The LS 430 is everything a flagship luxury sedan should be. Its ride is silky and its steering is liquid smooth. Its soft suspension and slow steering lead some to believe that the LS 430 doesn't handle well when compared with such European benchmarks as the BMW 7 Series or Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but we haven't found that to be the case. The LS 430 can, in fact, be driven hard, whereupon it reveals lots of grip and very good handling. It boasts a powerful V8 engine, a new six-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive, and the latest in active safety technology.

Inside is a beautiful interior with rich wood accents and buttery soft leather, seats so comfortable that you never think about them, and controls that are a paragon of ergonomic excellence. Lexus provides every convenience feature imaginable. Finding failings in this car devolves into whining about bland styling or nitpicking about the lack of inconsequential features such as being able to grind the starter when the engine is running. In other words, the Lexus LS 430 plays its role to near perfection. That role is of a smooth, luxurious sedan that whisks occupants along in supreme comfort, allowing the driver to concentrate on other, more pressing matters than the automobile.