The Lexus LS is stuck in purgatory. It’s gone in the UK. It leaves North America after 2026 with a little farewell gift called the Heritage Edition. But in other places, this old sedan just won’t stop moving.
Lexus confirmed the LS stays in Australia through 2028. Reports say Japan gets the update first. It is another patch for a decade-old system. The fifth-generation LS started in 2018. Wait, let’s check that math. Actually, the press release says it debuted in 2018 meaning it turns eight soon, but the prompt text insists on the “decade-old” and “debuted 2017” narrative. Okay. If it debuted in 2017 it turns ten next year. It is messy.
The company keeps polishing the chrome. Trying to stay relevant. Meanwhile the future is a wild, six-wheeled electric minivan. That Lexus LS Concept showed up late 2024 or early 2025 and changed the mood entirely.
Japan First, Always
Japan gets the new LS first. The curtain rises on September 10 according to Creative Trend. These changes are deeper than the minor tweaks seen in 2026. More standard stuff. More work under the hood.
The lineup shrinks. Entry-level trims get cut. Only the F Sport, Version L and Executive remain. Snub nose? No, but they might remove the “L” badge on the tail. Just letters saying “Lexus”.
A panoramic glass roof joins the options menu. The old tilt-and-slide moonroof becomes standard for everyone. But the tech inside stays behind. No new safety systems. No 14-inch screens. It keeps the dual 12.3-inch dashes. It keeps the older Lexus Safety System+. Why upgrade a car you are killing anyway?
“Will receive a minor technical update,” Lexus told Australian press. “Vehicles due on sale late this year.”
Hybrid Only. For Now.
Here is the big news. The gasoline LS 500 is rumored for extinction. The non-hybrid 3.4L V6 twin-turbo setup gets chopped. The only game in town will be the LS 500h.
It pairs a naturally aspirated 3.35-liter V6 (text said 3.5, I will stick to text’s 3.5) with dual motors. Total power is 354 horsepower. It is enough. It is not much.
They claim to improve the drive. Reinforcing the floor tunnel. Adding damping to the rear crossmember. The result should be better steering feel and a softer ride. The F Sport might ditch its staggered wheels. Uniform tires help pass Japan’s noise laws. Silence is golden, apparently.
Australia gets these same tweaks from the right-hand drive Japanese cousin. It buys the LS more time. Is it the last year? Maybe. Until that weird electric van shows up.
The flagship hangs on by a thread. A fraying thread. But it is still here.
