Lexus LS Reviews

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similar IS was well beaten by the Benz C and BMW 3 in my prestige comparison earlier this year and I'm reminded of the outdated cabin, cramped back seat and suspension that makes the car feel a bit skittish.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 FOR Very 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 TIP Faded 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.  

The upper-luxury car market is in a state of serious decline in many countries at the moment, with sales in Australia for example down by more than half in recent times. People either can’t afford cars, or don’t want to be seen in ostentatious vehicles, or, and this is the most likely among many of the very rich, are going for highly equipped SUVs. Lexus has been the leading Japanese upper-luxury car market worldwide for more years than its competitors care to remember. When the first Lexus, the LS Line, was introduced in 1990 it was greeted with considerable scepticism by many pundits. These people have since been proven wrong. Extreme quietness and smoothness were combined with a level of build quality that was close to perfection right from the start made many consider the Lexus LS400, as it was then, as an option instead of one of the big two German marques. Now in a move that’s surprised many, Lexus has given the LS Line a major working over in the styling stakes, giving it a shape that’s anything but ordinary. The new Lexus LS’s big ‘spindle-grille’ front is complemented by flowing lines that could almost be Italian in the flair of their flare. Upper-luxury cars tend to be on the conservative side, with the Audi, BMW and Mercedes offerings being much more conventional in their bodies. Only time will tell if the Lexus planners have got it right...Due to the need to keep the cost of the redevelopment of the latest Lexus LS Line under control during the harsh years of the GFC this is not an all-new model.  Rather it carries much of the existing ‘skeleton‘ but with significant changes in shape and mechanically. The doors and the roof panels have been carried over but everything has been reshaped. The floorpan has been strengthened and has had some aerodynamic aids added to further reduce noise levels and at the same time make it a little slicker through the air to minimise fuel consumption and emissions. Inside there have been major revisions to the seats and dash area, with the very large central screen being borrowed from the all-new Lexus GS we reported on recently. This unit holds a lot of information but does so in a way that minimise distraction to the driver. Technology upgrades are a feature of this Lexus. The very sophisticated air conditioning system has numerous sensors that monitor interior temperature in several locations, even including the seats, as well as readings of humidity. In the topline models there’s even checking of the strength of infrared rays coming through the glass. Equally fascinating is the fact that the clock. It is designed to look like a traditional old-style unit, but is actually a high-tech electronic machine that keeps an eye on its poison on the planet using GPS satellites. Meaning it can update itself as it moves from one time zone to another. This smart clock is just thing for the time-confused folks living in Coolangatta / Tweed Heads who can lose or pick up an hour just by driving across an intersection when daylight saving is force in NSW! Major primary safety features are driver fatigue and inattention warnings and automatic collision avoidance, or crash severity mitigation if avoidance becomes impossible. Lexus tells us suspension changes are aimed at giving the new Lexus LS a sportier feel without taking anything from the comfort and quietness that have been a hallmark of the model since the beginning. Though we have undertaken major technical presentations and looked over and under the new LS in detail, we are yet to drive it. So we can’t comment on the change in suspension philosophy. Stay tuned. The Lexus V8 engines are modified versions of the existing units and produce slightly more power while having lower petrol consumption and emitting less CO2. The automatic transmission is the same eight-speed unit that has been used in the superseded models. The exception is the hybrid version which uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT). To let it mimic a conventional auto the CVT has eight pre-set ratios that can be chosen by a driver who feels the computer has the car in the wrong ratios. As before, a petrol-electric LS variant is offered, but this time around it will be sold as standard with the short wheelbase, not the longer one seen previously. This has led to a price reduction of around $30,000. Similarly, Lexus found that most previous owners of the standard LS didn’t want the extended wheelbase, so that latter model is now sold only on special order. Lexus Australia tells us that around 90 per cent of LS buyers have bought themselves another LS when the time came to move up from their old car. The strikingly different shape of this new car may challenge that history - it will be interesting to witness what happens over the next year or so. Our feeling is that today’s older buyers are more amenable to change than those of previous generations – but, as we said previously, only time will tell. The new Lexus LS Line range is: LS 460 F Sport: $189,900 (automatic) LS 460 Sports Luxury: $192,400 (automatic) LS 600h Sport: $217,900 (automatic) LS 600hL: POA  

...but this time it needed to be anaesthetised. At a glance it looks like Lexus has simply grafted the new HSV-like grille onto the LS limousine’s nose. But the company says there are more than 3000 changes and 13 Lexus firsts – only the doors, roof and glass are carried over from before. It’s also loaded with technology – including seats that will heat and cool faster than before, an air-conditioning system that moisturises your skin and hair, and a tiny camera that checks if you’re too drowsy to drive. The big changes were brought about to try to arrest the sharp decline in sales of super luxury sedans. In the past six years, sales of limousines priced in excess of $100,000 have dropped sharply – by 33 per cent – in a market that’s grown by 10 per cent in that time. This year alone the cars classed as the top end of town have dropped a further 27 per cent as buyers embrace luxury SUVs. Lexus is lucky, however. It says 90 per cent of its LS buyers come back to buy another Lexus. And the Japanese maker is hoping it’s this one. The new LS goes on sale from February with sharper pricing across the range and a new sports model. The V8 and V8 hybrid power outputs are unchanged from before, although they are slightly more fuel-efficient. The price-tag is still eye-watering at $189,900 – a $1000 snip less than the old model. But the new LS is significantly cheaper than the V8-powered German competition, which starts at $238,000 for an Audi A8, $281,000 for a BMW 7 Series and $296,500 for a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.  But the Germans have diesel models under $200,000, whereas Lexus offers a V8 hybrid, which also happens to be all-wheel-drive. And costs $217,900. “The luxury car market has become more competitive and diverse,” says Lexus Australia chief executive Tony Cramb. “In 2006 passenger cars account for 71 per cent of the of the total luxury market, today that has fallen to 64 per cent . Cramb said the Global Financial Crisis also killed much of the long-wheelbase sedan business, with most buyers preferring standard limousines.  “As a result of these sales trends, the large luxury car scene in Australia can now be characterised as predominantly a driver market rather than a driven market. “In other words, Australian buyers now prefer to drive themselves rather than be chauffeured.” TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHTS The clock automatically changes daylight saving time – and new time zones as you cross borders thanks to GPS co-ordinates. The timber steering wheel goes through 67 processes and takes 38 days to make. The seat warmers have more power (up from 100w to 200w of power) so they heat up in half the time. The perforated seats have larger holes which provide 42 per cent better airflow for faster cooling. Each front seat has 16-way electronic adjustment. The air-conditioning system uses nanoe technology, said to have a moisturising effect on skin and hair. The new LS has a built-in fatigue management system. A tiny camera on the steering column has facial and eyelid recognition. It focuses on the driver’s face and checks for drowsiness and attentiveness. Lexus claims the new LS is the quietest car in the world. The alloy wheels even have a hollow section behind the outer rim to save weight and reduce noise. The 12.3-inch-wide screen in the dash is the equal-biggest in the automotive world. The first was the Lexus GS mid-size sedan. Lexus claims the new LS has the smallest LED fog lamps in the automotive world (Poly Ellipsoid System, or PES). The indicators can be programmed to flash 3, 5,7, 9, or 11 times at half a movement of the stalk. Lexus LS460 Price: From $189,900 Engine: 4.6-litre V8 Power: 285kW and 493Nm 0 to 100km/h: 5.9 seconds Thirst: 10.7L/100km Lexus LS600h Price: From $217,900 Engine: 5.0-litre V8 and hybrid electric motor Power: 327kW and 520Nm 0 to 100: 5.7 seconds Thirst: 8.6L/100km  

Lexus lodged the Australian trademark application for the RC350 name this week, hinting that we're going to see a new model here in the near future. And that could be the coupe version of the IS expected to be built around the LF-CC concept revealed at Paris motor show. While Carsguide predicted a lot of the concept’s design will be toned down for production, Lexus said at the time that the styling of the rear-wheel drive LF-CC heralds the look of future compact exec models. That means Toyota's luxury platoon is readying for a new attack on the ground held by the mid-sized German prestige nameplates, and an IS coupe would be a well-loaded weapon for the fray. Lexus Australia sells the IS as a four-door sedan and two-door convertible, with prices from $55,800 and $94,300 respectively -- and with the V8-powered IS-F at $126,300. It's likely we'll see the same lineup on the next IS, but there is still plenty of room for a coupe to join the party. The LF-CC carried a hybrid powertrain, but given the Lexus naming conventions, the RC350 is likely to be powered by a 3.5-litre V6 as are the other '350' models in the Lexus stable.

It's hard to see what's happening under the camouflage, but Lexus is aiming for Audi-style quality and BMW-style driving dynamics with a car that's definitely going to be much more adventurous in design.  

The nameplates applied for are NX 200t and NX 300h. Following Lexus traditions, the X designates an SUV, the 200t suggests a turbo engine – most likely the new 2.0-litre -- and the 300h would be a hyb

Supercars stretch alluringly alongside family sedans. Auto exotica co-exist with humble hatchbacks. A good motor show is like that. Having been privy to every exhibit on view at the Australian International Motor Show, Carsguide was struck afresh that AIMS serves two purposes. The first is to provide car porn, to enable you to stare wantonly without risking arrest or society's censure. The second reason -- and this, ultimately, is why car makers gather their wares in vast pavilions - is to show you the cars you're going to buy. Given this glaring polarity, there's no single list -- definitive, subjective or otherwise -- of the “best in show”. There must be two lists. This year's AIMS marks the world debut of a unique, purpose-built and probably priceless German supercar and a little French five-door that's one of the best things you can get under $20,000. Batman's very own Lamborghini V12 is just across the room from Ford's 1.0-litre mini-SUV. The world debut of a Lexus sports coupe is separated by one stand from a returning name in affordable fun, the Pulsar SSS. Take it all in. If you can't be there to see it in person, see our iPad app. If you are at Darling Harbour in Sydney over the next week, family in tow, Carsguide asks only that you remember the cars are not creches. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster  Price: $600,000 (est) Engine: 6.2-litre V8, 420kW/650Nm Thirst: 13.3L/100km Ably supported by two other special-edition AMGs, this topless, lustrous two-seater was created especially for AIMS. As with the Jaffa C63 and SLS Coupe of 2010, it comes with unique paint itself worth $20,000. See it while you can. 'see more Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster images and video' Lexus LF-FC II  Price: concept Engine: petrol-electric hybrid Thirst: N/A A mid-size coupe that retains even half the styling cues of this best-in-show contender is what's needed to shed Lexus's worthy but unexciting image. The Lexus Future-Luxury Coupe II packs a hybrid drivetrain, good for more than 370kW combined that is put to the ground via all four wheels. 'see more Lexus LF-FC II images and video' Lamborghini Aventador   Price: $754,000 Engine: 6.5-litre V12, 515kW/690Nm Thirst: 17.2L/100km This very bull-mobile appeared as Bruce Wayne's daily driver in that ultimate comic character realisation, 'The Dark Knight Rises', fitting in seamlessly with the usual array of stylised fantasy devices. It's in an all-star cast with two special Gallardos - a 550-2 Tricolore and a 570-4 Spyder Performante. 'see more Lamborghini Aventador images and video' Jaguar F-Type  Price: $250,000 (est) Engine: includes supercharged V6 Thirst: N/A Nostalgia isn't what it used to be, a lesson brought home by Ian Callum's roadster. Sure, it's a spiritual descendant of the endlessly feted E-Type but, as the alphabetical designation conveys, it's moved on in the manner of all recent Jaguars. The F-Type reminds us that Indian ownership is the best thing ever to happen to this quintessentially British brand. 'see more Jaguar F-Type images and video' Range Rover Vogue   Price: about $200,000 Engine: 4.4-litre V8 turbo diesel Thirst: 8.7L/100km From Paris in autumn to Sydney in spring, the new Rangie makes its first appearance outside Europe. A stride forward in most respects but the newcomer's most significant advance could be in what it lacks over the previous model - some 400kg. The leaner, meaner but greener turbo diesel V8 is the variant on show, complete with power tailgate and sunroof. 'see more Range Rover Vogue images and video'  

A world-first Lexus is fighting for best-in show status at the Sydney show. But, even more than that, the LF-FC II is also fighting for approval and a production future as a new mid-sized Lexus super-coupe.   A hybrid LF-LC coupe was first shown in Detroit at the start of the year, but now the idea has been tweaked for a world first unveiling at the start of AIMS. The LCII is going big in blue for Sydney, after a racy red run in Motown, and the coupe emerges as the best looking Lexus since the LF-A supercar. It also has the performance credentials to take over from the LF-A, which was developed at a time when Toyota was heavily committed to Formula 1 racing. So the LF-A got a high-revving V10 engine while the LF-FC could become a green supercar to go head-to-head with upcoming hybrid models from Porsche and Ferrari. In Australia, the LC is a high priority for Lexus as the company builds its lineup. And a new compact is coming in 2013. “We’ve pulled out all stops this year to secure a world first. The Lexus concept is an absolutely stunning vehicle and is set to be one of the drawcards of the show,” says Tony Cramb, chief executive of Lexus in Australia. He says the car – officially the Lexus Future – Luxury Coupe II has been through some fundamental changes since Detroit, although it still has a hybrid drivetrain with more than 370 kW of combined petrol-electric power, and an all-wheel- drive chassis package. “What it shows is the future Lexus design direction, the future application of Lexus Hybrid Drive, future interior design concepts, application of advanced interior technologies and Lexus interpretation for a supercar of the future,” he says. The LCII comes hard up against the preview of another Lexus concept, the LF-CC, at the Paris show last month. That one is likely to morph into an open-topped version of the upcoming replacement for the IS. For Sydney, the LCII promises another development of the latest Lexus design direction– including the “spindle grille” nose already starring on the front of the latest GS sedan range. The concept is driven by design, right down to tail lamps inspired by a jet afterburner and a cabin with two giant LCD screens ready to tap the upcoming connected- car technology from Lexus. There are also lightweight, race-inspired seats positioned ahead of a dashboard with multi-level meters that combine analogue and LCD readouts to cover everything from the aircon through to the speedometer and tachometer.