Lexus has updated its flagship LS sedan for the Japanese home marketso while its not exactly the model were sure to be sent soon, it offers a good preview of the forthcoming refreshed U.S.-market LS luxury four-door. Of note, the LS is not an all-new model, but rather the sort of honing of an existing product typical of a mid-cycle update. The LSs changes may be minor, but Lexuss focus on details, particularly the interior materials (and the techniques used to create those materials) is so specific that youd think the automaker was honing a traditionally-made katana. Speaking of, we sure hope Lexus is using a (rhetorical) katana to slice some of the rough edges off of the LS, which has given us mixed messages of late. Is it a luxury car or a large, luxurious sport sedan? The last time we drove it, it seemed like its engineers werent quite sure which way to go, and put out a product that accomplished neither task particularly well. Lets take a closer look at the refreshed LS and see if Lexus has cracked the code on what its big, sleek sedan should be. 2021 Lexus LS: Handling and Suspension Changes Much of our ire has been directed at the F Sport suspension, which we last experienced on our 2019 Car of the Yearcontending 2018 Lexus LS test car. The setup makes the big sedan impressively agile but ruins the magic-carpet ride of past Lexuses, allowing impacts to harshly penetrate the cabin, as we put it previously. We also felt the F Sport trim was more performative than performance-oriented, attempting to impress the driver with a very palpable switch between suspension modes rather than optimal suspension tuning in every mode. It seems possible that Lexus engineers heard these complaints because the refreshed Japanese model features revised Adaptive Variable Suspension. The refined system reduces damping forces but increases the stiffness and roll bar rigidity, which should provide similar handling with less harshness from big bump impacts. Its likely the U.S. model will adopt this overall change, but with a unique specific calibration tailored to our (largely messed-up) roads. --> 2021 Lexus LS: Engine and Drivetrain Japan will still get two powertrain options, denoted by the LS 500 and LS 500h badges, and theyre largely the same as before. The 500h hybrid'selectric motors get slightly more battery assistance during acceleration, while at the same time reducing its gas engine's revs when setting off from a stop. The overall effect should reduce noise and vibration from the 3.5-liter V-6. Meanwhile, the twin-turbo V-6 found in the LS 500 gets similarly incremental tweaks. Lexus says it increased torque slightly at speeds seen in normal driving for better throttle response and tweaked shift timing on the transmission to reduce the incidence of downshifts. Engineers also redoubled efforts to tune the Active Noise Control and Engine Sound Enhancement (Lexus terms for noise-canceling and artificial engine noises sent into the cabin, respectively) to make each better. Wed complained in the past about the LS 500s artificial noise enhancement, in particular. Sounds like Lexus took our feedback to heart. All of these revisions seem common-sense and easily implemented, and we have no reason to think they wont percolate over to the U.S.-market LS. 2021 Lexus LS: Interior and Exterior Design Heres where things get a little trickier. The exterior design should carry over from Japan to the U.S. with only minor changesand more to the point, the exterior design changes are slight. A character line in the front bumper has been changed, and some chrome trim in the taillamps switches to piano black. Nothing groundbreaking there. Inside, accent panels get a new look called Nishijin & Haku, which delivers the visual effect of moonlight on ocean waves. Turning a poetic image into a uniquely patterned material is just about as Japanese as things get in the car world. And outside, theres a new paint color called Gin-ei Luster, a metallic silver finish that Lexus claims is smooth and mirror-like, to accentuate the curves of the LSs sheet metal. Theres no word as to whether either element will make it Stateside. 2021 Lexus LS: Technology and Safety Without specific information about the U.S.-market LS, theres little guarantee that any of the LSs new safety tech will make it here. For one, the LS gets the adaptive high-beam headlight system first seen on the 2020 Lexus RX. We already know this system isnt yet available in the U.S., so consider it unlikely, for now. More importantly, the LS welcomes a touchscreen infotainment system to its cabin. No longer must users resort to fiddling with the brand's finicky touchpad controller when interacting with the car's 12.3-inch center screen. The same goes for the car's so-called Teammate system, a driver assistance suite that includes automatic lane-keeping and allows the vehicle to follow others and complete lane changes, and overtake slower traffic on roads supported by the system. Teammate also includes an automated parking system. We dont expect to see this system here, but were interested to learn how it operates in regions where its supportedfirst in Japan, and later in unspecified other markets. 2021 Lexus LS: On-Sale Date and Pricing Since Lexus latest communication doesnt cover our market, were not sure exactly what to expect for the next LS we can buy here. But a company representative tells us that U.S.-specific information will drop later this summer, including feature content and an on-sale date, at which point well know how much of the JDM LS trickles over to our model. The post 2021 Lexus LS Lands in Japan, Portends U.S.-Market Changes appeared first on MotorTrend .