller side at 480 litres. Still, that’s enough room for a few Louis Vuitton luggage bags. Although, there’s no spare wheel under the floor, so your driver will have to contend with a can of goo.

You’re going to really have to want the 2026 Lexus LS 500 F Sport to buy it over its adversaries in the limo class.

Harsh? Maybe. But the reality is that the LS 500 is very long in the tooth and it’s up against competent and more contemporary seasoned rivals. And somewhat ironically, despite being $200k, its main selling point is its price.

However, unlike those flashy foes, there’s a lot of heart warming charm woven into the Lexus LS 500 F Sport package.

Either way, if you want a chunk of traditional four-door-sedan luxury, you’d better get in now because Lexus is ramping up to the final chorus on this incarnation of the LS. For better or worse, times are indeed about to change.

2026 Lexus LS 500 F Sport at a glance:
Price: $199,850 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 3.4-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Output: 310kW/600Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 10.0L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 227g/km (ADR combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

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