The CT 200h Hybrid is actually Lexus’ second attempt at entering the compact personal luxury hybird segment, the first being the now departed HS 250h Hybrid. Ignore the powertrain for a minute and it is easy to see that Lexus has the Audi A3 square in their sights in terms of ride, handling and interior accomodations. However, and here we go again, the Prius powertrain under the hood is an instant buzz kill. But if you desire good handling and effiecent motoring is your primary requirement, the CT 200h is for you. Click play to let us explain. Read more…
This week we get a ride in the Lexus CT 200h Hybrid. That’s a bit of a mouthful, but not as bad as the HS 250h Hybrid, which thankfully departs the Lexus lineup this year. The CT is actually a size smaller than the HS, or even the Prius, from which this little hatch steals its powertrain. Unfortunately, for as nimble as they’ve made the CT the hybrid/CVT pairing lets it fall flat on its face when the go pedal is depressed. A good number of hybrid fans out there won’t care, but this little Lexus is aimed square at the premium hatch segment of the market with its spry handling. A performance enhancing hybrid system would be better suited to this car’s willing chassis. And before we get a bunch of, “you don’t know what you are talking about this is a Toyota hybrid and it is suppose to be like this” comments we suggest you actually take this little bugger out for a jaunt on a twisty piece of tarmac with the drive selector spun to “Sport”. You’ll agree, the only thing missing is horsepower.
In an attempt to convince us it wants to be known for style and performance as much as quality and comfort Lexus rolled out the stunning LF-LC Concept and promptly made a compelling argument. The big coupe looks great from every angle except the front where the gaping grille needs to be toned down a notch or seven. Lexus claims the rear-wheel drive LF-LC utilizes a hybrid powertrain but the real story is inside where the 2+2 cockpit is sumptuously finished in contrasting leathers and wood yet someone manages to neatly integrate two 12.3-inch screens and touch screen controls on the center console and both doors. Read more…
Lexus Caters Less to the Realtors and More to the Racers
Over the course of the last decade Lexus seems to have become the official conveyance of realtors across the country. Realtors seeking an isolated, quiet, plush yet inoffensive cocoon to shuttle prospective clients to and fro have adopted the Lexus lineup as their transport of choice. Until recently the company seemed content with the reputation they’ve earned as a builder of reliable but staid luxury vehicles. But now executives are convinced that to grow the brand and attract some interest from Audi, Mercedes and BMW drivers they’ll have to add some sport to their currently soft sedans and after a day spent throwing the new 2013 GS lineup around the infield road course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, we can confidently report that they’ve done just that. Read more…
Like John Cleese in a Monty Python production, when it comes to the Lexus CT200h we feel like announcing “and now for something completely different”. That’s because this new entry-level Lexus offers the same hybrid benefits that we’ve seen in one form or another for the past decade, but doesn’t sacrifice driving pleasure on the altar of ultimate frugality. And no, we’re not counting the poor-excuse-for-a-hybrid Honda CR-Z and its piddling mid-30s fuel economy rating. Yes, we too were skeptical when phrases like “fun to drive hybrid” and “a hybrid with attitude” were being dropped by sales executives at the vehicle’s press introduction. But after a day spent driving around Palm Beach, Florida, we found ourselves uttering similar summaries of Lexus’s fifth hybrid. And we didn’t see that coming. Read more…
We like luxury crossovers. They ride nice, handle better than their big brothers, pack all the latest luxury goodies and can transport the whole clan through Mother Nature’s worst all the way to grandma’s house. Lexus likes luxury crossovers too. Mostly because they invented the segment with the 1998 RX 300 and have since infiltrated American suburbia with more than a million of them. But maintaining volume like that gets harder by the day and the RX has had to fend off increasingly tough competition in recent years, so Lexus set out to reset the bar with their thoroughly re-engineered 2010 model. Does the Crossover King still sit on the throne or do those ambitious new members of the court from Audi, Cadillac and BMW have a chance at claiming the big seat? Without a proper comparison test we can only answer that question with speculation, but we can tell you the new RX is ready to defend its title. Read more…
If you ever need proof that money doesn’t buy happiness, look to the Middle East.
Fifty years ago, this region was little more than sand and camels punctuated by a few ramshackle tents that housed people who hadn’t changed their standard of living in 1,000 years. Read more…
Want to look like a movie star? Just get behind the wheel of this Lexus.
It’s the svelte SC 430, a hard-top convertible that seems like it belongs on the streets of Beverly Hills. With a powerful engine, upscale technology and fabulous cabin, it makes you feel like a star and look like one, too. Read more…
Every time I get behind the wheel of a Lexus, I think, “This is how all cars will feel in 10 years.”
It’s not the technology that gives a Lexus the ahead-of-its-time feel, nor is it the styling. Heck, any company can install a few gizmos in a car and call it luxury, and there are plenty of examples of cars that look cutting-edge when they’re born only to look totally ridiculous when they age. Read more…
If you want a glimpse at the future of automobiles, take a ride in this Lexus.
It’s not a “car of the future” in the sense of GM’s Autorama show of the 1950s, which featured cars with wild styling and out-of-this-world gizmos that never made it into your garage. Read more…
