| Week at the Wheel | Lexus LS 600h |

Inside & Out:

It's almost impossible to pick fault with the build quality of the Lexus LS. Every panel gap on the outside is millimetre perfect. It's this sort of precision that has earned the Japanese firm its spurs in the luxury segment and, with a purely rational head on, the LS could be considered a bargain when compared to the likes of a Bentley, Rolls-Royce or Maybach in terms of how it's built.

If we are to find fault, it would be with the appearance of some of the materials. In particular, the wood used for the LS's dash still manages to look like it has come from a plastic tree. Some of the switches are a little too obviously related to Lexus's cousins from Toyota too, but then you can be confident they'll still be working in 20 years' time.

For the driver, comfort and space are superb, but it's from the rear seats of the long wheelbase LS 600h L that you really appreciate this car. The left-hand rear passenger can stretch out in the aircraft-style extending seat if the front passenger seat is shunted fully forward. For stressed-out execs, there can be few better places from which to watch your stock portfolio tumble. There are also a host of toys to play with in the rear cabin, including separate ventilation controls, electric seats and window blinds, and stereo and DVD controls.

Engine & Transmission:

V12 performance with V6 economy is what the Lexus LS 600h promises. It's a tall order and one the Lexus comes very close to fulfilling, but even with 389bhp and the aid of its 288-volt electric motor the 600h cannot quite get close to the superlative performance of the world's V12 elite. Still, 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds remains impressive for a car tipping the scales at nearly 2.4-tonnes.

More pertinent to buyers of this type of car is refinement. Nobody wants a luxury car where you have to shout to make yourself heard and the LS 600h fits the bill just dandy. Its 5.0-litre V8 is whisper quiet, even when gunned for maximum acceleration, and it needn't even be heard at lower speeds. Below 30mph, the LS 600h is capable of running purely on battery power, so it can glide away from kerbside with nothing more than the swoosh of its tyres to be heard from outside. It's a little eerie at first, but it soon becomes a pleasure to gentle waft away. The V8 cuts in with no drama or jolt and should the driver demands a swifter take-off the petrol engine is ready and willing.

Lexus has used a continuously variable transmission for the LS 600h and it struts its stuff with seamless poise. There's no jerkiness or hesitation in stuttering traffic conditions and the Lexus glides along with an imperiously confident manner. Only a slight hesitancy as the car pulls away from a standstill mars an otherwise splendid performance.

Ride & Handling:

As with many luxury cars using air suspension, the low-speed ride of the Lexus LS 600h does not cope as well as it should with roughed-up road surfaces. Potholes, ripples and dips can all be felt as a slight tremor through the car's body as it tries to stifle the interruption as 2.4-tonnes of car comes into contact with uneven patches. Lexus has managed an impressive job of isolating every other source of audible nuisance, so the low-speed ride compromise is all the more noticeable. As speed rises, the ride smoothes out and the LS shrugs off bumps along the motorway.

On twistier roads, the Lexus never hides its size in the way a BMW 7 Series or Mercedes S-Class can, but that's not to say it's not wieldy. Given its length, girth and weight, the LS 600h can surprise and outsmart many more nimble machines. The steering doesn't have much in the way of feel, which makes it very light around town, but it's accurate and allows the driver to place the big car with ease. More importantly, the VIPs in the back seat will be unaware of most changes in direction as the Lexus corners with little lean or drama.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

It would be easier to count up what equipment is not fitted to the Lexus LS 600h L as standard. Our £88,060 test car came with the rear seat relaxation package included in its price, so the only thing we can find that's not part of the huge list of kit is a heated steering wheel (a £600 option). That's it; everything else is there, including the aircraft-style reclining rear seats, superb Mark Levinson stereo, adaptive cruise control with pre-crash safety system, park assist and the rear seat entertainment package. Even in the world of luxury saloons, that is a whole heap of kit for your cash.

If you sense a 'but', though, here it is. At £88,060 for the LS 600h L, and a still huge £81,460 for the standard wheelbase model that doesn't come with as many bells and whistles, the LS 600h is massively expensive. Audi, BMW and Mercedes will also sell you a luxo-motor for £20,000 less that is as good, if not better, to drive and just as cosseting to be in. Lexus buyers are paying for the feel-good factor of driving a hybrid car that makes some attempt at lessening the harm it does to the environment. Yes, 219g/km of carbon dioxide emissions and 30.4mpg combined economy are impressive for a car of this size, but the new BMW 730d knocks those figures for six, and for a lot less cash.

Overall:

Even though the Lexus LS 600h doesn't quite deliver on the V12 go for V6 money promise, it's still a wonderful piece of engineering. The quality is evident in every area and detail, while the drive is as simple as jumping in an automatic gearbox-equipped supermini. There's no fuss or bother to driving the LS; it's just a great big loveable bear of a car. The economy and emissions are commendable when compared to V12-powered luxury saloons, but most buyers in this sector now choose diesel and this is where the Lexus loses a star from our rating: you can buy luxury rivals to the LS 600h for £20,000 less that are more economical and cleaner.