Lexus Reviews

Which is why Toyota is turning to a menu of full-flavour Lexus hybrids, starting with the GS450h.

But their bewilderment is as nothing compared to yours.Not only has this very neat accelerative feat been achieved in a Lexus — a marque certain of us equate with wobble-bottomed, luxo lameness — it has been done with scarcely an aural indication to match what your eyes are seeing but choosing not to believe.Welcome to the GS450h — the world's first mass-production, rear-wheel-drive, luxury hybrid car.Welcome, also, Lexus informed those of us gathered in Bathurst on Wednesday, to the future of motoring. Just for once, the PR blah is more than hubris.As we have seen, the GS450h's unique powertrain can certainly move you. But it's the way in which it achieves forward motion that leads you to concur that this car launch may well come to be seen as one of the decade's most significant.The hybrid variant of the GS range packs an all-new, dual-VVT-i direct injection 3.5 V6 that's good for 216kW, aided and abetted by a 147kW-capablepermanent-magnet electric motor. The total power output is "limited" to 253kW.The dual-injected petrol engine, a lovely piece of work in itself, delivers 368Nm at 4800 rpm, but the electric unit's 275Nm is available from absolute zero.Turbo diesel-like lag? Not here.Driven through an unfeasibly smooth Electric Continuously Variable Transmission, this dual-engine combo offers 4.5-litre performance with a posited 2.5-litre equivalent combined fuel consumption of 7.9 litres per 100km.This means the "h" variant has 30 per cent greater range than the eight-cylinder GS430, and about 14 per cent more than the six-pot GS300. It's a potent cocktail of performance and economy.Before hemp-lovers start petitioning the Greens cabal in the Legislative Assembly, the GS450h does all this while emitting an ultra-low level of environmental nasties, making for what Lexus calls "guilt-free performance".Having never experienced the least guilt over performance, I wasn't sure what that meant. But thrusting through the drought-depleted landscape of the NSW central west, even the least penetrable mind must acknowledge there's something in this ozone-layer-depletion stuff.It helps hugely that the GS450h means climbing into a hybrid no longer calls for surrendering your testes. Besides, anything as complex as this that works so seamlessly is surely worth a bit of attitude adjustment.The V6 is the primary source of power and torque, supplemented by two electric motors. One of the latter acts as the starting motor and supplies power to run ancillary functions — steering power assist, stereo, climate control et al.The second electric motor is there to layer additional power and torque over the petrol engine. And this it did superbly during our admittedly brief open-road experience.The GS450h weighs more than 1800kg, so the best will in the world won't imagine it as a sports saloon. But it's a grand tourer of the highest order.CVTs are apt to denude the driver (well, this driver) of feel for speed. Combined with an almost deathly quietness and acceleration that redefines seamless, it's all too easy to achieve licence-voiding quickness without much sensation of having done so.The six set ratios available in the CVT's sequential shift mode provide an engine-braking function that is of the essence, especially when turning this bulky sedan into tighter bends.The stop pedal has plenty of power but is far too short-travel and firm to feel anything other than abrupt in a package that is otherwise silky.There's more fun to be had than simple go-fast acceleration, though, with steering that has a decent amount of feel, and the car's overall weight distributed at 50/50 to extract the most from the rear-wheel-drive dynamics.Beyond its driveline innovation, the GS450h is bountifully equipped, as befitting the GS series. Gagdets include the Lexus Pre-Collision System, active cruise control, adaptive variable suspension and 10 airbags.The surfeit of tech is laid out for ease of use and legibility, points of difference being a power meter instead of a tachometer (there is, after all, more than one engine torquing away here), a read-out that indicates the power source being tapped, a rear-view camera and automatic reverse assist, and hands-free Bluetooth for the phone.The need to shove the battery aft, however, seriously infringes on boot space. A tight 250 litres has to suffice for the golf clubs.All this can be yours for $121,990, so don't expect to see many of them about, much less hear them. (Use of the horn is advised in car parks or at low speeds.)The point of the GS450h's advent, though, is that performance has been added to the hybrid equation.When that filters down to affordable cars, as it surely will, Lexus's claims of revolutionising the "automotive landscape" will come to pass. It will be a deceptively silent revolution.

The Toyota off-shoot was established in the early '90s to sell luxury vehicles in the United States, hence the name: Luxury EXport to the US.The brand was so successful, they began exporting to other countries, including Australia, and last year it became a separate brand in Japan.Lexus carries with it the reliability of the Toyota brand and has become known for its low cabin noise, with Hyundai even using the GS model as its benchmark in that category in its new Grandeur sedan.Over the past couple of years, new styling has helped Lexus overcome its boring looks and confront the stylish German marques head-on with products such as the GS, which is a stylistic cross between the gorgeous Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Audi A6.Lexus sales for 2005 were 6005, almost 1000 up on the previous year, which puts it about 1000 ahead of Audi, but still a long way off BMW (15,910) and Mercedes-Benz (17,661).To truly tackle the Germans that dominate the luxury market with their sporty compact sedans, Lexus needed a quality competitor.The previous Lexus IS200 small sedan was too doughy at 114kW, beating only the BMW 320i four-cylinder, some Audi A3s and the Benz C180 K for power.The IS300 was a genuine contender with a beefy 157kW, which put it close to the 325i and better than some V6 C-Class models and all four-cylinder A4s.But they lacked sparkle both in the styling department and driving dynamics.The two-model range has now been swapped for the one-model, three-spec IS250 line.Power is slightly down to 153kW, but it's not all just a power game, otherwise you should try a Subaru Liberty GT.Driving dynamics in the new IS250 are now far better and styling is a quantum leap forward.British TV motoring show Top Gear named the 3 Series as its ugliest car of the year so, in the styling stakes, the compact Lexus with bulging muscular wheel arches has a head start.I recently drove the IS250 Sports Luxury, which is a real honey. And finished in white pearl paint that resembles the inside of a clam shell, it highlights those muscular bulges. In the sun, it is gorgeous beyond belief.Inside, you are cocooned in a high-sill, low-seat, high-dash, low-roof cabin that can be a bit claustrophobic, especially in the rear behind the high head restraints of the front seats.However, you are surrounded in luxury with a touch of sportiness. There is plenty of tasty woodgrain, the simple-to-use touchscreen Satellite Navigation and on-board computer, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, active cruise control, and the best stereo on four wheels — the 14-speaker sound system designed by Mark Levinson.The Sat Nav screen also shows images from the reversing camera, a feature which should be in every car and SUV, and is now available in all Lexus models except the big LX off-roader, but it is coming.The new Sat Nav also features a recording function called "bread crumbing" which can find its way back on a route it has previously taken.Add all these features to the comparable German car and watch the price go through the roof.The sportiness of the cabin is in the six-speed auto with paddle shifts on the stylish saddle-stitched leather steering wheel. This feature is available only in the Sports Luxury model.But it is in the driving dynamics that this car now competes with the Germans.The Sports Luxury model does not have the lowered suspension of the Sports variant, but takes corners flat with a neutral balance.If pushed hard, the rear-wheel-driver shifts weight to the back under that creamy on-demand torque before the driver aids, including swerve control, come into play.The steering is sharp, responsive and precise. So precise it takes a little getting used to, especially around suburban "traffic calming" chicanes.Ride is smooth, without being plush. If you hit a sharp bump, you will feel it, but it won't upset you or the car, even in a brisk corner.The GS and IS models are now taking on the Germans at their own game — style, power and driving dynamics — and the LS460 luxury saloon will complete the sedan passenger range makeover when it arrives later this year.Then Lexus will become a serious consideration on the luxury shopping list.

Ultimately, it fell short on cabin space, outright performance and a manual gearbox that was nowhere near good enough.Even so, it was good enough to outscore the all-new BMW 3-Series with our judges and picked up points for design, value, equipment and driving enjoyment.No matter how you score it, the new IS250 is the best thing yet with a Lexus badge.Its style and techno tweaks will give it showroom appeal to the thirtysomethings who are expected to dominate sales.The starting price of $53,890, just below the critical luxury tax cut-off that is essential with many leasing customers, makes sense.You can spend closer to $80,000 on a new IS, but the starter car is expected to dominate sales in Australia.The IS250 comes after Lexus first entered the compact prestige class in the 1990s with an IS200, which was too small and gutless to stand out in a field dominated by the 3-Series BMW.But this time around the brief was different.The IS was set for a best-in-class development. And that meant 500 individual targets for everything from safety to comfort and equipment."This car is brand new, and my child. The new IS is most like me," Sugayo Fukusato, one of the first Lexus-specific engineers, says proudly.And that's good news because he drives a Porsche 911, rides a one-off mountain bike and has a costly custom-made sound system in his home.The result is a V6 engine, rear-wheel drive chassis with big brakes and fully-independent suspension, 16-inch alloy wheels, tilt-and-slide steering adjustment, six airbags, anti-skid brakes with brake assist and "light sabre" pointers on the instruments.Lexus lists a total of 18 IS250 models, from the basic car to a Sports Luxury model with automatic transmission.The flagship comes with all the fruit: leather seats, a moonroof, 18-inch alloy wheels, six-speed auto gearbox and Mark Levinson sound system.But Lexus does not have the IS350 sold in America. It says the car cannot be certified for local sales, though that could be a stalling excuse to get the 250 out of the blocks and leave space for the 350 — and eventually the IS500 with V8 power — to slip in above the current car.The new IS has definitely killed the Camry-cloned GS300, which looks anything but special in the current Lexus family. The new baby Lexus is a top drive. It is much tighter, more together, and more rewarding than the earlier IS.It even felt good after the Audi S4, which is one of the best cars we have had through our test garage in a while.The IS is responsive and youthful, two things BMW has lost with the growth and extra refinement in the latest 3-Series.The German car is still very, very good but falls short of the Lexus when you want to play.Not that you have to flog the IS to enjoy yourself.Our test car, admittedly with all the gear and that $80,000-ish price, had almost everything you could want in a new car: great sound, top-drawer quality, plenty of luxury touches.But the basics are the best. The seats are comfortable and supportive, the touch-change paddles for the automatic gearbox are well placed and made, you can get the wheel where you want it, and the dash is clean and user-friendly.The car could still do with more rear-seat space, even though it's better than the original IS and there is room for two adults, but the cabin is an excellent place.The IS250 also gets along pretty well, though its V6 engine needs encouraging to give its best. It's not a stop-light star, and taxis can take it, which is a big failing.Lexus says 153kW is plenty for the car, but its the torque — only 252Nm in a heavy car — that lets it down, even with the six-speed gearboxes.The manual change is plain awful, with too much slop in all directions, and we would recommend the IS only as an auto.But it is easy to talk up its ride and handling, which is as good as anything in the class: more responsive than the 3-Series, more taut than an Audi A4, and more youthful than a Benz C-Class. And it makes a twisty road fun.The car is just about neutrally balanced, with great turn-in and feel through the steering, which makes it easy to push.It also has great brakes, and the paddle-change auto gives you plenty of options and a gear for every situation.Lexus set tight targets for the new IS and got a bullseye on most of them.It is a terrific car that will do a lot better than the original and make life much, much tougher for the Europeans and more enjoyable for owners.The best Lexus yet is a top car and a responsive drive, but only with an automatic gearbox.79/100

It's baby of the range, the IS250, is a gorgeous looking thing, cast in the current mould towards sedans that look like hatches.It gives the car a sportier, raked stance and more importantly some personality, which is no doubt part of the plan.With the release of the IS250, the range has been culled to just the one model with just the one engine, although it is available in three different trim levels.The engine is a 2.5-litre V6 as opposed to the previous 2.0 and 3.0-litre straight sixes that powered the IS200 and IS300.In other moves, the Camry-based, front- wheel drive ES300 has been axed.The changes signal a more aggressive marketing drive by the company and create some points of difference from the market leading BMW 3 Series.BMW is of course renowned for its straight sixes.As we have come to expect from Lexus build quality is first rate and the car comes jam packed with the latest technology.Lexus claims 13 world firsts in this department and reckons it's the best thing since sliced bread, in fact the best car to come out of Japan yet.Eight SRS airbags as standard equipment, including driver and front passengers knee airbags.Active safety features include Vehicle Swerve Control (VSC), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Lexus Brake Assist (BA) on all grades, and Adaptive Front Headlamp System (AFS) on IS250 Sports and IS250 Sports Luxury models.For our money, however, the best bit of gear in the car is the high-end Mark Levinson 5.1 sound system on our sports luxury test car which is one of the best we've heard.It comes with a grand total of 14-speakers including a subwoofer and has built in MP3/ WMA compatibility.IS250's V6 delivers 153kW of power at 6400rpm and 252Nm of torque at 4800rpm and is hooked up to either a six-speed manual or six-speed, sequential auto.That's significantly more power than the 2.0-litre engine but not as much as the 3.0-litre straight six that it replaces.It's a high revving engine and doesn't start to perform until about 4500rpm and can easily be caught napping.Our test car was the six-speed manual and we found for best results it is necessary to stick with a lower gear than usual.We suspect the auto would doing a better job of smoothing out the gaps better.The car employs a keyless ignition system with a button provided for stopping and starting.The key can remain in your pocket if you prefer.Sports suspension as fitted lowers the ride by 13mm and is combined with 18 inch wheels with 225/40R18 front tyres and 255/40R18 rear tyres.The steering is also more direct in the sports model, with a different ratio.As a package however the IS250 is more of a tourer than red light special.Lexus claims the engine is more fuel- efficient than the two engines it replaces.Fuel economy is a claimed 9.1 litres per 100km for the auto and 9.8 litres per 100km for the manual.The Lexus IS250 is priced from $53,890 which puts it well under the luxury car tax threshold.The Sports model with options as tested retails for $74,000. 

After driving cars like the new GS430, the answer to that question has to be a resounding "yes".Yet despite the car's impressive credentials, the company still has a ways to go, particularly when it comes to us cynical Aussies.There's the issue of resale value to consider which as history has shown has not been kind to the luxury brand.For instance, last year's mind bogglingly good LS430 cost a whacking $178,000 off the showroom floor.The same car 12 months later has dropped in value to as little as $110,000, a fall of $68,000 or 38 per cent.In comparison, a Mercedes E500 priced at $157,000 new is now worth $119,000 or more – a lesser drop of 24 per cent.You can see what we're getting at?That's to take nothing away from the cars themselves which for the most part are technically brilliant.The latest offering from Lexus is the sporty new GS rear-wheel drive sports sedans, available with a choice of six or eight cylinder engines.Today we're going to take a closer look at the top of the line 4.3-litre V8.At a recommended retail price of $137,000 the GS430 is a fair old ask, especially in the company of similarly priced Benzs and BMWs.The finish is first rate and the styling owes nothing in passing to any Toyota.With its big swoopy back the GS430 builds on the distinctive styling queues of the previous model, following the current trend towards four-door "not quite hatch" coupes.We like the general concept because most of us have a couple of kids that we need to stick in the back.Inside, it's library quiet, with smart titanium finish dials and dark cherry coloured wood trim.What would a luxury car be without the wood?Firstly we should point out you don't need to stick a key in the ignition with this car.The key stays in your pocket and the car starts and stops at the press of a button.The centre console is dominated by a large computer screen that caters for the satnav system.While the touch screen is easy to read and operate, the cartoon-like graphics do not quite have the same classy feel as the rest of the setup.Power comes from a 4.3-litre V8 with 208kW of power at 5600rpm and 417Nm of torque at 3500rpm.It's the same engine that is in the LS430 and SC430 sports car and is hooked up to a six- speed sequential auto. The 0-100km/h sprint takes 6.1 seconds.Fuel economy is a claimed 11.4L/100km.Missing is the characteristic V8 burble. and this must have led to some backroom consternation, bearing in mind the sporty pretensions of the car.However, it's quick and it's quiet and it turns heads and that is what most people are looking for.The GS430 is crammed full of technological aids and debuts breakthrough Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) that en- ables intuitive counter-steering without driver input in an emergency.This car's got the lot with leather, active cruise, parking sensor, satellite navigation, rear view camera, Bluetooth mobile compatibility, 10 airbags and adaptive front headlights, as well as heated and cooled front seats and a 14-speaker premium Mark Levinson stereo system.

But there's no doubting the GS430's technological credibility – the engineers have crammed more into the GS than any Lexus.A touch of the door handle opens the car and as the cabin is entered there's a sense of either snugness or claustrophobia.But it's a quiet ambience that is barely disturbed as the engine start button is hit.The dulcet tones of the creamy V8 are only a distant reminder the engine is idling; the cabin is so well insulated it is a little eerie.The electrically adjustable leather seats, which are also heated or cooled, are comfortable for long hauls but taller occupants may require more range of movement away from the roofline.Getting under way at anything from regal/sedate to bank-robbery-departure pace is nonchalantly completed. The V8 is hooked up to a super-smooth six-speed auto, but only at full revs is there anything other than minimal engine noise within the cabin.Which is a shame as the motor makes such sweet music – the 4.3-litre 90-degree V8 generates 208kW of power at 5600rpm and 417Nm of torque at 3500rpm, outputs which Lexus claims gets the 1695kg sedan from zero to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds, on the way to a 14.4 second 400m sprint and an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h.The company also claims an average fuel consumption figure of 11.4 litres/100km. My time in the GS yielded 13.3 litres/100km, which included plenty of open road work as well as more than a touch of harder work to enjoy the engine note.Using the manual shift will allow more V8 music to be heard – if you want to bounce it off the limiter, the gearbox will comply as there's no override.Cruising on country roads offered the chance to play with the adaptive damping system, which offers normal and sport modes.Most Lexus owners will rarely flick the switch to sport as the standard setting is firmly damped anyway, but the brand's younger target audience might prefer it.In sport mode, the GS430 tightens up, with more body control immediately noticeable, allowing the GS to be hunted through corners with enthusiasm. Although it still feels like a big car, the variable-ratio power-assisted steering system makes life easier in terms of lock-to-lock movement.Bringing the cruise to a halt in a hurry is easily achieved with the large brakes and clever electronics, but smooth day-to-day braking requires some practice, as the brake-by-wire system provides little pedal feel.The steering system is part of the cutting-edge stability and traction control systems – Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) in Lexus terminology – which assists the driver in emergency situations by increasing or decreasing steering assistance as well as influencing braking and power delivery.The safety technology list also includes a pre-collision system that prepares the seat belt pre-tensioners and has 10 airbags, including dual front-seat knee airbags.The GS430 radar-controlled active cruise control system works behind other vehicles but lacks the ability to hold a speed when there is no other traffic on a downhill grade.Night driving showed one of the car's strengths – the adaptive front headlights work unobtrusively but are effective.The 14-speaker Mark Levinson sound system provides crystal-clear, rich and loud sounds.The GS430 equipment list is extensive, as you would expect – a fully trimmed leather interior, the smart keyless entry system, stability control, a handy rear-view camera, Bluetooth mobile phone system, 10 airbags and adaptive front headlights.There are also 18in alloys, satellite navigation, the Mark Levinson sound system, pre-crash safety system, radar-controlled active cruise control, parking sonar and the sunroof.The VDIM safety system, the adaptive suspension system and the variable ratio steering round out the features highlights.The GS430 is a keenly priced competitor in its segment, undercutting its German V8 competition by more than $20,000 and the V8-powered Jaguar representative by more than $35,000.

Like its predecessor, the GS300 is something different in the Lexus lineup. Not only does it look good but there's more of a European flavour than other Lexus models, some of which seem almost clinical in the way the drive, feel and look.The new GS300 boasts a direct injection engine with an impressive output from a relatively modest 3.0-litre capacity – 183kW/ 310Nm.The engine is a new entrant in the Lexus range which will soon swing over to all Vee engines. Next in line is the IS250 with a 2.5-litre V6.The GS300 is available in two grades, Sport and Sport Luxury, both scoring extensive standard equipment.Safety is more than adequately addressed by the 10 air bags (including for the rear seats) and various electronic dynamic controls that go so far as counter-steering the car independent of driver input in the event of emergency.The Sport Luxury on test gains satellite navigation, 14-speaker premium Mark Levinson stereo system, pre-crash safety system, radar-controlled active cruise control, parking sonar and moonroof and has a retail price of $112,100.Performance is fully realised through the new six speed automatic transmission that has a sequential selection mode.The tranny is so good, it's better to leave it in D.Ride from the double wishbone suspension is sporty but comfortable. The GS can run hard and maintain its poise thanks to sound engineering, design and plenty of electronic wizardry.It's rewarding to drive with vigour or kick back and cruise. Commuting's a breeze – literally, especially with the in-seat fans activated.The styling is impressive, arguably the best looking Lexus currently available. It's a bit like a large hatchback with curved rear quarters creating a ready-to-pounce look.Inside is similarly innovative melding style with function. It's a great car to be in.The boot is huge and there's a full size spare on an alloy wheel.Premium petrol is needed but on-test consumption averaged a creditable 10.0L/100km.Top marks for this one if you don't worry about the the price.

Remarkable because I remember that at the point when the engine, rebuilt just a month before by people professing to be professionals and with a banner which pronounced that quality comes first, decided to weld its internals together thanks to a bad part, I was building great trust in German engineering.Years later, I would continue to place great trust in products from Germany to the point where a price premium was apparently deserved. That was based on my grandmother's philosophy that: "You get what you pay for."Last month, when Mercedes-Benz admitted that quality was an area on which it aimed to improve, I had a long drive in a Lexus.I am not picking on Mercedes because its product is sensational.A dynamic mould of metal that is as holy as the motor car, itself, with a history that goes literally to the beginning of plausible motoring, there is, and never will be, anything quite like a Mercedes.But the Lexus could change my mind.The GS430 is its latest mid-sized saloon, sitting just beneath the LS430 that is inspired by the Mercedes S-Class, and just above the Lexus IS200 that is also poised for rejuvenation.Buy it and you will get a four-year warranty. Take it for a service and you get a fresh loan car. Break down and there's 24-hour service.Drive it and the GS430, the more powerful of the two-engined range which borrows its V8 from the $170,000-plus LS430, rewards with luxury motoring and a sense that there is an element of wishing for more sporting pursuits.It's quick, relatively quiet, roomy and has a swagful of goodies that, unlike some other German brands, are included in the purchase price.The GS430 also comes with a proper spare tyre, so you can whisk down to the holiday escape in Busselton knowing that a small 5cm nail won't keep you at the side of the road all night.To be blunt, I loved this car. It was logical, easy to drive, soft in a way that made driving easy and without any of the firmness for which the Germans are noted and, unlike BMW and Audi, it didn't confuse me with an onboard mouse-pad computer system.Switches are on the dashboard or steering wheel, not locked away beneath a convoluted Microsoft program, with the exception of some minor controls that have switches behind a fold-downpanel on the right of the dash. It even has cruise control that senses the distance to the car in front.Everything else is all there in front of the driver, including a central touch-sensitive screen giving quick access to more finicky aspects such as ventilation and navigation.Aside from the tangible features of the GS430, the car has a healthy 208kW of power that is uses through a six-speed auto box that has semi-manual gear selection.Off the mark it's one of the quickest saloons on the block.Aside from being fast, it's relaxingly comfortable. There's adecent boot, though the rear seats don't fold flat, and lots of selfish features such as airconditioned and heated front seats, an electrically operated rear screen, a central rear armrest and a first-aid kit in the boot.Though it's a bit porky, it handles well thanks to an electronic steering system that gauges the car's speed and the ability of the driver to select the right suspension firmness to suit driving style and road conditions.Above all, the GS430 is a nice ride. It's also not perfect.The foot-operated park brake screams America and is disappointing given the available space on the console for a hand-brake lever.The steering is so light it transmits nothing back to the driver, and despite the electronic suspension, it's not a sure-footed car. It displays a wishy-washy attitude to corners. It is, in short, very American.The lack of a fold-down rear seat is annoying, the shape of the car makes it awkward to park, but this top-line GS430 model comes with front and rear park assist alerts. If you can't handle these idiosyncrasies, then get a life.This is one of the best cars on the market.Yes, it feels soft to drive, in a manner successfully cloned by the Japanese. But it's so easy to drive, it rewards its occupants without fuss and looks distinctive without being presumptuous.

24 Oct 2003 Lexus LS 430: Good car gets better|http://search.carsguide.news.com.au/news/research/specifications/search-results.do?pageSize=&clearCompare=true&make=LEXUS&model=LS430&year=2003 |http://search.carsguide.news.com.au/news/research/specifications/search-results.do?pageSize=&clearCompare=true&make=LEXUS&model=LS430&year=2003