Japan Extends the Life of the Lexus LS: A Model the US and UK Gave Up On
D.Novikov
Lexus is preparing to simplify the LS lineup for the Japanese market, likely dropping the turbo V6 in favor of the hybrid, while the flagship sedan has already said goodbye to American and British buyers.
The Lexus LS is gradually disappearing from major export markets, but the company isn’t ready to end production of its flagship sedan just yet. In the US, the 2026 model year was the last: Lexus built only 250 all-wheel-drive Heritage Edition units, priced at $99,380. In the UK, LS sales already wrapped up back in 2025.
According to Japanese trade media, the next update should extend the fifth generation’s life on its home market. The main change is a possible exit for the LS500 with its twin-turbo 3.4-liter V6. The lineup would keep the LS500h, powered by a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 plus an electric motor for a combined output of around 354 hp. A reduction in trim levels and the loss of base variants are also expected.
None of this has been officially confirmed yet. Lexus’s Japanese site still lists both the gasoline LS500 with its ten-speed automatic and the hybrid LS500h with rear- or all-wheel drive. Current pricing runs from 11.11 to 17.73 million yen.
Dropping the turbo engine would simplify the lineup, but it wouldn’t necessarily lower the cost of ownership. The LS hybrid relies on a complex multi-stage transmission and a traction battery, and the condition of that battery matters a lot when buying a used example. Before importing a car from Japan, it’s worth focusing on the diagnostic report, any hybrid-system fault codes, and the service history of the power electronics cooling system.
The current LS has been in production since 2017 and is noticeably older than the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Extending its run looks like a stopgap: buyers get a proven platform and familiar physical controls, but no radical update to the electronics or architecture. According to 32CARS.RU, it makes more sense to judge a used LS on its condition and history transparency rather than wait for a 2027 model that turns out to be a genuinely new generation.
