Elegant, flowing shapes grace the interior. Surfaces are soft to the touch for a luxurious feel. No seams are visible where the passenger airbag resides. Elegant white-faced analog gauges, surrounded by thin chrome bezels, use electroluminescent lighting. Stylish typefaces give them a classic look. A beautiful white-faced clock that features watch-like detail is mounted in the center of the dash. Flanked by the Chrysler wings, it complements the design theme. Major controls use large twist dials. Few manufacturers get radios right and the LHS features slider tone controls that are challenging to operate when driving. Overall, the wood trim is attractive, but the oval piece of wood surrounding the shifter seems unnecessary and diminishes the positive effect of the rest of the trim.
Leather seating and heated front seats with personalized memory controls on the driver's side are standard. LHS offers a bit more front and rear legroom than the 300M.
Overall, it's a brilliant interior. Light colors, such as the Camel on ours, give it an elegant look. Compared with the Lincoln Continental, the LHS offers an interior design that is sleeker and more contemporary.
The LHS comes with a larger trunk than the 300M and it holds plenty of luggage for long trips. Details, such as gas struts for the trunk hinges, make life seem just a bit more luxurious.
The LHS delivers a smooth ride quality, filtering out unwanted vibration without isolating the driver from the road. Noise and vibration, though not at Lexus levels, are low. Though LHS is tuned a bit more in the direction of luxurious ride quality, it feels extremely stable at high speeds. Steering is direct and precise and it offers the best handling in its class.
Quiet when cruising, the engine serves notice with an aggressive growl when provoked. Plenty of power is on tap for accelerating away from intersections, onto freeways and passing cars. A broad torque curve means it's ready to provide instant throttle response at any speed. The revised automatic transmission selects the appropriate gears and does not hunt excessively. The brakes have been refined and provide good stopping power and pedal feel.
We checked out some of the competition on an undulating, wet, winding road through Georgia's Chattahoochie National Forest. Compared with the LHS, the tires on the Lincoln Continental lacked grip and the brakes felt mushy. The LHS offered much better suspension control in hard corners and through dips, and its transmission was more responsive. The recently re-engineered Buick Park Avenue is a worthy competitor with a responsive engine and a confidence-inspiring suspension.