2000 Lexus LS Reviews

The Lexus IS 250C has been with us for a long, long time and the convertible is due for a reboot soon along with the rest of the range, heralded by the new model unveiled at Detroit motor show this week.Meantime, to help keep sales bubbling, and capitalise on the success of the F-Sport trim level – which takes up 30 per cent of IS sales -- there is now an IS250C wearing the F badge on the front quarter panels.With the F-Sport adding some visual and chassis changes it is a genuinely different car – not as distanced as, say, BMW's M Sport packages, but enough for us to have another look.VALUEThe IS250 F-Sport sits in the middle of a three-tiered convertible range. The IS 250C Prestige kicks off at $76,800 while the $94,800 Sports Luxury puts $13k of clear air between itself and the $81,800 F Sport.The headline items on the F Sport include sat-nav, Bluetooth, reversing camera and front and rear park assist, LED daytime running lights, Xenon headlights, new grille and front bumper and graphite 18-inch alloys.All are powered by the same 2.5 litre V6, good for 153kW and 252Nm of torque. Combining variable valve timing and direct injection, the powerplant is properly Lexus - revvy, but so, so smooth.The interior also benefits on the F-Sport - silver stitching on the leather, sports pedals, a new roof lining and unique seat and dash trim. The seats themselves are electrically operated as is the steering wheel, which adjusts for reach and rake. The seats have three memory positions, which also store the steering wheel position. The front seats also score heating and cooling.Our test car also had the active cruise control and pre-collision safety system, which is standard on the Sports Luxury. The same enhancement pack brings the 12 speaker Mark Levinson stereo with bluetooth and USB connectivity, adding $4615 before luxury car tax.The IS250 benefits from Lexus' 48-month/100,000km warranty and as a Lexus owner, you'll never need to darken a dealer's door again - as long as you own the car, the company will fetch it from you when it requires a service. Alternatively, if you so choose, Lexus will supply a loaner while your car is serviced. You won't get that as "standard" from the European marques.Volvo's folding hardtop C70 T5 is as close as you'll get for a genuine competitor. The T5S starts at $61,950 and packs Volvo's characterful (and thirsty) Ford-sourced 169kW turbo five cylinder. It's as slow as the Lexus, uses more fuel and is not a sharp drive.The T5 (yes, the pricier version has a shorter name) adds full leather, different steering wheel and stereo and adds adaptive headlights and Volvo's renowned safety innovations. Both block and parry each other for specification items but the Volvo's newer design is more coherent.The fabric-roofed BMW 3 Series Convertible range starts at $81,318 for the 320d. Developing 135kW and a muscular 380Nm of torque, the diesel will carry you to 100km/h in 8.4 seconds and a combined fuel figure of 5.1l/100km. You will need to tick a few boxes before achieving the same spec level as the Lexus but there's also a lot more stuff to choose from.After-sales service doesn't come close to matching Lexus' generous offering and, like the IS, the E93 is soon to be sent on its way. Audi's A5 Cabriolet is Audi's closest contender, which starts at $77,779 for a 125kW 1.8 TFSI litre petrol engine, and that's before the addition of the F-Sport equivalent, the S-Line. The A5 bests the Lexus' fuel figures, but struggles with rather less power.It also has a fabric roof and substantially less equipment. Like the BMW, many boxes will require ticking to match the Lexus' specification. The range stretches to the $100,108 3.0 TFSI quattro. A slightly left-field alternative is the sober Volkswagen EOS which starts at a tick under $50,000 for the 103 TDI and just over that mark for the 155TSI.DESIGNThe IS 250C was introduced at the 2008 Paris Motor Show and…well, is showing its era. From front bumper to the A-pillar, the 250C is as elegant as its gracefully ageing sedan sibling (introduced in 2005), or would be were it not for the tacked on plastic pieces that form part of the F-Sport package.From top of the windscreen back -- and with the roof up -- it looks slabby and a bit of a mess. The roof's arc doesn't gel with the rest of the design or identify well with the sedan, and the result is ungainly. The wheels look too small and the accommodation for the folded roof called for a rising beltline that magnifies the boot's size and deck height. Lexus designers have tried to disguise the rump by increasing the size of the rear lights.Once the roof is folded away, the proportions do improve, but it's impossible to hide that very high-set backside. Another sign of the IS250C's age is that the car must be stationary before you can fold or unfold the roof, while many rivals allow a gentle pace to be maintained during the roof's operation.Being a Lexus, fit and finish is exceptional. Even on this older design, everything is tight and the paint is beautiful. The roof's folding operation barely makes a sound and what little you do hear are reassuring clicks, clunks and whirrs. Materials in the cabin are like any other Lexus, with soft-feel plastics and supple leather on the seats.It's clear the dash wasn't really intended for a convertible as the central screen is angled the wrong way -- with the roof stowed, sunlight reflects into your eyes and obscures the screen. The main dials, though, are super-bright and set deep into the dash.The 250C could kindly be called a 2+2. There is no centre seat in the rear and passengers would have to be of the short, tolerant variety, with cropped or no hair to suffer the strong buffeting from the wind at speed.TECHNOLOGYThe IS250C shares the 2.5 litre V6 with the sedan. Despite its advancing years, there are few engines that match it for smoothness and refinement. Direct injection and dual variable valve timing help the unit to 153kW at 6400rpm and 252Nm of torque at 4800rpm.The car needs every last kW and Nm, however, as it weighs in at a portly 1700kg. Missing is stop-start for fuel saving, which would be handy given its true thirst of 11.5l/100km. The IS350's 3.5 litre V6 is not available in Australian-delivered convertibles.SAFETYSix airbags, including two kneebags (in lieu of curtain airbags) are fitted to the IS250C. Active safety features include ABS, brake force distribution, traction control and stability control. A rear-facing camera is essential and, thankfully, standard on the IS250C - you can't see a thing behind you and it's almost impossible to judge where the elephantine rear ends.DRIVINGWith the roof up, the IS250C's on road dynamics are not far at all from the 250 sedan's. The overall road manners of the F-Sport are, if anything, an improvement despite firmer springs and dampers and bigger wheels. The F-Sport chassis tweaks reduce roll and introduce a little more discipline.The 250C's rear-wheel drive dynamics are still apparent, but the extra weight of the 250C's bracing blunt the handling. Turn-in is a little woolly and it understeers a lot earlier than you might expect. With the roof folded away, things begin to deteriorate.While it's no Saab 900 convertible (which had all the structural integrity of Rolf Harris' wobbleboard) the steering column shakes in corners and over sharp bumps and ridges in the road. It's not encouraging, but nor does it ever lose composure.The giveaway that the chassis isn't coping is the way the front tyres sound like they're struggling for grip even at low speeds, trying to keep everything on the straight and narrow. Then again, chucking an IS250C through corners is missing the point.It's far more of a boulevardier, a car you buy to carry you between fun things while letting you have fun on the way. It's far more enjoyable if you ease off and let the car dictate your pace. Through it all, however, the ride is impeccable, even with the F-Sport's firmer disposition. It suits the character of the car perfectly without letting things get out of hand.The engine struggles with the extra weight but, like a good butler, never lets you know it's under pressure. The transmission is sometimes a little jerky on the upshift, but only under a more-than-moderate throttle or after an abrupt lift-off. The six-speed transmission can be actuated with steering wheel mounted paddles that are actually nice to use.While the gearbox claims to be intelligent, it takes too long to drop a gear or two on steep descents. This is a problem while using cruise control as you can't depend on the car to stay near the speed you've chosen, requiring your intervention to slow the car.The electric power steering system is well-suited to the car, but keen drivers will notice a lack of feedback. Our test car was fitted with Active Cruise Control, part of the Enhancement Pack. This option is a double-edged sword -- you won't have to monitor the car in front but it lulls you into a state of apathy -- you'll occasionally peer down and realise you're dawdling along much slower than the speed you've set because you're behind a slow-moving vehicle. It's far more useful in urban motorway traffic rather than outright freeway cruising.VERDICTThe IS range is not long for this world but for most buyers, it's hardly an issue. As a relaxed cruiser and almost-practical coupe, the IS250C is hard to beat as long as you aren't expecting class-leading anything. It's probably as middle of the road as it's possible to get but at the same time leads the way on build quality, noise and driving refinement -- the engine and ride are true standouts in a pretty good package.However it uses a lot more fuel than most of its competitors, is down on performance and some people will find the looks challenging. But to many buyers of a car like this, none of that really matters. You can't help but enjoy a car like this with the roof down on a beautiful summer's evening. Added to that, the IS250C stands alone in this class by having the security of a hard top roof and that might just be enough to clinch it.Lexus IS250C F-SportPrice: from $76,800Engine: 2.5-litre 6-cylinder, 153kW/252NmTransmission: 6-speed auto, RWDThirst: 9.3L/100Km, CO2 219g/km

Class-leading rear legroom and boot space are the obvious improvements to the Lexus IS sedan range that will arrive in Australia in the third quarter of this year. A four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid will also join the pair of V6 engines already used in the range and promises fuel consumption of less than 4.3 litres/100km and emissions of less than 100g/km CO2.The new IS models were officially launched at the Detroit motor show and Lexus Australia spokesman Tyson Bowen says the changes will transform the way people look at the car as a competitor to the likes of BMW’s 3 Series and Audi’s A4. “The wheelbase is 70mm longer and the front seats are a slimline design, which saves 15mm and all of that has gone into the rear legroom,” he notes. The boot is also 20 per cent bigger and while the space may have risen dramatically, the pricing isn’t expected to follow. That should mean a starting price for the base V6 IS250 under the $59,133 luxury tax threshold, rising to $80-something thousand for the range-topping IS350 F Sport models. Visually the cars are easy to identify by the new spindle front grille. Regular models have horizontal slats inside the spindle; the F Sport versions use a dramatically deeper spindle with a mesh design. The L-shaped daytime running lamps have been separated from the headlamp cluster and the exhaust on the hybrid version is now hidden to differentiate it from its purely petrol-powered siblings. Carsguide previewed a prototype of the IS late last year and reported that the driving dynamics have grown with the car, which is based on the new GS platform. Providing an improved drive and more space was a major focus for Lexus. IS chief engineer Junichi Furuyama says driving enjoyment was the key theme. “Every aspect of the new IS has been engineered with a renewed focus on the sporting performance, agile handling, accurate response to driver input and highly communicative feedback,” he says. Features such as adaptive suspension will be available on selected models, along with a variable gear steering ratio. F Sport models have a tauter suspension tune and more aggressive look inside and out. The IS range is rear -wheel drive and uses a variety of transmissions. The IS250 runs a six-speed auto to handle 154kW/253Nm, the 350 picks up an eight-speed self-shifter to cope with 233kW/378Nm and the IS300 hybrid uses a continuously variable transmission to manage a combined engine-motor output of 162kW/215Nm. 

The 2014 Lexus IS will make its official debut at next week’s Detroit Auto Show, but images of the new BMW 3 Series fighter are already starting to turn up online. After images began appearing on various internet sites (leaked from a single Chinese site, apparently) Lexus itself posted these images, which show the new car in F Sport trim. Finally, we get a chance to see what lurks beneath the camouflage in our previously published spy shots. The now-familiar spindle grille is present and accounted for, and it appears to be even more pronounced (and more dimensional) than on the recently updated Lexus GS. There’s a serious amount of venting in the front, too, which gives the new IS a face straight out of science fiction. Look closely, and tell us you don’t see the alien from Predator in the lower fascia; that's a bolder design that we're used to seeing from Lexus. We presume this will be tapered back in non F Sport models, though. The side skirts sweeping upward to join the taillights is a bold move from Lexus, and we like the organic shape of the headlights and taillights. They’re reduced in size, too, in keeping with current automotive design expectations. Overall, Lexus says its trying to give the redesigned IS a broad and powerful stance, and we'd say the company hit the mark. There's no denying that the car has a certain presence, and we suspect that will translate into more buyers in Lexus showrooms. If the exterior isn't enough to convince you, one glance at the new car's interior will probably do the trick. In a word, it's stunning, and easily among the more sporting designs we've seen in recent years. Lexus says the longer wheelbase and thinner front seats combine to give more rear legroom, addressing a common complaint with the previous IS models. Other cabin details include a dash-mounted analog clock, electrostatic switches for the temperature controls, and an LFA-inspired steering wheel. F Sport models also get the driver's meter with moving center ring from the LFA, as well as a perforated leather steering wheel wrap, metal film 3D-look trim, black seat stitching, and aluminum pedals and scuff plates, plus the new Rioja Red interior color option. We’ll bring you more images as well as all the details on the 2014 Lexus IS models as part of our complete 2013 Detroit Auto Show coverage. www.motorauthority.com  

Just two years after Toyota paid fines totaling US $48.8 million, including a then-record single fine of $16.4 million, the automaker has been hit with a new $17.4 million fine in the US over a delayed pedal entrapment recall on 2010 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h models.The NHTSA contacted Toyota in May, after receiving several reports of pedal entrapment from owners of 2010 Lexus RX models. In June, Toyota responded to the NHTSA, admitting that 63 such incidents, some dating back to 2009, had been reported on the Lexus crossover.Toyota then followed up with the recall of some 150,000 RX models, including both gas and hybrid variants, but the NHTSA saw the response as coming too late after the initial reports. In turn, it’s fined Toyota $17.4 million over the incident, the highest amount ever charged to an automaker.As part of the settlement, Toyota avoids admitting it was at fault in the incident, but agrees to further restructuring of its quality assurance group. It will also undertake a review of all safety-related issues as a result of this latest fine.www.motorauthority.com 

It was close to two years ago that the Lexus LFA supercar, after enduring an almost decade-long gestation period, finally entered production at Toyota’s Motomachi plant in Japan. At its launch, Lexus confirmed the LFA would be built in an exclusive run of just 500 units in total, and that the cars would be painstakingly assembled at the rate of just one per (working) day up until December, 2012.  Well, Lexus has now revealed that the LFA’s planned production run has now been completed, with the final example being a white LFA Nürburgring Package. It rolled off the line at the Motomachi plant on December 14.  A special plaque showing the car’s build number confirms this is the 500th LFA, which is contradictory to what comedian Jay Leno said about a special one-off LFA Spyder he recently drove during an episode of his online series Jay Leno’s Garage. In that particular episode he states that the LFA Spyder was build number 500. Regardless of what build number this LFA has, it is now a member of one of the most exclusive set of cars on the planet. A total of 170 people helped to bring each and every LFA to life, including specialists who built the car’s carbon fiber components. Roughly 65 percent of the LFA is composed of Formula One-grade carbon fiber, aiding strength and rigidity while reducing vehicle weight dramatically. Then there’s the car’s 4.8-liter V-10 engine, one of the fastest-revving and best-sounding production engines in the world. It developed a healthy 412 kilowatts and helped propel the LFA Nürburgring Package around the German race track for which it’s named in an amazing 7:14.64. No doubt Toyota will be retaining the technological skills gained during the development and production of the LFA for its future models. Unfortunately, there’s been no mention of a successor but mysterious LFA prototypes spotted on several occasions at the Nürburgring suggest future developments are planned. MotorAuthority  

“If you're prepared to do something and you're prepared to stand next to the Mall's Balls and explain to anyone how and why a decision is taken, it's worth doing,” joint managing director Paul Crawford said.It's a benchmark that seems to have worked recently for the 78-year-old automotive retailer, rural and finance company, more known for its CMI Toyota dealerships in SA.The 1200-employee firm, with Paul and his brothers Michael and David on the board, is one of South Australia's largest private companies, passing a $1 billion turnover milestone last financial year.Most of that turnover comes from its South Australian base, including wine grape and nut producer CMV Farms, CMI Toyota, Lexus and Mercedes dealerships and its truck and bus retail business.But a lucrative arm has been its maintenance contracts for 2500 pieces of equipment the fleets of Woolworths, Fronterra, Aldi and other retailers. Those contracts and ambitions to expand its bus and truck dealership network interstate, are expected to drive growth for the company over the next five years.Mr Crawford was confident about the South Australian economy, despite the palpable impact BHP Billiton's decision to delay the expansion of the Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine had on the local business psyche.“Yes, the final decision, you could feel it in the business community, you could feel it in confidence levels of small and medium businesses,” he said. “In one sense it was a relief to know that there was clearly a slowdown on the way.“There was also a bit of silver lining for us, the fact that I personally hold the view that there's been a lot of very overheated commentary surrounding the Olympic Dam Expansion... (the delay) has had a settling affect and brought into focus some of the really positive things happening,” he said.Rex Minerals' copper mine near Ardrossan on the Yorke Peninsula, Peculiar Knob and Prominent Hill were all driving activity and many South Australian businesses were more exposed to these projects than the “sensational” forecasts for expansions at Roxby. But the ore body remains in the ground, which meant that “when BHP push the button on it, I'm sure it will be done on a more efficient level,” he said.CMV Group's recent investments in SA include a multi-million-dollar purchase of Adelaide's only Mercedes dealership in July and a new $13 million Lexus dealership on West Tce, which began trading last month. “I often think of the SA psyche and I think it could be more positive and we could be much more proud of the things that we do,” he said.

John Travolta and Nicholas Cage turned things upside down in the action blockbuster "Face Off". Now they could easily star in an automotive re-make of the movie, if Lexus and BMW hadn't already filled their starring roles.Just as Travolta went from nasty to nice and Cage went cop to crook in Face Off, Lexus and BMW have traded places in 2012. The Germans have gone soft and cushy with the latest 3 Series and, after driving a lineup of disguised Lexus prototypes this week in the USA, I feel that the new IS is probably now the ultimate driving machine.This is my second deep dive with Lexus - after a preview drive of the GS last year - but landing in Los Angeles I'm aware that the new IS is the most important car in the history of Lexus.The original LS400 was a bigger gamble, but this is the car that must bring younger buyers to the brand and finally give Lexus a prestige starter car that's more than just nice, but... Lexus knows it too, which is why chief engineer Junichi Furuyama has only brought F Sport versions of his IS to LA and only seems interested in the way the car drives.There is nothing about comfort or quietness in his short, sharp, presentation and he only talks about the back-seat space when I raise the obvious question. "When developing the new IS, we set ourselves the target to be the best fun-to-drive car," Furuyama says. "We believe we were able to achieve that." He talks about driving harmony and fun, as well as the car's "flavour", before a brief technical rundown.The IS lineup is basically unchanged, although there is now a hybrid model - still to be confirmed for Australia - and the IS-F could change into an upcoming IS coupe. There is nothing to report on prices because the car will not be stripped of its camouflage until the Detroit motor show in January and Australian deliveries do not begin until the second half of next year.Still, based on Toyota's red-pen work this year on the showroom stickers of the all-new 86 and Corolla, it would be no surprise to see a slight drop from the current base prices of $55,800 for the IS250 and $64,300 for the IS350.Also, I cannot comment on the final finishing, or the equipment, because the various prototypes were still some way from showroom standard and almost everything in the cabins was covered with metres of black tape.A similar IS was well beaten by the Benz C and BMW 3 in my prestige comparison earlier this year and I'm reminded of the outdated cabin, cramped back seat and suspension that makes the car feel a bit skittish.But the new IS is improved in many, many areas, finally getting a useable back seat and a much bigger boot. It's two ticks there.The cabin space is a huge improvement with better-shaped front seats. The wheelbase is out by 75 millimetres but there is 90 more in the back-seat space, and even the door opening has been enlarged for easier access. The view from the back bench is also helped by front seats that are set 20 millimetres lower, although that was done to improve comfort in the front. Oh, and the boot is about 20 per cent larger.The hole in the dashboard points to a 20-centimetre display screen, the new switches and stalks feel more substantial, and Lexus promises a review-camera across the local lineup.It gets 10 airbags and a standard reversing camera with parking radar.The IS is basically new - "about 80 per cent of the parts" - but shares its mechanical package and suspension layout with the bigger GS. That means rear-wheel drive with more travel and control, but the basic body is much more rigid.It has a system that plumbs engine intake noise into the cabin during enthusiastic driving. Among the claimed improvements for driving enjoyment are lighter steering, better Bridgestone tyres, softer springs and rear suspension that separates the springs from the dampers.There is now an eight-speed automatic gearbox with various driving modes, and the gauges are a new take on the impressive TFT layout in the Lexus LF-A super car.The cars are waiting and the first job is a couple of track laps in the superseded IS, just to set the ground rules. Onto the track and the new transmission is more aggressive in its response, the front end grips better and the car sits a little flatter through the curves.So I step up to the camo 350 and find more of the same, with extra urge of course, and a bit more compliance in the rear suspension. But it's the road drive that will provide the real answers, so we hit the freeway and head for the hills. Literally.The IS250 is immediately quieter than I remember - Furuyama confirms big cuts to wind and road noise - and the eight-speed auto is great. As the road turns twisty the IS responds in the way I used to expect from a BMW. It responds eagerly to the wheel and drives confidently through turns.The IS350 is not as precise - with an extra 30 kilograms in the nose - but the extra punch makes any short straight a fun run. I also enjoy the LF-A-style instruments and the multi-mode automatic, which responds almost like a manual in the sportiest setting.So I'm convinced. These are real driving cars for people who take their motoring seriously, but they also have the sort of practical improvements that are essential for the long-flawed IS. Yes, the IS could do with more punch as both a 250 and a 350, I'm not a fan of plumbing engine noise into the cabin, and one of the suspension set-ups is significantly better for grip and comfort.But those are relatively small things. Overall it's a great drive. There was a time when the IS was really just a tweaked Toyota, but the new cars have grown up and improved in so many ways. Now I'm waiting to get the 'real' car out from under the camo and onto some home roads to ensure I have the story right. But, right now, it looks to me as if the BMW benchmark batton has been snitched by the IS.A one-day run is not enough for a final verdict, but I have rarely pushed a car as hard as I did in the California canyons - or hustled as enthusiastically as I did on a closed course at the Santa Anita raceway - without finding something big to complain about.

Jumbo jets have shrunk the world and compressed the car business into a series of hops around the globe.

...and what to watch for when you are buying it.Lexus cars are about comfort and refinement and the Lexus RX SUV leans very much in that direction and well away from the rugged off-road nature of its big brother the LandCruiser-based Lexus LX Series.The Lexus RX350 has significantly less ground clearance than the typical crossover. Which gives it road holding almost on par with that of a sedan or station wagon. While the Lexus RX350 does have all-wheel drive and can travel on dirt roads, forest trails and the like, taking it to the beach could leave it beached on its belly.Interior room is good for two adults and three junior travellers, but three adults in the back seats starts to stretch their friendship. It goes without saying that the choice of materials and the quality of fit and finish of cabin is immaculate in all models, and has been taken to even higher levels over the years. Boot space is reasonable considering the steep slope of the rear window, but most SUVs of this size give you more versatility when it comes to carrying boxy items. The rear seat has a handy 40/20/40 split to give you loading options.Australian buyers weren’t offered the chance to buy the first-generation Lexus RX300 as it was only sold in the USA. The second generation went on sale in this country in April 2003 as the RX330 (the numbers refer to the engine size in decilitres in most models, more about that later) and was a hit pretty well from the start.The third generation Lexus was introduced in February 2009 and, with a moderate facelift and the introduction of several new variants remains on sale today. The gen-three was virtually all-new, being longer and wider in the body than its predecessors and sitting on a longer wheelbase and wider track. The new model was designed to provide more interior space and even higher levels of interior comfort than before. It truly is a luxury wagon and the great majority of buyers use it that way.The twin-cam petrol engine V6 has a capacity of 3.0 litres in the 330 and 3.5 litres in the RX350. The third generation cars have noticeably lower fuel consumption without any loss of performance. The petrol engine was mated to a five-speed automatic transmission until the arrival of the all-new 2009 model saw it lifted to six-speed unit, which partly explains its lower fuel use.An interesting model is the petrol-electric hybrid RX. Sold since October 2006, it uses a 3.3-litre engine and an electric motor in combination. The hybrid’s model name breaks with convention by being tagged RX400h, that’s because Lexus reckons it has the performance that would be offered by a 4.0-litre petrol engine.A mid-life upgrade in July 2012 saw the introduction of an RX 2WD, four-cylinder model badged RX 270. Until then all RXs used 4WD and a V6 engine. The lighter weight of the 2WD model (which drives through the front wheels) means there is less loss in performance than you might expect. Naturally, it’s still a rarity on the used market but if you never plan any unsealed road driving its lower price may make it worth a wait.Lexus dealers are mainly in metropolitan areas of capital cities and major regional and country locations. Should you need work done in other areas some top Toyota mechanics have been trained in Lexus work. Service and repair costs are about average for an SUV in this upmarket class and we have heard of no real complaints about cost or availability of routine spare parts. Insurance charges don’t seem to vary significantly between major companies, but it may be worth shopping around.WHAT TO LOOK FORVery high build quality means that troubles are rare, but these are relatively complex machines and we highly recommend a professional inspection after you've completed yours to the best of your ability. If you find body damage indicating off-road use, a rarity, it’s most likely to be on the bumper corners, under the sill panels and in the form of scratches on the doors. Unless the price is right we suggest going for another RX instead.Look for a smoking exhaust on a high-mileage engine. It will be at its worst when the engine is worked hard. Check the automatic transmission is all but unnoticed in its actions unless you’re accelerating hard. Look over the interior and boot carefully because the RX is popular in the Mums’ taxi cohort.CAR BUYING TIPFaded paint on any vehicle, particularly those with strong colours, is likely to indicate it hasn’t been garaged very often. This can be hard on the interior as well as the body.