2000 Lexus LS Reviews

Plenty of people would think business execs would have little or no conscience because they suppress emotion in favour of the corporate good.It would be a handy attribute in the corporate jungle, that's for sure. But now, Lexus has provided an outlet for the softer centre of hard nosed execs to show through, allowing them to express a concerned "green'' side if they chose to drive the new Lexus GS450h Hybrid luxury sedan.It will cost them though — quite a premium over the "normal'' V6 petrol GS but for that investment, they get to use less fuel, considerably less and also generate a lot fewer emissions thereby being good custodians of our children's future. Oh and by the way, the GS450h is quite the performance packaged too showing a clean pair of rears to a good percentage of cars out there.This is the second generation GS450h and far surpasses the first model which was good in parts. The drivetrain is 20 per cent more efficient this time around, it's a roomier car despite sharing similar external dimensions and dynamically, they are like chalk and cheese with the new model being more of a GT car.Though encumbered with additional weight from a (stacked) battery pack (for less boot intrusion) and two electric motors in the transmission case, the new GS has a similar feel to the regular petrol GS range albeit with a stepped CVT transmission featuring paddle shift.They've made the body/chassis stiffer by a considerable degree and lighter too though the car still weighs in over 1900kg. Weight balance is a neat 50/50 which explains why it feels so planted on variable road conditions. And, remember, it's a rear wheel drive so no cheating with all wheel drive here thank you.What is somewhat perplexing is the use of a Nickel Metal Hydride battery instead of the new tech Lithium Ion which is lighter. But Lexus reckons the older type is "mature'' technology less prone to failure. Infact, Lexus has yet to replace a hybrid battery in this country — enough said. Because it's a totally new car from the wheels up, Lexus has been able to adopt refinements across the board including the suspension, steering, brakes and powertrain.The 3.5-litre petrol V6 uses the Atkinson Cycle which delays valve closure allowing a reduction in pumping losses inside the engine and a higher compression ratio for output gains. It has a direct injection system with two nozzles per cylinder. Variable valve timing operates on the inlet and exhaust sides so it's a fairly complex device. But the upside of this is a 0-100kmh sprint time of 5.9 seconds and fuel economy in the region of 6.3-litres/100km — phenomenal. This low fuel consumption is aided in the city by auto stop/start.Maximum output with the petrol and electric engines combined is difficult to nail but Lexus says it's good for 254kW/352Nm a figure that seems about right — perhaps a little under stated. The important thing is the electric motor kicks out 275Nm from zero. You can feel it off the line.There are three variants available, Luxury, F-Sport and Sports Luxury priced at $99,900, $111,900 and $121,900 respectively which is a $3000 reduction on the previous model despite all the extra stuff.All three are generously specified with all manner of luxury kit, premium audio, climate control, leather, electric assistance and five star safety rating.Though a tad noisy under full acceleration, the trademark Lexus silent running is evident most of the time in the GS450h thanks in part to new engine mounts. It's surprisingly good to drive and quite adept in tight going. Multi drive modes are available for the powertrain and other dynamic functions. And the GS is quite good to fire up using the paddle shift and full sport on all settings. The active rear steering system on the top model further sharpens responses.There's a definite European feel to its dynamics even if you can't get around that slurring CVT noise. It's supremely comfortable over a long drive with supple, fully adjustable seats and adaptive suspension.The active cruise control system where fitted will run right down to a stop then accelerate away again when it's clear. Like the look of it too particularly the new spindle grille.The new GS450h is a strong competitor for the turbodiesel Europeans offering similar fuel economy using petrol, superior performance and comparable dynamics and feel. It's a good thing to put on your remuneration "package.''

By any measure the Lexus GS450h is a top-shelf prestige sedan. And with its second generation car priced from $99,900 Lexus says the premium on hybrid technology is all but gone.Drivetrains aside, the standard specification for the three-model range is better value than its German-based rivals and the quality of the ride and interior is on a par. That gear runs from 10 airbags to xenon headlamps, a moonroof, heated and vented front seats with 12-way adjustment, head-up display and adaptive suspension dampers.The biggest point of difference for the Lexus, though, is the method of locomotion that differentiates it from the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.The second-generation of the hybrid drivetrain is more efficient than ever, with official fuel use of just 6.3 litres for 100km. And that is starting to resonate with luxury car buyers. Lexus won't nominate a number for GS sales but it is a niche but growing market.If hi-tech toys tick the boxes, so will the Lexus. The top-range Sports Luxury packs a massive 12.3-inch screen. That's bragging rights in this class but it is also a smart way to show other functions even when the satnav display is on.The drivetrain uses the same 3.5-litre V6 found in the regular GS350 but for hybrid application it has been modified to extract maximum efficiency. The total power from the V6 petrol engine is 254kW, and acceleration to 100km/h is a more-than-respectable 5.9 seconds.The interior gadgets are virtually indistinguishable in application or effectiveness from the Euro rivals, from bind-spot assistance to driver drowsiness monitoring and adaptive cruise control. Depending on the model, the seats adjust in 12 or 18 ways — either approach enough to ensure comfort. Toss in xenon or LED headlamps and there is a lot to like about the new GS range.So who buys a Japanese luxury model that ranges in price from $100,000 to $122,000 — and why? Lexus CEO Tony Cramb says the average GS buyer has an income of $402,000 and wants a vehicle with the latest and greatest features."Buyers in this class have owned luxury cars before and are generally looking to stand out from the crowd," he says. They will do that in the GS. The revised front looks more aggressive than its Euro rivals and Lexus focused on improving the handling and ride for this model after feedback from customers and journalists. Adaptive suspension damping is standard across the range and the suspension itself has been overhauled to boost responsiveness.  Inside, the infotainment display dominates the dash and there's a mouse-style control unit on the centre console to navigate through the menus.The four driving modes — from Eco, Normal, Sports and Sports + — adjust throttle and transmission response from enviro-slushy to revhead sharp. An EV-only mode will power the vehicle for 2km at speeds up to 50km/h.On the road the GS feels as refined and relaxing as buyers could want in a prestige car. It isn't built to tackle hairpins but the four-wheel steering gives it an edge across Victoria's Black Spur.It turns in as quickly as a motorbike and can take a couple of corners to adjust to. That is matched by a reasonably direct steering wheel — go the no-cost bamboo option if you really want to stand out — and suspension that squashes most irregularities out of the cabin.It is a cossetted place to be. Wind noise is all but non-existent and tyre roar is muted even on coarse chip bitumen. The dreaded CVT drone can faintly be heard, but only under hard acceleration.This is not, however, a five-seat car — not unless the fifth member is a small child or a contortionist. The middle rear pew would do for a trip to the local shops but I wouldn't like to perch there for much longer. The drive experience is supremely competent without being quite as engaging as it can be in a Merc or a BMW. It is not that the Lexus does anything wrong, it just does it differently.It's a precision watch that works perfectly in any situation. but doesn't have the character of the scratched timepiece that you've been wearing forever. Not too many mid-sized buyers flog their cars, however, and when it comes to the comfort, it is hard to argue with the Lexus's price.Lexus may still be the road less travelled but it is becoming a smarter route with every new model. 

Australians are embarking on a car-buying spree that researcher Roy Morgan says is the highest level in a decade. More than 2.3 million Aussies are getting ready to buy a new car in the next four years, said the researcher in its latest market report."This is the highest level reached in the last 10 years and is up on the January result of 2.295 million, remaining well above the long-term average of 2.072 million,'' it said.In the short term - one year - Roy Morgan said an estimated 684,000 people aim to buy a new car, well above the average of 613,000.Roy Morgan communications director Norman Morris said long-term new car buying intentions had improved for the sixth consecutive month."This strong result bodes well for the automotive industry, which still managed to hit one million sales in 2011 in spite of all the well-public ised global issues,'' he said. "With 2012 starting the year so strongly, it will great to see where the market ends up in 2012.'' He said most winners are the major importers because the strong Australian dollar is beneficial to imported goods. "It certainly helps the Japanese, Korean and European brands offer their vehicles at competitive prices,'' he said."Combined with the interest rate cuts in late 2011 and consumer confidence sitting at around 115 in February 2012, these are all factors  impacting consumers decisions to enter the new car market.'' Roy Morgan said that of the main brands, Australians who proposed to buy a new car in the future had picked Ford, Honda, Hyundai and Volkswagen products as being the most popular. "Mercedes-Benz and BMW continue their struggle for top luxury brand honours, with both brands up over this same period and Lexus also showed good gains,'' he said.  

The Lexus version of the 200 Series has follow the new GS sedan's styling lead but it brings with it a $9000 slice to the price and a boost for the features list. On sale now and starting from $140,900, the updated LX 570 has been reduced to a single model and has styling tweaks front and rear, new 20in alloy wheels, daytime LED running lights, but Lexus says the main changes are under the skin. The price cut narrows the gap to the top-spec Land Cruiser Sahara petrol V8 (albeit a 227kW/439Nm 4.7-litre) to $26,000. The new 570 sits below the Range Rover petrol-engined line-up by $18,000, boasting extra seating capacity above the off-roading Brit. The 570 undercuts the G and GL-Class Mercedes-Benz off-road brigade by between $21,000 and $33,000. The outputs of the 5.7-litre petrol V8 remain at 270kW and 530Nm, with a 14.8l/100km combined-cycle fuel economy claim. Changes to LX 570 are more than just skin deep, says Lexus, with the new off-road Turn Assist feature that reduces the turning circle by adding more brake force to the inside rear wheel - anyone who has driven a tractor will be familiar with this type of function. The big eight-seater Lexus also has "Multi-Terrain Select" function, which allows the driver to select one of five terrain types (no doubt inspired by Land Rover's Terrain Response system) - rock, rock and dirt, mogul, loose rock, and mud and sand - to tailor the electronic control systems to the prevailing conditions. The system also has four wide-angle cameras to show the driver what's going on in areas out of sight, displaying the images to the driver on the eight-inch LCD screen. There's also a new display between the speedo and tacho that show front wheel angles, 4WD, speed and satnav info and the Crawl Control feature now has five preset speeds, up from three. Standard fare also includes adjustable suspension, a chilled centre console, a dual-screen rear seat entertainment system, a reversing camera, keyless entry and ignition, four-zone climate control, daytime running lamps, 10 airbags, a  220-volt 100-watt power outlet in the rear cargo bay, a 19-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, front and rear clearance sensors and Bluetooth. There's a $16,000 option pack that adds wheel-mounted paddle shifters for the six-speed automatic transmission, as well as the Lexus Pre-Collision safety prep system, active cruise control, rear seat heaters, ventilated front seats and mahogany wood grain-look interior trim, including on the steering wheel.  

If you thought the Lexus GS came only in vanilla, think again. The latest model has been through the tutti frutti blender and has emerged with power, pace, refinement and handling that makes it the flavour of the times. And at surprisingly competitive prices. To prove the transition, the fourth-generation GS was let loose in the Australian Alps, home to some of the nation's most demanding roads, where it proved it had some seriously high octane juice running through its veins. The new, more aerodynamic breed has wider front and rear track and comes in two engine sizes and three spec levels, Luxury, F Sport and Sport Luxury, starting from $77,900. The starting price is about $20,000 cheaper than the superseded Lexus GS300 and the new GS250 is also 20per cent better value in terms of what you get for your buck. The GS250 Luxury is $77,900, F Sport $85,900 and Sport Luxury $99,900.GS350 is $89,900 for the Luxury, $99,900 for F Sport and $109,900 for Sport Luxury. There are also option packs for Luxury and F Sport models.The car has had a style revamp, dominated by a scary-looking grille, but we're not sure we like it. It's hour-glass look is based on a spindle  but we're told it works well on freeways. During tests on the Euro autobahns, slower traffic quickly made way for the spindle-mouthed Lexus approaching at 200-plus km/h. The now slightly larger interior can be tailored to just about anything a buyer could want.The seats in the F Sport are 20-way adjustable, and include buttons that make them curl to your shape, like a customised Recaro. Most other models get 12-way adjustments. Standard on all are blind spot and tyre monitor systems, 10 airbags, parking and clearance sonar, reversing camera, bi-xenon headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, multi-adjustable electric front seats, digital radio, a big screen with satellite navigation and Drive Mode Select, which lets the driver switch between Eco, Normal, Sport and Sport+. Bluetooth and all associated guff is a given.The GS250 has a 154kW/253Nm output from its 2.5-litre V6, and the 350's 3.5-litre whacks out 233kW and 378Nm. Drive to the rear wheels is via a six-speed sequential electronic controlled gearbox with paddle shift. The 250 gets to 100km/h in 8.6seconds, the 350 in 6.0 seconds flat.The steering is an electric rack and pinion set-up and the F Sport 350 comes with dynamic rear steering and variable ratio steering. The laser-welded body shell is 14 per cent stiffer than before, 30kg lighter and the new suspension's dampers are outside the coil spring. There's a new double-wishbone set-up in front with a multi-link system at the back.F Sport and Sport Luxury models get electronic variable damper control. The paint is worth a mention: some colours get glass-infused sparkle, and all get `self-healing' finish. A small scratch disappears after a few hours in the sun.The new GS certainly lives up to its grand tourer status, showing excellent steering and grip through the snaking alpine terrain. The ride is supple enough for passenger comfort, firm enough to keep an enthusiast driver more than happy. Also, a shift to Sport, or more so Sport +, alters the throttle and transmission response and the stability control's intervention point. We rate Sport as best for all seasons. An added benefit is vocal back-up from the exhausts. Drive the car like a GT and the zoompipes join the chorus to put goosebumps on your skin and make your scalp tingle.We tried Eco mode for a bit, but the car is so efficient that it wasn't worth crippling its performance. A brisk 150km trip in a 350, including the twisty bits and some long, flat stretches, gave us a very acceptable average of 10.6litres/100km. Official average figures are 9.3litres/100km for the 250 and 9.7 for the 350. The GS has come of age. We'd have one in a blink. 

Until now the Lexus GS has been a smaller edition of its big brother, Lexus LS. With a big emphasis on quietness, smoothness and refinement, the just superseded GS, but no real sporting ambitions, it was steadily losing sales to the German luxury marques.All that has changed and we have just stepped out of a pair of the all-new, fourth-generation GS sedans with big smiles on our faces. In the manner of the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6, the upmarket Japanese sedan provides plenty of driving pleasure.Cleverly, the Japanese engineers have managed to give the GS 250 and GS 350 twin desirable attributes –it’s smooth and quiet in the Lexus manner when cruising gently but becomes a true sports sedan when you push it along hard. The engine has great induction and exhaust note and the transmission sharpens its actions to get the best torque on tap moment by moment.This truly is an excellent grand tourer, or GT, in the true sense of that often misused acronym. You could travel at high speeds in the Australian bush all day and come back feeling relaxed and refreshed.The styling has taken a new direction at the front and back, though the profile still carries cues of the just superseded GS. At the front the designers have come up with what they call the ‘spindle-grille’. This sees a tightening of the sides of the area to create a most distinctive shape that makes the mid-sized Lexus stand out from crowd.Our only criticism is that the lower areas of the bumper/spoiler look as though they will be vulnerable in carparks and over poorly designed gutter ramps. Lexus is not alone in this – but that won’t reduce the size of the bill from your favourite panel repairer.We love the interior styling of the all-new Lexus for its elegant simplicity. It could be mistaken for an Italian machine in the way the primary instruments are large, clear and easy to read at the fastest glance.The stitching of the leather on the dashboard adds to the Italian theme, as does the centrally mounted analog clock, a feature Maserati has used with great effect for generations.The integration of the centre information and entertainment screen into the central region of the dashboard is brilliant. Too many other marques have satellite navigation screens that look like an afterthought, the Lexus’s is just right. As well as being aesthetically pleasing, the central screen is well shielded from light.We don’t like drivers taking their attention off the road, but in many cases they will do so even when it creates danger, so Lexus has done the right thing in helping people minimise distraction.Lexus GS 250 is powered by a 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine that’s a heavily revised unit installed in the now superseded model. It produces more power and torque (the peaks are 154 kW / 253 Nm) than previously, but the official fuel consumption has been significantly reduced.It’s a similar story with the 3.5-litre powerplant in the GS 350, with 233 kW and 378 Nm it gives the keen driver plenty of sporting flair, yet using less fuel and producing fewer emissions than in the superseded unit.We tested both engines on demanding roads in and out of Albury and up into the Snowy Mountains and found the 2.5 is probably best described as adequate in its performance. Compensating for that is the fact that it’s well mated to its six-speed automatic transmission. The auto is quick to sense the need for more grunt and change down gears at a moment’s notice.As revheads we would go for the 3.5-litre V6 any day, but saner drivers will be more than happy with the 2.5-litre.Up to four modes are offered on the auto and on the sporting models with adjustable suspension and steering the sportier the mode, the more the driver feels in control of the GS. Four-wheel steering on topline models adds further to the sporty feeling of this bid sedan.A hybrid version of the new Lexus GS, tagged the 450h, will be introduced on May 15th. As before, the number 450 doesn’t indicate engine capacity, but the fact that Lexus considers it provides the sort of driving feel that would normally demand a 4.5-litre engine.With a staggering array of passive safety features to help you stay out of trouble, as 10 airbags should things still go badly wrong, the Lexus must be one of the safest cars on our roads.Lexus is currently importing the GS to Australia in no fewer that six grades. Rather than filling in about 10 pages with all the details, may we suggest making an appointment with your local Lexus dealer and you can work together to tailor the best car for your needs.What we will say is that there numerous body and interior colour choices; driver’s seats with as many as 20 electrically adjustable settings; Mark Levinson topline audio systems with 17 speakers; air conditioning that moistens your skin - and much, much more...Lexus’s stunning change of direction with its GS series is a bold move. But we feel it will be immediately successful. 

If any single model has embodied the disparity between executive sedans from Europe and those from Japan, it’s been the GS.Even in the most sedate versions, the mid-size wares of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and even Audi have at least a hint of sport saloon about them. By polar contrast, the well-intentioned Lexus GS has been as croquet is to base jumping.The fourth generation, however, comes with the suggestion of no one less than our own Paul Gover - who tossed one about in preproduction form last year - of being something more than a floaty, flatulent, rear-wheel-drive Toyota.As ever, Lexus takes a katana to the Germans, deftly undercutting them on substantial, if not perceived, value. For in prestige cars, perception is - if not all - then at least the half the market,  and for this lot the L badge can't equate to those from Europe.If you are one such, then you're reading the wrong auto publication. And  if you want to pay two grand for metallic paint - as per the Euro norm - you need more help than I can give you.The GS 250, which we hadn't got into by publication time, starts from $77,900 topping out at $99,900. The 1-litre bigger engined 350 starts with the Luxury ($89,900). In several respects the $10k dearer F-Sport is the one we'd have, with its tail taming rear wheel steer on top of an adjustable chassis.Luxury Sport looks and feels every bit of its $109,900, banks of soft leather rising over the top of the dashboard, a multi media screen bigger than some hotel windows and still priced against the competition in such a way as to be a bargain.Interior fittings, most of them standard  from the entry level or included in $3k enhancement packs,  read like a luxury lifestyle catalogue. A mouse controlled  system in place of the more usual touchscreen, linked to a split-view 12.3inch widescreen dashboard display. Other stuff runs to  surround sound, front 20-way power seats; pre-collision system, heads-up display, blind spot monitor, lane keep assist, and Driver Monitoring System.An entirely new body and platform house a typically Lexus-esque array of tech, it's just that you get them for about $20k under anything speaking with a Stuttgart accent. Each GS them get three driving modes, Eco, normal and sport, each distinct and worthwhile in their own right.To this F-Sport adds Sport plus, which to some slight extent reduces the interventionist tendencies of Lexus's formidable battery of electronic safety measures.The dynamic highlight of a model lineup that had been the luxury car equivalent of a milky cup of tea followed by a nice lie down, is the F-Sport's rear steer. Rather more sophisticated than the four-wheel-steering systems of yore, the system turns the rear wheels opposite to the direction of the front at an angle of up to two degrees at speeds of up 80km/h.Shoved fast through a slalom course demonstration, it provides a kick in the rear completely at odds with the comfy cruising image previously synonymous with the bigger Lexus models.But the naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 – though enduringly effective in most circumstances – feels like last week's newspapers next to the hugely effective turbo fours being slung by the Germans, let alone the boosted sixes of the 535i and Audi's supercharged S4.The real engine story, you feel, comes in six weeks with the arrival of the GS Hybrid. So I guess we'll be doing this all over again then.This is a tale of two ends, each having the appearance of being designed by separate studios, which if not exactly beyond speaking terms, are somewhat further apart than 4.8m ought to be.The front end - especially the mildly blinged F-Sport - might have been drawn by boys racers, all jutting bits and rear vision mirror filling intimidation. Then there's a butt drawn by someone whose idea of daring is a tie with spots. As though to rekindle the cliche that Japanese designers can't disregard anyone's ideas, it looks variously like a 5 Series or an A6, depending on how you squint.Nothing equivocal about the interior, which is simply first rate, a tactile enveloping pleasure in which to sit at any spec level. Driver's will love the cossetting cockpit feel and impossibility of not finding the perfect position. And even the tallest of us present at this week's introductory drive were able to sit comfortably behind our own set driver's seat.I'd sit happily in these all day, pews that manage to be comfortable when tootling and torso hugging through bends. In fact, let's not equivocate, the GS has the best cabin in the game - a harmonious meeting of comfort, function and a dash of  funk with that cool analogue clock in the dash.You'll need to try awfully hard to kill yourself in a GS, what with 10 airbags and what until recently would have seemed a sci-f  array of active and passive measures. Excellent - and standard - fixtures that should, surely come with every car at the price are the heads up speedometer and emergency brake lights.Like all really sorted cars, the GS seldom feels as fast as its travelling. Though still (literally) weighted toward grand tourer than sports sedan, it's difficult to imagine how the former could have been more adeptly seasoned with flavours of the latter.It's a sedate and even deathly quiet cruiser, that - at least with dynamic options added - is an almost equally capable and smile inducing  corner carver. Evenly balanced, sitting almost billiard table flat, the front wheels left free to steer, you'd want to spend your life on test tracks to harp on any perceived BMW superiority.Especially not when optioning up the latter to Lexus standard spec can blow the buy out by 50 grand. You'll be struck by the sheer effortlessness of the Lexus - both in its "natural" habitat of boulevard/freeway running and almost staying with the best of them when previously it wouldn't have kept them in sight.Pity then, that the atmo V6 so lacks the low down torque that happens to be a standard feature the Germans can boast. Again, this where the Hybrid could be a real gameFar better than we had any precedent to expect, the best is likely still to come. See you in six weeks then.

And the Californian is also a very pleasant and down-to-earth person -- despite being lumbered with film star looks, being widely known as "the winningest driver in US history" and having a pedigree reflecting his passion for all forms of motorsport. He started in karts aged eight and as an adult had most of his success in sports car racing, where he is a four-time Rolex Series Champion in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, and four-time Rolex 24 hours of Daytona winner. The now 51-year-old Pruett (who looks more like a 40-year-old) is also the single most successful Daytona Prototype driver with career records for wins (31), pole positions (32), podium finishes (59) and laps led (2152). He has also raced in NASCAR and has had 145 races in the CART series, including one in Australia: He won at Surfers Paradise in 1997 and won the IMSA GTO Championship in 1986 and 1988. So who wouldn't jump at the chance of a few laps with the maestro? The opportunity came my way at the impossibly technical Infineon Raceway, near Monterey, California. In a Lexus IS-F, I strapped into the front seat alongside the wunderpilot and watched in awe as he steered the 5.0litre V8 sport sedan through the tight corners, felt my equilibrium do a somersault as he whipped it left and right through the esses and felt my eyeballs threaten the pop out of my head as he braked for the double-apex hairpin. Infineon has a hidden corner too: you barrel out of a right hander, go straight and, all of a sudden there's a crest  with no sign of where the road goes. My stomach did a lurch as the Lexus soared over the drop and Scott, who has driven the circuit hundreds of times, flicked it sharp left and powered out of the downhill left hander. And so it went on for six laps. Not a moment of hesitation from him as he belted the IS-F, its motor bellowing with glee, around the demon-designed circuit with its hidden corners, adverse cambers, ups, downs and other surprises. There are 12 turns and nearly 50m of elevation change in the circuit's 3.5km. Pruett's relationship with Lexus includes heavy involvement with the IS F and LFA programs, and he's probably had more km in the LFA sports car than anyone else in the world. But there's more to car racing for the affable father of three: he is also a passionate producer of fine wines. Scott, and his wife Judy grow prime syrah grapes at their vineyard in Auburn, northern California. And they write children's books through their publishing company, Word Weaver Books. "He's passionate about absolutely everything he does," Judy told with a sweet smile. And just a hint of a blush.  

The F-Sport kit will include a more aggressive exterior headed by a deeper front bumper and 19-inch rims. The suspension has also been revised to reduce vibrations entering the cabin and improve steering feel. Lexus says the system replaces conventional fixed bracing with a performance damper that links the front suspension towers and reduces body deformation that occurs when the left and right suspension towers move relative to each other when dealing with road irregularities. The RX350 F Sport also picks up steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters to operate the six-speed automatic when in manual mode. Lexus expects the F Sports models to account for a third of sales. All variants of the hybrid-powered 450h now have a Sports mode to complement the Eco and Normal drive modes. The Sports mode heightens accelerator and steering response and adjusts the instrument panel illumination from the regular blue lighting to a go-faster red hue. A separate switch governs the electric-only drive, which enables the SUV to run up to 50km/h on electric power alone, though only for distances of 2km at a burst.

Lexus has won a place alongside the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz in the minds of prestige car buyers who believe it to be a worthy alternative to the European establishment.The RX was an important plank in the Lexus platform given the growing popularity of crossover wagons in this country. It began with the five-seater RX330 in 2003, and stepped up with the RX350 in 2006.The changes made to the RX in 2006 made it better placed to attack the Mercedes-Benz ML and the BMW X5, regarded as its main rivals. For starters the V6 engine was increased in capacity from 3.3 to 3.5 litres, the outcome being 18 percent more power and four percent more torque. In a nutshell, that means more get up and go when needed, and better towing performance.Backing up to the V6 was a five-speed auto with touch-change manual shifting feeding into the permanent all-wheel drive system. Underneath it had full independent suspension and disc brakes all round. Even in base form the RX350 had a swag of standard gear, pretty much everything could want or expect in a car of its standing.Inside there was leather trim, heated front seats, auto climate controlled air-con, cruise, power windows and mirrors, a six-speaker CD sound system, and blue-tooth phone connection. Outside it had alloy wheels, fog lights, roof racks, and a rear spoiler.The RX350 is not the vehicle you'd choose if you wanted to go bush in a big way, but it is the sort of wagon you'd be happy to drive around town and on the odd excursion beyond the city limits.Its uprated engine gave it noticeably better performance without sacrificing any of the smoothness for which it had been renowned.Some thought the suspension too soft and less responsive than its rivals, but its ride was comfortable and it handled well enough.IN THE SHOPReliability in service is largely determined by the initial design work and the build precision, and in those areas Toyota has excelled. There's no question that the RX350 is well designed and put together, and as a result, little appears to go wrong with them. The most important thing is to ensure any prospective purchase has been serviced correctly, so check for a service record. Make the usual visual checks for crash repairs and walk away if it's suspected a car has been in a crash.IN A CRASHANCAP doesn't have a rating for the RX350, but its almost identical predecessor was rated at four stars out of five. There was a comprehensive array of safety gear in the RX350. It began with front, head and side airbags, and continued with ABS braking, and electronic stability and traction control systems.UNDER THE PUMPBig, heavy, all-wheel drive; they're not the ingredients to deliver fuel economy. Toyota claimed the RX350 would do 10.8 L/100 km, meanwhile CarsGuide's road tester returned 11.1 L/100 km.AT A GLANCEPrice new: $74,800 to $84,100Engine: 3.5-litre V6; 203 kW/342 NmTransmission: 5-speed auto, AWDEconomy: 10.8 L/100 kmBody: 4-door wagonVariants: Sports, LuxurySafety: 4-star ANCAP.VERDICTA great choice when you want a wagon that looks down on its neighbours.