This past Friday, I attended a Lexus Canada press event in Kingston, Ontario, where I had the opportunity to test out the 2010 RX 450h and the IS 350C convertible. After an a quick briefing, we all loaded up into our first vehicle of the day and set out on a route through the surrounding Prince Edward County.

Here are some of my early impressions on Lexus’ latest models (full reviews at a later date):

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Next up in my 2009 Lexus LX 570 photo galleries is a collection of three different locations—Lake Ontario (looking more like a windy Hawaii), an abandoned steel mill, and along the Welland Canal:

One of my favorite things about taking LX photos was trying to make it look as tiny as possible. Image #10 was the most extreme:

There are some tight & twisty roads in my area, and this first set of Lexus LX 570 photos are taken at the only stop on one of my favorites:

The LX 570 engine roared climbing some of the massive hills, like driving the world’s smoothest, best handling tank.

Late last week, I picked up a review LX 570 from Lexus Canada with more than a little anxiety. After all, this is a two ton, sixteen-foot tank of a vehicle, immense in every sense of the word, and I had to jump straight into big-city traffic immediately after taking the keys. Intimidating.

Of course, it was entirely unfounded—the LX handles just like a car. Light steering, heavy, instant power. Driving on the highway or right in the middle of rush-hour traffic is an absolute breeze. Sure, the turning radius is awful but expectedly so. Really, the only issue I’m having is trying to park the thing, but even that’s made easier with the front and side monitors.

That said, the LX definitely has a learning curve—there are close to fifty different buttons and toggles surrounding the driver, and that’s not including the touchscreen options. There’s a button for everything, including one for lowering the vehicle height when the engine is turned off and one to disengage the power rear door. Honestly, I found the buttons to be more intimidating than the driving.

More to come—but before that, I can’t resist posting yet another grille wallpaper:

The first time I saw the third-generation Lexus GS, I didn’t like it one bit.

Compared to the previous generation’s sharp, aggressive lines, the current GS seemed to lack any real visual punch. In particular, I really disliked the rear third of the car, and constantly referred to it as “frumpy” at any opportunity. At one point, I actually admitted to liking the ES design more.

Fast forward to the present, and I find myself in a contradictory situation — I think the GS will be my next car.

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The Lexus IS has a special place in my heart. It was the first Lexus I ever drove, back in 2000. It was my birthday, and my future-wife surprised me with a lengthy test drive of a yellow first-generation IS 300, courtesy of Performance Lexus in St. Catharines. I had only just received my driver’s license, and the experience of driving that IS 300 remains one of my favorite memories.

Fast-forward nine years, and I’ve picked up a second-generation IS 250 from Lexus Canada for the purpose of review, another memorable moment. With All-Wheel Drive, Truffle Mica exterior, Ecru leather interior, the car makes an immediate impression. But how did it hold up after the initial excitement?

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