2012 Lexus CT Reviews

Lexus launched its first fully-electric car in Australia back in 2023, but it’s fair to say the RZ has hardly made an impact on the electric car scene.Cursed at the time by high pricing, low driving range and a lack of features many EV adopters were looking for, the RZ seemed destined to sit at the bottom of the electric pecking order.Determined to turn its fortunes around, Lexus has refreshed the RZ for 2026 with drastically lower pricing and tweaked specs which it hopes will grant it a second look in the eyes of buyers.Does it have what it takes? I took a top-spec RZ 550e F-Sport for a week to find out.First things first, pricing. Lexus has slashed prices from the RZ range for its latest update to the point where this sporty top-spec one at $105,000, before on-road costs, is now more affordable than the base variant (which cost over $123,000!) when it first arrived in 2023.As a dedicated EV which shares its underpinnings with the Toyota bZ4X, the RZ’s closest rival is the Genesis GV60 from Korea, although comparisons are now difficult, because the GV60 in rear-drive form is $88,000. To get AWD like this RZ 550e you need to splash for the higher-performance GV60 Magma ($130,000).It also needs to face-off against the Audi Q4 e-tron (AWD from $99,818), BMW iX3 ($109,900 in AWD guise) and most problematically for Lexus, the smash-hit Zeekr 7X from China which costs from just $72,900 in Performance AWD trim.While the price-cut is welcome, and this top-spec car gets a bigger battery than before, it still feels like a let-down on range which remains a key consideration for many electric car buyers.Officially this higher-performance 550 e F-Sport version has 437km of driving range according to the WLTP measuring standard, on the back of an official 18.9kWh/100km energy consumption and a slightly larger 77kWh battery pack.My real-world test had the car’s computer reporting 410km of range, with the trip computer showing my most efficient trip being 18.8kWh/100km. It’s within a reasonable margin of error to the claim, but still disappointing in a market where many rival EVs will do 460km+ in the real world.There are other improvements. While the RZ maintains its somewhat middling 150kW DC charging capability for a half hour (10-80 per cent) charge on a compatible station, AC charging capacity has doubled from 11kW to 22kW.Power has also taken a jump, with total outputs now hovering at 300kW combined power for this 550e F-Sport. Unfortunately, though, all RZs are all-wheel drive, so range is a persistent issue no matter which variant you pick.On the styling front, the changes are also subtle, with this luxury mid-sizer maintaining a similar futuristic look to the pre-update version, complete with a grille-free face, and spiky aero coupe rear with twin protrusions on the roof and an interesting split spoiler atop the tailgate.The elephant in the interior is of course the 550 e F Sport’s yoke steering wheel. It’s strange to look at and bizarre to use.We’ll get to that in a moment, but the rest of the interior continues the futuristic theme with the asymmetrical stepped dash design, high beltline for the doors and weird little button door handles.The multimedia screen is a good size at 14 inches, and there’s a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster sunken into the dash complemented by a holographic head-up display for the driver.Despite its tech overload in the interior one advantage this Lexus maintains is physical dials for the dual-zone climate control and even an audio volume dial, with a handful of shortcut buttons, too.The steering wheel also features an array of initially very confusing buttons and controls which you get used to.Software in the RZ is pretty basic. While it isn’t burdened by some of the gimmicks of Chinese rivals, it’s also a bit too simple for a modern EV, not featuring some of the genuinely useful innovations of some of its rivals like pet mode or detailed energy consumption data screens.The back seat, while offering plenty of space behind my own (182cm) driving position, feels devoid of specific luxuries. The dark trim makes it feel small, but there are air vents and USB ports on the back of the centre console along with rear seat heating.The boot is a decent but not stellar 522 litres and there’s no spare wheel. Nor is there a vehicle-to-load system.Where this 550e variant shines, though, is behind the wheel, but it will take some getting used to.The yoke steering can’t turn a full 360-degrees, so the steer-by-wire control makes the wheels turn to full lock after just half a rotation.This, combined with almost zero feedback from the front wheels, is a confusing feeling. Even after a week, I couldn’t get used to the steering ratio. I found myself constantly having to correct after steering too far or too little.Take it on a bendy back road though and you’re in for a treat. The all-wheel drive system and brilliant torque management on offer in the RZ give this swoopy EV cat-like reflexes, mind-bending amounts of grip and healthy dollops of power despite relatively modest on-paper figures.This car highlights where Japanese automakers still maintain an advantage over their Chinese rivals. It’s brilliant to drive in unexpected and delightful ways.Like other Lexus products, the supple suspension and gentle cabin ambiance makes for a serene place to be and the safety tech proved refreshingly non-invasive.An important consideration is the Lexus ownership piece which is pretty good.A five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty is middling these days, but Lexus’ Encore ownership club, which you get five years' membership to as part of your service also includes things like loan cars at service time, as well as invites to events and track days and a range of deals with partner organisations.Service for the RZ is required once a year or every 15,000km and for the first five years it's fixed at $395. This is good for any car, but great for a luxury brand.

In a world of monstrously big SUVs and terrifyingly giant utes, there still exists the super large saloons for those who prefer to maintain a powerful presence with class and sophistication. We're talking limos - not the party kind - we mean the luxurious transport for business executives or those who prefer to be driven rather than drive.We've put together the top 5 largest cars currently sold in AustraliaLength: 5139mm Width: 2241mm Height: 1464mmA Lotus was not on my list of possible big-car candidates, but here we are with the fully electric 5139mm long Emeya four-door lift back. The Emeya is the first of its kind from a brand that forged its iconic reputation by building tiny sportscars in a shed. Things have changed and Lotus is now owned by Chinese manufacturer Geely, and the Emeya is built in China. While not the longest car here, the Emeya is actually the widest with its wing mirrors out. Despite its enormous exterior dimensions the Emeya isn’t particularly voluminous on the inside, but there are four seats and a 509-litre boot. Dual motors make 450kW and 710Nm, 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds. The starting price is $190K.Length: 5139mm Width: 1900mm Height: 1450mmSecretly loving that a Toyota, sorry Lexus, quietly slipped into this top 5 elite party. At 5235mm end-to-end the LS isn’t small, and nor is it short on luxury.Lexus positions itself as a Benz or BMW on a budget, but with a starting price of $200,000 the LS isn’t all that cheap. The value is outstanding, however, compared to the others here, and while rolling up in a Lexus to meet business executives at the airport doesn’t have the same impact as a BMW 7 Series, but as a car girl, I honestly think the LS is more opulent.Powered by a V6 hybrid the LS is without a doubt the most reliable and cheapest to maintain limo here.Length: 5391mm Width: 1950mm Height: 1544mmBMW’s 7 Series is seriously imposing, a cliff face on wheels, with its gigantic grille and its sheer vertical drop, but it’s not just all front - this beast is 5.39m end to end. As a reference the Australian design rules state a car park space must be 5.4m long and 2.4m wide. So it’ll fit… just.   Updated for 2026/27 with BMW’s next-gen Neue Klasse design the 7 Series looks even more menacing and futuristic, while the interior is sporty and hi-tech with screens everywhere. As for powertrains you can burn fossil fuel with a 3.0-litre inline 294kW/580Nm six-cylinder engine on offer but the electric i7’s enormously powerful and torquey motors (making up to 400kW and 745Nm) and seamlessly brutal ability to get out of its own way suits the big BMW limo better.  The 7 Series starts at a list price of $272,900.Length: 5469mm  Width: 2109mm  Height: 1510mmThe Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is a super luxury version of the S-Class and it’s even longer than one too. A regular S-Class long wheelbase is 5289mm end to end while the Maybach version stretched 180mm at 5469mm in length.While more or less the same car as the S-Class the Maybach offers more legroom, more decadence and more engine - with a V12 offered on the higher grades.The Maybach is also more expensive - almost double the price of an S-Class LWB at about $630,000Length: 5982mm, width: 2154mm Height: 1656mmOf course the biggest car sold in Australia is a Rolls-Royce and it’s not just the Phantom Extended, it’s also the Ghost Extended at 5715mm and the Spectre Series II at 5453mm. But if we had included them, then the top 5 biggest cars would have all been Rollers.So we’ve gone for the largest Rolls-Royce car, the Phantom Extended, which at 5982mm is more a train than a car and 220mm longer than the standard wheelbase Phantom.While there are only four seats in a Phantom Extended they are the size of lounge chairs in a sumptuous hotel lobby and legroom is, well you can literally lie down back there because the seats become beds.In Australia the Phantom Extended starts at more than $1.1m but as with most Rolls-Royce’s the customers will want to personalise it with bespoke touches taking the final price much higher. 

This V8-powered Japanese coupe is being phased out in Australia. Lexus has confirmed the LC is approaching the end of its lifecycle Down Under. A special edition LC 500 will hit Aussie shores in the second half of this year as the final examples of the car.Lexus said allocation for the car has already been exhausted, with only a small number of units provided.A spokesperson for Lexus Australia also confirmed the you can no longer order any model from the LC lineup anymore.So what is next for the iconic sports car? The LC 500 is Lexus’ flagship two-door sports car, available in hard-top coupe or convertible form.It carried a more than $200,000 price tag in Australia, having launched globally in 2017 as a direct rival luxury grand-touring coupes like the BMW 8-Series.The rear-wheel drive LC is fitted with either a 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, producing 351kW/540Nm or a 3.5-litre hybrid petrol engine, with 264kW and 350Nm. Lexus originally planned to halt production for the car in late 2025, but this latest special edition batch will now be its final iteration.It is the bigger sibling of the RC compact sports car that was discontinued in 2022. A spokesperson for Lexus Australia said they could not comment on what would replace the LC 500. It does seem like the full-blooded V8 engine will be a thing of the past for the Lexus sports car.Speculation in 2024 suggested the LC’s replacement would ditch V8 and non-hybrid V6 set-ups to be powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 hybrid engine or fully-electric alternative. Lexus also unveiled an electric sports car concept at the Japan Mobility Show last year that could provide a glimpse into what is coming. The concept provided few details other than its striking looks, but it did feature multiple electric motors and batteries, according to the brand. An electric successor to the LC is more likely as Lexus targets an electric-only lineup by 2030. We could learn more of this new potential model in the coming months, and into 2027.

A deadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Japan has halted production at multiple facilities across two major domestic car brands, Toyota and Nissan.As it currently stands 13 people have been killed in the earthquake and, as reported by Automotive News, production output of more than 5000 vehicles could be lost due to the facility shutdowns.One of the affected production facilities is Toyota’s Miyata assembly plant, which produces many Lexus vehicles. These include the ES sedan, as well as the UX, RX and NX SUVs.One shift was reportedly suspended at the Miyata production plant on July 28, following the earthquake. Production then restarted in the morning of July 29, but was suspended again in the afternoon.A decision was reportedly made to suspend production until July 31."Lexus Australia is currently assessing the impact of the recent Kumamoto earthquake in Japan on production and supply of vehicles for the Australian market," said a Lexus Australia spokesperson."While this is still an emerging issue, we can confirm that currently production for NX, UX, ES and RX has been suspended since 28 July, 2026 pending safety assessments and supplier impact."Lexus is currently studying the impact of this suspension and in the process of developing a recovery plan."Two facilities that manufacture components for Toyota vehicles reportedly suspended production following the earthquake.This reportedly includes Aisin Kyushu, which produces suspension components for Toyota vehicles, as well as engine components and doors. Ahrestry Corporation is also reportedly affected and it is an automotive diecast component maker.At this stage neither company has reportedly given a clear indication of when production output will resume at full capacity.Nissan partially suspended production at its Nissan Shatai Kyushu and Nissan Motor Kyushu facilities following the earthquake.The former produces the Nissan Patrol/Armada and Infiniti QX80 SUVs, as well as the Elgrand people mover.The latter, on the other hand, produces the Kicks and X-Trail SUVs, as well as the Serena people mover.“I can confirm that Nissan Motor Kyushu and Nissan Shatai Kyushu have partially suspended production this week due to earthquake-related parts supply delays,” said a Nissan Australia spokesperson.“At this stage, we have not received any information to suggest there will be any interruption to the supply of vehicles destined for Australia. However, the situation remains fluid, and we will continue to monitor developments closely.”

Buyers still love 4WDs in Australia. It remains a big-selling segment, but some of its biggest hitters are suffering losses.China is starting to get a foothold in the market with budget offerings posing a serious threat to established regulars.Emissions-heavy vehicles such as 4WDs are also coming under fire from increasingly stringent rules in Australia.Here is the rundown of the best-selling 4WDs up to June 2026. The Ford Everest large SUV is up front with more than 11,000 sales in 2026 so far, despite a near 10 per cent year-on-year drop. It is based on the Ford Ranger, which is the best-selling ute in Australia.The Toyota Prado takes second place with more than 9000 sales so far this year, but it has experienced an even sharper drop of nearly 42 per cent year-on-year.The Prado is a scaled down version of the LandCruiser 300 Series, using a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, as opposed to the more powerful V6. Isuzu’s MU-X is third, making 7564 sales up to June, but it too experienced a more minor slump of 3.2 per cent. The LandCruiser 300 Series is currently fourth on the standings, and is the only car in the top five to have experienced a substantial growth in sales. Its 6451 sales constitutes a 26.3 per cent rise compared to first six months of 2025.Toyota also released a performance petrol hybrid V6 variant earlier this year.The Suzuki Jimny rounds out the top five as a much smaller and cheaper competitor to those above it. Priced from $31,990, before on-road costs, the Jimny is down 11.1 per cent compared to this time last year, while still amassing 3882 sales. The Nissan Patrol is down nearly 25 per cent compared to its sales result up to June 2025, with 2843 sales so far in 2026. The current Y62 petrol V8 Patrol will cease production next month, and order books for a new twin-turbo V6 will open later. GWM’s Tank 300 mid-size SUV off-roader has continued to surge up the sales charts in 2026, with 2759 sales so far.The Tank 300 is available in petrol, diesel, plug-less hybrid and plug-in hybrid set-ups - more varied than any of its competitors. BYD’s Denza sub-brand is another Chinese rival experiencing a solid sales return in Australia.Its B5 plug-in hybrid SUV has already accumulated 1445 sales this year, having only gone on sale in December 2025.Its bigger sibling the B8 is also approaching the 1000-unit mark midway through this year. The ultra-luxury GMC Yukon Denali from the United States is starting to pick up momentum in Australia. The V8-powered eight-seater Yukon Denali went on sale in the middle of last year, but 2026 has seen sales explode by nearly 190 per cent. It remains a low-volume model with only 202 sales, as it carries a $174,990 price tag. The 4WD segment is about undergo some serious changes in the next few months, including an influx of new models.The Mitsubishi Pajero will return to Australia, along with several new Chinese competitors likely to join it over the next 18 months.The anticipated Geely Galaxy Cruiser is slated for a UK launch, meaning Australia could its next step, while the GAC Yue 7 also seems to be on the way. 

The Lexus ES has never been regarded as a blue-blooded Lexus, being so clearly Toyota Camry-based. But that changes with the eighth-generation ES, ushering in a redesigned body and interior, fresh tech, a stronger platform, sharper steering, new suspension and adaptive dampers for the electric version as tested here in ES350e guise. Collectively, do they transform the Japanese luxury sedan?

Lexus Australia has confirmed pricing and specification for the new eighth-generation ES sedan, with a choice of petrol-electric, and for the first time, pure-electric power.That EV power costs only $2000 more than the hybrid version, which is similar to Toyota's old jump up from petrol to hybrid power, and brings EV price parity closer than ever.Underpinned by an evolution of the global ‘GA-K multi-pathway platform’ the new ES breaks the design shackles with a sweeping fastback-style profile while retaining a conventional boot.Inside, a new 12.3-inch driver’s display joins a centrally mounted full-HD 14.0-inch multimedia touchscreen running a more powerful Arene operating system with a shift-by-wire Electro-Shiftmatic toggle shift lever controlling the transmission.Longer (+170mm), wider (+55mm) and taller (+110mm) than the car it replaces, with an expanded wheelbase (+80mm), the new ES offers a choice of two BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) powertrains.The line-up launches with the ES 350e, powered by a single electric motor sending 165kW to the front wheels only, while the dual-motor ES 500e distributes a combined 252kW to all four wheels.The BEVs 74.7kWh lithium-ion battery can be charged at up to 150kW DC for a 10 to 80 per cent fill “in as little as 28 minutes” while 22kW AC charging capacity is also onboard.Scheduled to arrive later in the year, series-parallel hybrid models feature a newly developed sixth-generation powertrain combining a (105kW/227Nm) 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder engine with a new ‘eAxle’ incorporating a (150kW/270Nm) permanent magnet synchronous motor generator, inverter and Power Control Unit in the transaxle(s) for a combined output of 144kW.Claimed combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel economy is 4.5L/100km for a theoretical range of around 1200km.Standard equipment on the entry-grade ES 300h includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting, synthetic leather upholstery, a panoramic roof, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats (with eight-way power adjustment), smart entry and start and 10-speaker audio.Step up to the ES 300h Luxury + EP and the list of included features adds ventilated front seats, multi-colour ambient interior lighting, a head-up display, wireless device charging, a 360-degree view and 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio.The battery-electric ES 350e Sports Luxury tips in 21-inch alloy wheels, high-definition adaptive high-beam headlights, easy-close doors, semi-aniline leather accented seat trim, 10-way driver’s seat adjustment, driver and front passenger radiant heating, dual wireless smartphone chargers, rear door sunshades and Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS).Then, the flagship ES 500e Sports Luxury adds the extra motor with all-wheel drive as well as Interactive Manual Drive and unique 21-inch alloy wheels.

JD Power, the US-based industry analytics and consumer research specialist, has released its 2026 Initial Quality Study, a much-anticipated (and often feared) annual report looking at the way cars are built and how they operate.And despite a “sharp rise” in overall vehicle quality, this year’s study has highlighted connectivity as a significant stumbling block for manufacturers and consumers.As its name implies, the Initial Quality Study is based on responses from purchasers and lessees of new vehicles (this year 78,514 people) surveyed after 90 days of ownership.The quality audit is split into eight market segments and covers 10 categories - Multimedia, Features, controls & displays, Exterior, Interior, Driving assistance, Seats, Powertrain, Driving experience, Climate and Unspecified (unclassified gripes). Issues are rated according to Problems Per 100 vehicles (PP100).In 2026, fewer problems were cited across nine of the 10 categories, with Multimedia the exception, where “connectivity issues continue to strain customer experience with new-vehicle quality.”Introducing the report, JD Power Senior Director of Auto Benchmarking Frank Hanley said, “As more technology is introduced into vehicles, keeping the experience simple matters more than ever.“The biggest gains in quality come from features that are easy to use - simple controls, less-intrusive driver assistance and software that works the way customers expect.“When technology becomes too complicated, the likelihood of customers experiencing a problem rises considerably,” he said.The total number of reported problems with new vehicles improved to 175 PP100, down from 192 PP100 in 2025, which JD Power said is the best year-on-year improvement since 1997 and the fourth-best performance in the 40-year history of the survey.But Multimedia saw an increase of 1.4 PP100 in reported problems - typically issues with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity and touchscreen displays - for a total of 44.4 PP100 across mass market segments and 38.3 PP100 in the premium groupings.Porsche was the highest-ranking brand overall with an initial quality score of 138 PP100, ahead of Genesis (151 PP100) and Lexus (156 PP100).Toyota Motor Corporation’s Kyushu 1 plant in Japan, which manufactures the Lexus NX and Lexus UX, received the Platinum Plant Quality Award which is based on detected defects and malfunctions.

The Lexus RZ, the brand’s first dedicated EV, disappointed with very low sales and arguably very high prices. Now, a big update and massive price drop could mean broader appeal for Lexus’ electric SUV.

Thousands of Toyota Prado large SUVs have been subject to an urgent recall in Australia due to a digital driver display software error as per a notice from the Department of Infrastructure. It affects 13,042 Prado 4WDs from the 2024 to 2025 model years. “Due to a software error, the instrument cluster may fail to illuminate the visual engine oil pressure light, engine coolant temperature, electrical charge, and other critical safety information,” the notice read.“Failure of the instrument cluster to display critical safety information or warning indicators may increase the risk of an accident causing injury or death to vehicle occupants and/or other road users.”Toyota Australia said the recall was part of a global campaign, but there have been a small number of reported occurrences in Australia. The notice went on to say affected owners will be contacted by Toyota to make an appointment at a dealership, where the issue will be rectified free of charge. The software update will also be available via an over-the-air (OTA) update, which can be completed through the multimedia head unit.This issue also affects nearly 2600 Lexus SUVs models, which are the GX 550 and UX 300h.The Prado remains one of Toyota’s best-selling models in Australia, trailing only the HiLux ute and RAV4 SUV.