Three rows of seating provide luxurious accommodations for six people, capacity for eight. Try that in your LS 430. The rearmost jump seats are among the best we've seen of their type. They are comfortable and relatively easy to access-something that cannot be said of the Mercedes M Class. They can be folded aside when not in use, but they are a bit larger than others of their type and take up some cargo space. Removing them provides an additional 15 cubic feet of cargo capacity for 90.4 cubic feet total. In normal running mode, with the rear jump folded to the sides and the center seat set up to carry passengers, there is 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space.The front seats are supremely comfortable. Large door openings make getting in and out easy. There's a good view of the road ahead and large side mirrors provide good rearward visibility. Attractive walnut trim adds an upscale look to the leather interior. The electroluminescent instruments offer exceptionally good legibility and look great. Our only quibble was that we could not find the instrument cluster dimmer on a dark and stormy night when we first began driving the LX 470; we eventually found it. Also, we wish there were audio controls on the steering wheel. All outboard seating positions and the center second-row seating position include a three-point seat belt. Driver's and front passenger's seat belts incorporate pretensioners and force limiters. Dual front airbags are standard. Every imaginable luxury feature is provided. Big rear quarter windows swing out at the touch of a pair of dash-mounted buttons. Side mirrors retract electrically for parking in tight quarters. Auxiliary power outlets in the dash, center console and rear cargo area offer convenience. A hydrocarbon sensor automatically switches the air to recirculate when high levels of air pollution are detected, while an activated charcoal micron filter removes dust, pollen, and odors from the interior air stream - a benefit for hay fever sufferers.
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