The Lexus LS Is Dead After 2026

[rmc523]

The Lexus LS Is Dead After 2026 And This Is Its Final Goodbye In America | Carscoops

 

It’s been more than three decades since Toyota introduced its luxury division with the original Lexus LS 400. Launched in 1989 as a 1990MY, the full-size sedan proved you didn’t need a German passport to build a German-style luxury car, drawing well-heeled buyers away from BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar by offering what those brands never could: Corolla-levels of reliability in a plush package.

Time, however, has caught up with the flagship. Sales have dwindled, with just 691 units sold in the first half of 2025, a sharp 42.3 percent drop compared with the year before and even more dramatic when measured against earlier years. With that, Lexus is preparing to retire the LS in the United States and other markets. Before bowing out, though, it is giving its luxury pioneer a send-off with a limited-run special.

[Dequindre]

This is crazy to think about. It has been Lexus' flagship since the very beginning. 

[akirby]

24 minutes ago, Dequindre said:

This is crazy to think about. It has been Lexus' flagship since the very beginning. 

Very tiny market for large sedans.

[twintornados]

But several here want Ford to build a large Lincoln sedan....market sez, "No thanks."

[Andrew L]

22 hours ago, Dequindre said:

This is crazy to think about. It has been Lexus' flagship since the very beginning. 

 

I agree you'd think they would keep it around even for lower numbers as a halo of sorts.  It was their first model.  Really surprised to see them give up on it even with a shrinking market. 

 

What does this leave for large luxury sedans?  S-Class, 7 Series, A8, Genesis G90, is that it?

[sullynd]

It’s too bad they don’t turn it into a BEV and be to the Model S what it was to the BMW and MB sedans in the late 80s. My dad had an LS460 in the early aughts and it was a great car. 

[DeluxeStang]

23 hours ago, twintornados said:

But several here want Ford to build a large Lincoln sedan....market sez, "No thanks."

Nah, no market for it. Even though it's what I want, what I want as an enthusiast, and what sells are often 2 completely different things. 

[Sherminator98]

I didn't even know they still sold the LS LOL

 

 

[twintornados]

I remember when my (now ex) wife's uncle bought a new 1st gen LS400....everybody thought he was crazy, until they rode in it and were simply amazed. 

[rmc523]

On 9/26/2025 at 11:07 PM, twintornados said:

But several here want Ford to build a large Lincoln sedan....market sez, "No thanks."

I’ve advocated for a larger midsize.  There’s still some volume there, and lets the brand and dealers have a sedan offering covering that chunk of the market without jumping into the shrinking full size market that has long-established players.

[twintornados]

33 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

I’ve advocated for a larger midsize.  There’s still some volume there, and lets the brand and dealers have a sedan offering covering that chunk of the market without jumping into the shrinking full size market that has long-established players.

 

Toyota was a long established player in the full size market and they just folded up their offering that was top shelf in said market and walked away from it...that is a telling sign about the viability of that market. 

[rmc523]

18 hours ago, twintornados said:

 

Toyota was a long established player in the full size market and they just folded up their offering that was top shelf in said market and walked away from it...that is a telling sign about the viability of that market. 

 

....which is why I suggested a midsize....

[twintornados]

15 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

 

....which is why I suggested a midsize....

 

Your suggestion was for a "larger midsize" which describes a "full size" car...or am I missing something. I will say, when I took a Crown for a test drive, I was underwhelmed by the distinct lack of space inside the car....it just felt cramped....

[brucelinc]

16 minutes ago, twintornados said:

 

Your suggestion was for a "larger midsize" which describes a "full size" car...or am I missing something. I will say, when I took a Crown for a test drive, I was underwhelmed by the distinct lack of space inside the car....it just felt cramped....

 The last Lincoln Continental could be considered a large mid-size.   It was similar in size to my BMW 5 series but had a lot more room, especially in the rear seats.   I don't think anyone would consider it cramped.   It was a comfortable sedan with some nice features but basically a bland vehicle that didn't reach the standards of a real luxury car.    I do not claim to know if there is a reasonably sized market for a luxury sedan in that size category, anymore.    People still have choices with the German nameplates as well as the Lexus ES and Genesis.  

[akirby]

37 minutes ago, twintornados said:

 

Your suggestion was for a "larger midsize" which describes a "full size" car...or am I missing something. I will say, when I took a Crown for a test drive, I was underwhelmed by the distinct lack of space inside the car....it just felt cramped....

Pretty sure he means something like Avalon or new Accord which is at the top end of midsizers but still smaller than a crown Vic.

[rmc523]

2 hours ago, twintornados said:

 

Your suggestion was for a "larger midsize" which describes a "full size" car...or am I missing something. I will say, when I took a Crown for a test drive, I was underwhelmed by the distinct lack of space inside the car....it just felt cramped....

 

If I had meant "full size", I'd have said full size....

 

I'm saying something that's not the size of an S-class, 7 series, etc, but not small either and with plenty of room inside.  Hence, larger midsize.

[twintornados]

3 hours ago, brucelinc said:

 The last Lincoln Continental could be considered a large mid-size.   It was similar in size to my BMW 5 series but had a lot more room, especially in the rear seats.  

2017-2020 Continental was considered "full size" according to Wikipedia 

 

3 hours ago, akirby said:

Pretty sure he means something like Avalon or new Accord which is at the top end of midsizers but still smaller than a crown Vic.

Toyota Avalon was also considered "full size" according to Wikipedia..Accord is listed as "mid size"

 

26 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

 

If I had meant "full size", I'd have said full size....

 

I'm saying something that's not the size of an S-class, 7 series, etc, but not small either and with plenty of room inside.  Hence, larger midsize.

 

I get what you are saying and we actually agree...but, gotta watch those dimensions...some examples used in this discussion thread are considered "full size" 

[Sherminator98]

1 hour ago, twintornados said:

I get what you are saying and we actually agree...but, gotta watch those dimensions...some examples used in this discussion thread are considered "full size" 

 

Full sized is defined by interior space, thus why the Accord was considered full sized but wasn't with a sunroof a few years back. 

[akirby]

1 hour ago, twintornados said:

2017-2020 Continental was considered "full size" according to Wikipedia 

 

Toyota Avalon was also considered "full size" according to Wikipedia..Accord is listed as "mid size"

 

 

I get what you are saying and we actually agree...but, gotta watch those dimensions...some examples used in this discussion thread are considered "full size" 

Larger midsize/smaller full size as opposed to a Crown Vic or Town car which were humongous by comparison.

[rmc523]

2 hours ago, twintornados said:

2017-2020 Continental was considered "full size" according to Wikipedia 

 

Toyota Avalon was also considered "full size" according to Wikipedia..Accord is listed as "mid size"

 

 

I get what you are saying and we actually agree...but, gotta watch those dimensions...some examples used in this discussion thread are considered "full size" 

 

Yup, clearly the market falls off a cliff at those larger sedans, and whatever sales are out there are already covered by long-running models (exception being Genesis that apparently has money to do whatever segments they want) - no need to try to siphon off a few hundred/thousand sales in that segment unless they just had oodles of money to spend on product.

Offering a larger midsize allows them to target a broader swath of what's left of the luxury sedan market without being too large or expensive.

[twintornados]

1 hour ago, akirby said:

Larger midsize/smaller full size as opposed to a Crown Vic or Town car which were humongous by comparison.

 

My first "nice" car....a 1976 Ford Gran Torino was classified as "mid-size" back when it was new....now I think it would be classified as an aircraft carrier.....lol

[akirby]

7 hours ago, twintornados said:

 

My first "nice" car....a 1976 Ford Gran Torino was classified as "mid-size" back when it was new....now I think it would be classified as an aircraft carrier.....lol

Starsky or Hutch? 😂

 

 

[twintornados]

5 hours ago, akirby said:

Starsky or Hutch? 😂

 

 

 

Everyone kept saying "Put a Starsky and Hutch stripe on it".....it was dark brown with a tan vinyl roof for godsakes....lol. Then I totaled it in 1982.