2012 Lexus IS Reviews

Toyota's dipped its sizeable toe into the autonomous waters, unveiling its P4 self-driving car - equiped with new Guardian technology the brand says is inspired by fighter jets - at the CES tech show in Las Vegas.

The Lexus LX570 S is no wallflower. You aren't buying one of these V8-powered eight-seat 4WD SUVs with more angles than a geometry class if you just need a car to cart the kids in. But is it any good?

The Lexus IS300 was a nameplate that stood out all those years ago, and then came the era of turbocharging. Lexus didn't think IS200t was a fitting badge - so it renamed the 2.0-litre turbo model.

At a time when its competition are shifting into brand "experience stores", BMW has declared the traditional dealership a key plank of its future, though conceding they will have to merge with the online space.

A new and more hardcore version of the Lexus RC F is on the way, with the Japanese brand teasing a new Track Edition thats set for a Detroit Auto Show debut.

Lexus Australia has closed the styling gap between the RC coupe and its more dynamic sibling, the LC, with subtle upgrades to the RC to bring the design elements of the two cars closer.

The Lexus ES300h Luxury is the entry into the ES300h range, with a list price of $59,888. Standard features include a 12.3-inch screen with sat nav and a 10-speaker Pioneer stereo system with digital radio. There’s a head-up display, dual-zone climate control, wireless charging, 10-way power adjustable front seats, privacy rear windows, moonroof, proximity key and LED headlights, too. The Lexus ES is only available with one powertrain option – a petrol-electric hybrid. This combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine making 131kW and 221Nm with an electric motor that has outputs of 88kW and 202Nm.  The 244.8V nickel-metal hydride battery has been moved from under the boot floor in the previous generation car to under the rear seats, so it no longer eats into the cargo space. The ES300h isn’t a plug-in hybrid, so battery recharging is done through regenerative braking. A continuously variable transmission means seamless and smooth low speed driving using just the motor, but under heavy acceleration the engine activates and the you’ll hear that drone associated with CVTs. The Lexus ES300h was awarded the maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in September 2018. Expect 10 airbags, AEB with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control. 

Lexus ES300h Sport Luxury sits at the top of the two-grade ES300h line-up, costing $74,888. Standard features include a 12.3-inch screen, sat nav and a Mark Levinson 17-speaker sound system with digital radio. There’s a head-up display, wireless charging, privacy rear windows, moonroof, proximity key, leather seats, heated and ventilated 12-way power adjustable front seats, heated and power reclining rear seats, three-zone climate control, heated steering wheel, power rear sunshade and manual side rear window shades, gesture open boot and cornering LED headlights, too. The Lexus ES is only available with one powertrain option – a petrol-electric hybrid. This combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine making 131kW and 221Nm with an electric motor that has outputs of 88kW and 202Nm.  The 244.8V nickel-metal hydride battery has been moved from under the boot floor in the previous generation car to under the rear seats, so it no longer eats into the cargo space. The ES300h isn’t a plug-in hybrid, so battery recharging is done through regenerative braking. A continuously variable transmission means seamless and smooth low speed driving using just the motor, but under heavy acceleration the engine activates and the you’ll hear that drone associated with CVTs. The Lexus ES300h was awarded the maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in September 2018. Expect 10 airbags, AEB with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot warning and adaptive cruise control.

The Lexus ES300h is more tranquil than a stroll through a Zen garden, but is it really a challenger to Mercedes' E-Class or BMW's 5 Series?

Lexus Australia has released pricing for its all-new UX small SUV, available with two powertrain options and a number of equipment grades.