The verdict: Flashy to the point of gaudiness, expensive but flimsy-feeling, big outside but not inside, Lexus’ flagship SUV drives well but is disappointing overall. Versus the competition: Competitors from BMW, Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz are more luxurious and higher-tech, while Cadillac, Jeep and Lincoln offer SUVs that are more reserved in their styling and more comfortable in their spacious cabins. Let’s face it: Big, full-size sedans meant to showcase the best the brand offers are no longer the flagships of any of the world’s top luxury marques. That distinction has been passed to the full-size SUV, a more popular — and usually more expensive — choice than a traditional sedan. It’s understandable; big SUVs are generally roomier, with the…

The verdict: Flashy to the point of gaudiness, expensive but flimsy-feeling, big outside but not inside, Lexus’ flagship SUV drives well but is disappointing overall. Versus the competition: Competitors from BMW, Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz are more luxurious and higher-tech, while Cadillac, Jeep and Lincoln offer SUVs that are more reserved in their styling and more comfortable in their spacious cabins. Let’s face it: Big, full-size sedans meant to showcase the best the brand offers are no longer the flagships of any of the world’s top luxury marques. That distinction has been passed to the full-size SUV, a more popular — and usually more expensive — choice than a traditional sedan. It’s understandable; big SUVs are generally roomier, with the…

The verdict: The 2022 GX 460 has lots of charm despite its age, but it hasn’t had a major redesign since the 2010 model year, leaving a lot to be desired both on the inside and under the hood. Versus the competition: The GX 460 can keep up with other cushy-but-capable off-roaders when the pavement ends, but it lacks the interior sophistication of similarly priced rivals. If the 2022 Lexus GX 460 were a house, real estate agents would say it has “good bones.” There’s a lot to like about the capable body-on-frame SUV — known outside the U.S. as the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado — but, as with many houses with good bones, the GX 460 needs a gut…

It’s early days for the Lexus, but it seems the car has a decent blend of dependable real-world range and a surprising amount of practicality. The public charging network is standing up well, too – so far. Mileage: 3,141 Thanks to its relatively early push on hybrid powertrains, Lexus is probably the premium manufacturer best known for electrification. And now Toyota’s rival to Audi, BMW and Mercedes is about to embark on a major drive towards pure-electric motoring. You’ll have already read in this issue about the brand’s ambitious plans for the rest of this decade – yet the process has already begun, with the UX300e. It might seem like a tentative toe in the water in the face of…

Overview Lexus is getting into the EV game with the RZ SUV, which likely shares a platform with the Toyota bZ4X and the Subaru Solterra. This being a Lexus, we're expecting a much posher cabin to go along with its more upscale exterior styling. The powertrain should also be different in the Lexus, as patent filings have revealed the company's plans to use the RZ450e moniker. We know the luxury brand has been working on a two-motor setup called Direct4, which offers standard all-wheel drive and more power than the bZ4x's 215-hp rating. So far, we've only seen teaser photos of the RZ's exterior, but it looks sharply styled with a floating roof, a ducktail spoiler, and aggressive headlamps. What's…

All-electric power has been a long time coming for Lexus PROS Very comfortable and incredibly refined Good performance from electric motor Top-quality build and long warranty CONS Practicality concerns Range isn’t especially long Poor infotainment Is the Lexus UX 300e any good? Lexus was a pioneer brand when it came to hybrid cars but it’s really dragged its feet when it comes to full electrification. The UX 300e is its first ever electric car, and it’s not a purpose-built model – it’s the UX SUV converted to electric power. We’ve reviewed the standard UX in depth and even lived with one for six months, so this review will concentrate on the differences between the regular hybrid car and the 300e…

New Lexus SUV is a huge upgrade over its predecessor PROS Comfortable and refined to drive Good electric range New infotainment long overdue CONS Not exactly exciting to drive Only average practicality Steering wheel controls confusing Is the Lexus NX any good? This is the new NX – Lexus’ answer to the likes of the BMW X3, Range Rover Evoque, Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60. The old car was a big-seller for Lexus and the new model certainly hopes to inspire the same reaction. On paper, all looks promising. It’ll be available as a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid – Lexus’ first – and all models debut the brand’s new interior design, complete with shiny new infotainment. Lexus says 95%…

Flagship Lexus does grand luxury in a different way PROS Amazing interior with some incredible details Smooth, quiet and refined World-beating reliability and warranty CONS Expensive running costs Unimpressive performance Hard to justify against an S-Class Is the Lexus LS any good? In reality, it doesn't matter how good it is, as the company sells fewer than 100 examples in the UK every year – and if you're after a Lexus LS, you're probably not likely to be comparing it with the obvious rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. That's probably no bad thing, because the opposition here is particularly strong, not least because they use these cars to showcase their latest technology. Despite that, the German threesome of the …

Lexus uses an altogether more comprehensive approach than Tesla does to achieving SAE Level 2 autonomy. Tesla was first into the breach in the U.S. with a driver assist system capable of SAE Level 2 autonomy, which is the second-from-the-bottom tier of self-driving capability as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers. (Full or close to full self-driving gets Level 4 and 5 designations.) Autopilot handles acceleration, braking, steering, and even lane changes on its own, but only on contained roads such as freeways, and the driver must monitor things. That Tesla allowed its Autopilot-equipped vehicles even that much autonomous leeway with the meager sensor package onboard raised eyebrows—all the more so when you consider what Lexus is bringing to…

The newest F Sport Performance version of the IS takes us back to the golden era of compact sports sedans with naturally aspirated V-8 engines. About a decade ago, compact sports sedans offered naturally aspirated V-8s that absolutely ripped. Before everyone went turbo, the E90 BMW M3, the B7 Audi RS4, and the W204 Mercedes C63 AMG crammed in sweet-sounding V-8s to create experiences that we still remember fondly today. Now that we're feeling sufficiently nostalgic for those four-door screamers, we'll get to the point that Lexus apparently shares our passion for those cars, because the new 2022 IS500 is essentially a return of Lexus's V-8 compact sedan, the IS F. There are no turbos under the IS500's hood. What…