Majesty leather trimmed upholstery is standard and comes in a choice of Saddle, Ash, Cashmere, Ecru, and Black (Saddle and Ecru are only available with the Custom/Ultra Luxury packages). We found the light colors beautiful. The black is nice, but no one does black as well as BMW and Mercedes. Perforated semi-aniline or Comfort Nappa leather trim are optional and further enhance the luxurious ambiance. Rich wood trim in Golden Bird's-Eye Maple or Walnut warms the LS 430 interior beautifully and there's an optional Antique Walnut with fired edges that's quite interesting.

The seats are roomy and can be quickly adjusted to a comfortable driving position. The driver faces an adjustable steering wheel trimmed in wood and leather with easy-to-use controls for the audio system. Vivid electroluminescent gauges with white needles rank among the best available. Window switches are illuminated, making them easy to find at night.

The cabin of the LS 430 is loaded with technology designed to make driving safe and pleasant and, for the most part, does just that. The available SmartAccess system eliminates the need to use the keyless remote to open doors and eliminates the need to insert a key into the ignition. Just leave the fob in your pocket or purse and you can open locked doors or start the car by pressing a button. This works well for the most part, but we sometimes found ourselves fighting locks. The system on our car was set up so it only unlocked the drivers door, leaving the passenger doors and the trunk locked.

A seven-inch touch screen at the top of the center stack controls climate and audio and the optional navigation system. A set of hard buttons integrated along the driver's side of the touch screen is provided for the primary climate controls (Temperature, Fan, Auto, Recirculate, Defrost). It's easy to operate. Your passenger should have no trouble finding and adjusting the temperature for her or his side of the cabin. And it's quite sophisticated. Temperature sensors around the cabin detect any hot spots where the sun is baring down and direct cool air specifically to them. The system also takes voice commands. Say, "68 degrees," and it'll adjust the climate control accordingly.

A similar set of buttons to the right allows quick access to key navigation and audio functions. This combination of hard buttons and touch-screen buttons works well, though we struggled at times with the navigation system. At one point, I could not figure out how to get the system to end one destination and take a new one. However, navigation systems are getting better every year, and the Lexus system is sophisticated, with some 5.6 million data points. It even displays building footprints in Manhattan and Chicago.

A backup camera packaged with the system can help the driver spot objects (and children) behind the car. Whenever Reverse is selected, the system automatically projects a color image onto the navigation screen of whatever the camera lens can detect behind the car. Looking at this screen can help the driver spot objects that might be difficult to see in the mirrors or over the shoulder.

Bluetooth capability is part of the optional navigation system as well. When combined with a Bluetooth-equipped phone, this wireless technology lets you transfer personal phone books to the system and make hands-free phone calls using the car's touch-screen display. You can place a hands-free call in different ways depending on your preference, but to reduce driver distraction the one-touch dial feature is the only dialing function that's accessible while underway. The system can store up to 18 one-touch dial numbers, and you can use steering wheel controls to answer and end calls as well as adjust call volume. This greatly extends the utility of a handheld cell phone, which can remain in your pocket or purse while underway. The system can be programmed to work with up to four different phones, allowing different members of the family to tap into the system, and Lexus says its dealers can order compatible phones from a wide choice of major providers.

Back to matters of comfort, a small LED display above the optional navigation screen displays driver's and passenger's temperature setting, outside ambient temperature, and the time. Directly below the navigation screen is a pair of vents that can oscillate from side to side.

The standard audio system includes an in-dash, single-feed six-disc CD changer, and a 15-function information display with a trip computer with compass. The audio controls are large, elegant, and easy to adjust. The optional Mark Levinson premium audio system is designed to deliver optimal sound quality regardless of where you're sitting. Presets allow the driver to optimize the sound quality according to the number and placement of your passengers. The speakers were carefully arranged for optimum sound imaging. XM Satellite Radio is available by subscription, eliminating the need for the driver to reset stations when driving long distance. This brings high-quality music and 24-hour news and sports channels into the cabin.

Back seat riders find the LS 430 offers comfortable and luxurious accommodations with lots of leg room and convenience features that aren't included in the front seats of some cars. The three-person rear bench has contoured spaces for two and a broad center fold-down armrest. The armrest features a padded storage drawer and a panel to control the heated seats, compact disc player and rear climate system. Extensive applications of leather and rich wood trim set an opulent mood.

Passive safety features include seat-mounted side airbags, rear side curtain airbags (for head protection), and knee airbags, in addition to the required dual frontal airbags. Most important are the seatbelts, which feature pretensioners, force limiters, and retractors; be sure to use them as they're the first line of defense in a collision. The optional Pre-Collision System uses radar to detect obstacles in front of the car and, if it determines an accident is unavoidable, it can preemptively retract the driver's and front passenger's seatbelts, which can help reduce injuries. The system also prepares the Brake Assist which, after the driver applies the brakes, automatically applies increased braking force to help reduce collision speed.