It’s been a year of global ambitions for Lexus, with next-generation ES sedan now being offered across the world and the new UX sub-compact crossover signaling the importance of the European market. 2018 also demonstrated the growing importance of in-car infotainment, how Lexus plans to expand their brand outside of the automotive bubble, and that the IS remains an important vehicle to Lexus no matter how the market feels about sedans.
Every one of these storylines factored into the top ten Lexus articles of 2018 here at Lexus Enthusiast. And it starts with a Lexus that isn’t a car at all.
10. Lexus Announces LY 650 Luxury Yacht
In September, Lexus announced an addition to the flagship lineup in a most unexpected way — the LY 650 is a 65-foot yacht that stands as the “first production maritime expression of Lexus design language, L-finesse”.
9. Top Gear Battle: Lexus LC 500 vs Honda Civic Type R
A common *Top Gear *shtick is two mismatched cars going head-to-head in a bizarre competition, and that’s what we had in April with the LC 500 going up against the Honda Civic Type R.
8. Next-Generation Lexus IS Sedan to get Twin-Turbo V6 F SPORT?
In July, a rumor surfaced that the next-generation Lexus IS sedan would available with the 3.5L twin-turbo V6 engine from the LS flagship. Naturally, this was big news.
7. The Lexus Luxury Minivan
Raymond Rodriguez, president of Lexus Manila, made huge waves in October with his statement that a Lexus luxury minivan is “only a matter of time”.
6. Apple CarPlay Coming to Select Lexus Vehicles This Year
After years of waiting, some Lexus vehicles finally received Apple CarPlay compatibility in 2018. The automotive iPhone interface was added to the ES, UX, and LS sedans, LC coupes, RC coupes, and NX crossovers built after October 2018.
5. Lexus Announces Updated 2018 CT 200h Hatchback
It may no longer be available in North America, but that didn’t stop this year’s Lexus CT 200h refresh from being the fifth most popular story of 2018.
4. Rendered: The Next-Generation Lexus IS Sedan
Despite a general downturn in sedan sales, the next-generation IS remains one of the most anticipated vehicles in the Lexus lineup. This was proven with the strong response to this rendering from Best Car.
3. Introducing the Lexus UX 200 & UX 250h
The all-new Lexus UX subcompact crossover debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March with two new engines: The UX 200 and UX 250h. Here we have all the details.
2. Introducing the Updated 2019 Lexus RC Coupe
When Lexus released details on the updated 2019 RC coupe in August, enthusiasts took notice. This refresh is well-executed and long-overdue, transforming the coupe with key changes to the front-end.
1. The 2019 Lexus ES 350 & ES 300h: A Technical Review
The most popular article on Lexus Enthusiast should come as no surprise to readers — the next-generation ES was the high-point for the brand in 2018, and this technical review explained the sedan’s significance in extensive detail.
Discussion