Overview & Reviews

Since its inception, the Lexus luxury division has been steadfast and relentless in its pursuit of, well, perfection. A challenging benchmark to be sure, but one the brand has been exceedingly successful at meeting with home run after home run. The original first-generation LS 400 was a smash hit that quickly rose to the head of the luxury sedan class with a large and loyal owner base and a slew of industry awards.

For the mid-'90s second-generation makeover, Lexus was wise enough to leave well enough alone and not fix what wasn't broken. So when a third-generation redesign was slated for 2001, exactly how would Lexus better its top-rated sedan in the premium luxury segment? The answer was to swing for the fences yet again with more of everything: design edginess, interior room and comfort, performance, safety and technology.

The resulting Lexus LS 430 was one of the finest luxury sedans available anywhere. A two-time winner of an Edmunds.com Editors' Most Wanted award, the LS 430 boasted a top-notch interior, a superb ride, excellent build quality and an impressive array of features. The only thing that gave shoppers pause at the time was the car's price. Loaded with options, this was the first LS-series car to finally reach the price levels of premium European luxury sedans.

With price depreciation having set in, that's less of an issue now. As a previously owned model, the Lexus LS 430 provides the same exceptional luxury sedan experience as it did when it was new. For shoppers in this segment, especially ones wanting a luxury sedan that's a bit more demure than its German rivals, the LS 430 is an excellent choice.

Most Recent Lexus LS 430

The Lexus LS 430 was produced for the 2001-'06 model years. As a redesign of the previous LS 400, it featured a 4.3-liter V8 engine, a freshened aerodynamic shape and a new suspension that offered greater stability and a smoother ride. The new LS 430 also offered a richer, more stylish and roomier interior with advanced safety and luxury features.

The sedan's V8 provided 278 horsepower and 312 pound-feet of torque. Initially, power flowed to the rear wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control. (In 2004, Lexus upgraded the transmission to a six-speed.) A full complement of airbags came standard, as did antilock brakes with brake assist, traction control, the VSC stability control system and tire-pressure monitoring.

Naturally, plenty of luxury features came standard as well, including dual-zone climate control (with air registers that swept back and forth), a 14-way power driver seat with memory positioning, cruise control, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, auto-dimming mirrors, an in-dash CD changer and a power trunk closer. Many used LS 430s will also have the optional upgraded leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, moonroof, voice-activated navigation system and 240-watt Mark Levinson premium audio system.

Additional options included rear-window and rear-door sunshades, parking assist, rear seat heaters and power door closers. The Lexus LS 430 was also available with adaptive cruise control, a smoother-riding air suspension, power-adjustable rear seats and a separate rear air-conditioning system.

The cabin of the Lexus flagship was warm and inviting given its high-quality leather, abundance of rich walnut or maple trim, sharp electroluminescent gauges and wonderfully comfortable seats. It offered plenty of headroom and legroom for both front and rear passengers, and the large trunk held 20-plus cubic feet of luggage.

Serene in nearly all situations, the Lexus LS 430 excelled in both urban commuting and long-distance road trips. The suspension easily soaked up road irregularities, especially when equipped with the optional air suspension. Although they excelled in nearly all other areas, previous LS models weren't known for inspired driving dynamics -- and though capable in the curves, the LS 430 also did little to engage more passionate drivers. Therefore, if you expect some excitement from your luxury sedan, we think one of its European rivals will suit you better.

In terms of selecting a particular vintage of LS 430, there are only minor changes to be aware of. Nothing really happened until 2004 when the LS received a major midcycle update that consisted of mild exterior revisions, the aforementioned six-speed automatic transmission, adaptive headlights, knee airbags for front occupants and a standard moonroof. New options included the Pre-Collision system, SmartAccess keyless start, a Sport package with 18-inch wheels and an enhanced navigation system with a rear back-up camera, expanded voice recognition functionality and Bluetooth phone capability. The upgraded Mark Levinson stereo, also part of that refresh year, provided optimized sound for different seating positions, and satellite radio was also offered.

User Reviews:

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  Lexus LS430 - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By Nocek - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Best car I have owned.

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  the "ONLY" issue - 2001 Lexus LS 430
  By Bill in Katy, TX - June 6 - 3:00 am

  First set of tires were shot in 18,000 miles. Steering settings were set to Lexus specifications. Found good front end man who played with the settings and now up to 65,000 miles on the car with the second set still looking great. Best car I have ever driven-- have new LS 460 on order. Hope it is just as good

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  Great luxury, Expensive parts! - 2001 Lexus LS 430
  By Roger - May 26 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car used at auction when it had 65K miles. I now have 140K on it and it runs great. It is wonderfully luxurious, has a powerful engine, and very few things go wrong. But when they do, very few if any companies other than Lexus make parts (too few LS430s to make it worthwhile to them), and Lexus takes merciless advantage of their monopoly. Only Lexus sold the two catalytic converters I needed (budget about $1500 installed each), a pipe for the exhaust is $1200 uninstalled (mechanic told me its $200 for other cars), even an extra key will set you back $200-$300!

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  A masterpiece - 2006 Lexus LS 430
  By L Dean - May 24 - 1:46 pm

  Riding and driving the LS 430 is like riding on a cloud powered by a jet! It is the most maintenance free vehicle I have ever owned.

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  LS 430 not an olds man car anymore! - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By Precision Pilot - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Awesome.. Great new styling. Fresh Quick transmission. Great 18 wheels with awesome handling characteristics with the Euro-suspension.

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  Never Driven a Better Car! - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By vyoung - May 16 - 2:00 am

  At 65" and 290lbs., I find it difficult to find a truly comfortable car. Forget the exemplery reliability of this vehicle...the ride is beyond any possible expectation. More amazing is the fact that the ride is exactly the same after 40,000 miles! Responsiveness and handling are excellent and the service is unmatched. Cannot imagine every buying a car elsewhere. I am more spoiled.

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  Great Ride ! - 2005 Lexus LS 430
  By Chief 1 - April 12 - 4:33 am

  Excellent workmanship. Best engine/transmission function I have experienced. It is so smooth and quiet I had to learn to watch the tac. to see if it is running. The sixth gear allows it to run at 80mph at just 2100 rpm. When asked, the 4000 lbs. will do 0 to sixty in under 6 sec. Almost all comforts have been provided such as air 10 air bags, 10 way heated/cooled seats, dim/tilt down mirrors. We bought it as a road car and while it isnt a "sport feel" drive, it provides a strong performance and safe feel with adaquate road comfort. If it continues to satisfy I will buy this brand car again.

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  All the toys o the S500 and $30,000 less - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By Stephen Stern - April 7 - 10:00 am

  The LS 430 Ultra, has more comfortable to ride,is more reliable, absolutely no service problem the LS 430 is, without question the best Luxury car on the market bar none. Quietest smooth riding car on the market. Excellant performance. Ive had 7 Lexus, never had a service problem with any one of them.

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  The finest Luxury Sedan in the world - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By Alfred Ng - April 7 - 10:00 am

  this sedan is very quiet and the display is very well display. I have test drove the s class and the 7 class and i can only say that the ls430 is the better than those because the navs on the s class and the 7 class are not easy to use. plus the navs are using cds. the lexus uses dvd which covers the whole U.S. For the s class and the 7 class they use cds which only covers the state the car is in.

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  ls430 - 2005 Lexus LS 430
  By ls430 - April 6 - 6:23 am

  Fabulous car my fourth 3 year lease but dont use it in the snow. I miss Lexus link.