Reviews – Page 5 | Lexus Enthusiast

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TTAC Compares the Lexus LS 600hL & Mercedes S400 Hybrid

Earlier this year, The Truth About Cars compared the Lexus LS 600hL and the Mercedes S400 Hybrid, the only two flagship luxury sedans (currently) available with a gas-electric powertrain.

Kevin · May 18th, 2011

Best Motoring Comparison: Lexus LFA vs. Nissan GT-R vs. Porsche GT2 RS vs. Ferrari F430 GT3 vs. Corvette ZR1

Japan's Best Motoring series may have been cancelled, but not before putting together a superstar supercar comparison featuring the Lexus LFA, Nissan GT-R, Porsche GT2 RS, Corvette ZR1 & Ferrari F430 GT3 on the Fuji Speedway.

Kevin · May 18th, 2011

Car & Driver Compares the Lexus GX 460, Acura MDX, Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Land Rover LR4

Car & Driver recently compared luxury SUVs with third-row seating, with the Lexus GX 460 going up against the Land Rover LR4 HSE, Acura MDX, Audi Q7 3.0T & the BMW X5 xDrive35i.

Kevin · May 16th, 2011

Car & Driver Reviews the 2011 Lexus IS-F

Fresh off its success at the annual Lightning Lap, Car & Driver continues their new-found love fest for the 2011 Lexus IS F with a review of the sedan in beautiful Starfire Pearl.

Kevin · May 12th, 2011

Pistonheads Reviews the (Used) Lexus SC 430

Now that the second-generation Lexus SC 430 sales have finally stopped, buying used is the only way to get your hands on one -- which is something that British website Pistonheads strongly recommends with their hilarious review of the 2001-2010 model.

Kevin · May 11th, 2011

Car Advice Reviews the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport

Car Advice is the second Australian website to turn in a review of the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport, and it’s a much more in-depth article than the first. The review points to the exterior design, big trunk space and fuel economy as the top positives, though they were decidedly less enthused about the navigation display …

Kevin · May 10th, 2011

TTAC Reviews the 2011 Lexus IS 350 AWD

The Truth About Cars reviewed the Lexus IS 350 AWD a couple months back, and found a lot to like about the new all-wheel drive system, which they found suited the the drivetrain and chassis quite well. On the negative side, the usual complaints surface: super-small back seats, average fuel economy, and the fact that …

Kevin · May 5th, 2011

The Motor Report Reviews the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport

Australian website The Motor Report has published what I believe is the first english-language review of the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport package. Outside of some exterior design tweaks, the CT F-Sport is equipped with a firmer suspension — too bad the review glosses over this fact, only mentioning that might be too stiff for Australian …

Kevin · May 4th, 2011

Automobile Magazine Comparison: Lexus LX 570 vs. Infiniti QX56

Automobile Magazine recently compared the Lexus LX 570 against the Infiniti QX56 and found the QX56 to be the superior Japanese SUV based on handling, price & a drag race (?!?) — my own priorities when buying a full-size SUV would be much different (comfort, interior quality, exterior design). (This entire comparison must have been …

Kevin · April 28th, 2011

Autoblog Reviews the Lexus CT 200h

Autoblog has published a review of the 2011 Lexus CT 200h that’s a well-balanced read for anyone newly interested in purchasing the latest Lexus hybrid. As usual, a thorough photo gallery is also included that shows off the CT the best possible light (loving the Matador Red Mica). Read the Full Review

Kevin · April 28th, 2011

A Lexus LFA Joy Ride with Inside Line

I was trying to wait until Inside Line concluded their Lexus LFA coverage this week before posting about their adventures, but there’s just been so many it’s been hard to keep track! The first thing I’ll link to is this video of their run up the Glendora Mountain Road in California — what a fantastic …

Kevin · April 14th, 2011

Edmunds Inside Line Spending a Week with the Lexus LFA

Starting today, the Edmunds Inside Line editors have the enviable task of driving the Lexus LFA for a full week road test, with plans to put the supercar through its paces on a California mountain road and make the trip to Las Vegas for a Wednesday night car meet. The IL editors will updating both …

Kevin · April 11th, 2011

A Wicked Driver’s Ed: My Experience at the Lexus LFA Driver Development Program

It is with extreme excitement that I present my article about the Lexus LFA Driver Development program, which is now being featured on the Lexus Magazine website — here’s a quote: While no LFA owner myself, I did get the opportunity to attend this full-day driving school at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California — …

Kevin · April 7th, 2011

New Lexus CT 200h Owner Shares First Impressions

The Kicking Tires blog has an extremely positive reader-submitted review of the Lexus CT 200h that takes exception to the Prius comparisons: “…some people say the CT 200h is an overpriced Prius. I beg to differ. Go drive a Prius, a Ford Fusion Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid like I did and you’ll never want …

Kevin · March 21st, 2011

Driving the 2011 Lexus LS 600hL

This past weekend, I made the trip to Toronto and picked up a 2011 Lexus LS 600hL from Lexus Canada for a two week road test. The LSh has a Obsidian exterior & Parchment interior, and is fully loaded with every conceivable feature, right down to the massaging rear ottoman and a whole host of …

Kevin · February 8th, 2011

Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus LS 460 vs. Audi A8 vs. Mercedes S400 Hybrid vs. BMW 740i vs. Hyundai Equus vs. Porsche Panamera

Motor Trend recently compared the Lexus LS 460 Sport with the Audi A8, Mercedes S400 Hybrid, Hyundai Equus, BMW 740i & Porsche Panamara, and ranked the LS fourth overall — here’s what they had to say about the Lexus flagship: Bad boy genes must be migrating up the Lexus line from the IS-F, or down …

Kevin · February 3rd, 2011

Car & Driver Comparison: Lexus LS 460L vs. Hyundai Equus

In a classic Car & Driver move, the magazine has taken a $98k Lexus LS 460L AWD and compared it against the new $65k Hyundai Equus, then declared the winner based almost entirely on price: Were this match based on price alone, we might have pitted an Equus with the Ultimate package ($65,400) against a …

Kevin · January 12th, 2011

Lexus LFA Donuts with Scott Pruett

Here’s a quirky Lexus LFA feature from Autoweek Magazine, featuring Scott Pruett really hooning it up behind the wheel: Amazing to think of all the miles Scott has put on these LFA prototypes — after all that tough work, it’s good to see him having a little fun on the job. (Thanks RollaXRS!)

Kevin · January 11th, 2011

2011 Lexus IS F Competes in Car & Driver’s Lightning Lap

The 2011 Lexus IS F took part in Car & Driver’s annual Lightning Lap at the Virginia International Raceway, and found that the freshly revised sedan has really stepped up its game: Three years back, an IS F turned a less-than-impressive 3:14.0. We said then, “A little attention to springs and damping might make this …

Kevin · January 2nd, 2011

Car & Driver Comparison: Lexus LFA vs. Ferrari 599 HGTE

As proof that anything can happen once, Car & Driver has declared a Lexus the winner in a comparison — even more shocking, it was the LFA against the Ferrari 599 HGTE: The Ferrari is beautifully made and trimmed, but it isn’t quite as special inside as the LFA. The Lexus feels more athletic than …

Kevin · November 5th, 2010

2010 Lexus GS 450h Review

A few weeks back, I had the chance to spend some time with a 2010 Lexus GS 450h, which stands as one of my favorite models in the lineup. Now, having reviewed the 2009 model last year, my main focus this time around was trying out some new photography techniques, but I did want to …

Kevin · October 27th, 2010

Automobile Magazine Reviews the Lexus CT 200h

Jason Cammisa’s write-up of the Lexus CT 200h for Automobile Magazine may be my favorite review of the car yet — reasoned and impartial, it also includes a great description of the driving experience: So, why would you ever choose the CT over a Prius? For every other reason, starting with the way it drives. …

Kevin · October 14th, 2010

Car & Driver Reviews the Lexus CT 200h

Let’s continue on with Lexus CT 200h reviews, with the next instalment coming from Car & Driver, who were impressed by the exterior design and fuel economy, but not so much with the drive: In the real world, the CT200h offers three driving modes: Eco has a very lazy throttle map, Normal is slightly less …

Kevin · October 14th, 2010

Autoblog Reviews the Lexus CT 200h

Damon Lavrinc of Autoblog also attended the Lexus CT 200h press launch in France, and today he shares his thoughts on the new hatchback hybrid: …it’s obvious the CT’s suspension tuning has been canted towards the comfortable side of sporty. Not a bad thing when trying to eat up the miles. On the highway, it’s …

Kevin · October 13th, 2010

EVO Magazine Reviews the Lexus CT 200h

The next CT 200h review comes from EVO Magazine, who didn’t come away all that impressed with the hybrid hatchback: [The CT 200h is] Rather dull, unfortunately. For all the claims of being ‘authentically Lexus’, this is certainly no mini-iSF. You sit low – the hip-point is lower than that of an Auris, a car …

Kevin · October 13th, 2010

Edmunds Inside Line Drives the Lexus CT 200h

Edmunds Inside Line has published their first impressions of the Lexus CT 200h — here’s some key quotes: Apart from its lack of hurry, the 2011 Lexus CT 200h doesn’t feel much like a Prius. Indeed, its character reminds us more of an A3 or a Volkswagen GTI. Like the HS 250h, the CT has …

Kevin · October 13th, 2010

Motor Trend Reviews the Lexus CT 200h

Motor Trend has driven the Lexus CT 200h, and was plenty enthused by the experience: …this car can handle. Quite well, in fact, in spite of its fuel-economy-friendly tires. The chassis is difficult to upset and when it does lose composure, it defaults to gradual understeer, at which point the nannies step back in…The steering …

Kevin · October 13th, 2010

Motor Trend Drives the Lexus CT 200h

Motor Trend snuck into the Lexus CT 200h event in Los Angeles yesterday, and today have published their first thoughts on Lexus’ new hybrid hatchback: The best way to think of the CT 200h is as a better-looking Prius Sport, if such a model existed. It shares the Prius’ hybrid drivetrain, with its 1.8-liter four-cylinder …

Kevin · September 23rd, 2010

GT-R Owner Takes the Lexus LFA for a Spin

The yellow Lexus LFA is currently touring the Eastern USA, and recently made a stop at Forged Performance in Georgia, where it was driven by NAGTROC member Sharif@Forged — here’s what he had to say about the experience: I kept heading southbound on Cobb Parkway on my way to my favorite “test track” also known …

Kevin · September 21st, 2010

Motor Trend Drives the 2011 Lexus IS F

Peter Lyons recently had some track time with the 2011 Lexus IS F, and talks up the changes in the new model year quite nicely: Although the powertrain and the car’s 3800-lb curb weight remain the same, the suspension settings have been totally recalibrated…An unexpected byproduct of this revision is the car’s more compliant ride, …

Kevin · September 17th, 2010

Auto Express Parallel Parks the Lexus LFA

Here’s a fun review of the Lexus LFA from Auto Express that even includes a spot of parallel parking: By now, we’re all fairly used to seeing the LFA in high-performance mode, so these reviews that have a touch of the real world are enjoyable in their rareness — can hardly blame the reviewer for …

Kevin · September 16th, 2010

NY Times Reviews the Lexus LFA

Lawrence Ulrich of the New York Times travelled down to Millville, NJ to take the Lexus LFA around the track, and he brought some very choice quotes back with him, including this info on LFA buyers: So far American buyers are exclusively men, and on average are in their mid-50s. Many have owned a Lexus, …

Kevin · August 25th, 2010

Lexus CT 200h Reviewed by What Car? Readers

Lexus recently teamed up with What Car? to provide the magazine’s readers an advanced look at the CT 200h — here’s what they had to say: Opinions seem to vary wildly, but the balance between like & dislikes seemed fairly even — one thing that stuck out to me was how comfortable the interior looks …

Kevin · August 18th, 2010

Automobile Magazine: Lexus LFA vs. Mercedes SLS AMG

Georg Kacher first wrote a comparison of the Lexus LFA & Mercedes SLS AMG for CAR Magazine, and now he’s expanded on his initial review for Automobile Magazine this month: The Lexus LFA and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG are about as different in approach and ability as a muscular sprinter is from a sinewy long-distance …

Kevin · July 29th, 2010

Red Lexus LFA at Goodwood

The folks over at Autoblog.nl had a chance to drive the red Lexus LFA at Goodwood and put together a fantastic review: There’s a real enthusiasm to the review, and at the end of the video, the presenter shows off his observed fuel economy: 5.4MPG (43.4l/100km), which isn’t all that surprising given the type of …

Kevin · July 11th, 2010

Fifth Gear Drives the Lexus LFA

Fifth Gear host Tiff Needell spent some time in the Lexus LFA driver seat for this week’s show (watch it quick as it’s likely to disappear shortly): Now that has to be one of the most earnest and enjoyable LFA reviews we’ve seen yet — “This is mental fun,” he says while powersliding all over …

Kevin · July 9th, 2010

Autoblog Rides in the Lexus CT 200h Too

Autoblog was also in attendance at last week’s small media preview of the Lexus CT 200h, and had this to say about their time in the passenger seat: Riding along suburban roads near the TME facility, the CT 200h – even in prototype guise – is suitably Lexus-like in its build quality and refinement, yet …

Kevin · June 30th, 2010

The Telegraph Takes a Ride in the Lexus CT 200h

Lexus Europe has media showing with the CT 200h last week, and Jesse Crosse from The Telegraph was there for a ride in the passenger seat: I was given a brief ride in a prototype by Lexus engineers last week who were keen to demonstrate the low centre of gravity, flat cornering stance, low, sporty, …

Kevin · June 30th, 2010

Lexus Magazine Feature on GX 460

Lexus Magazine has a nice feature up on the GX 460: The freeway is white with snow. The windshield wipers can barely keep up with the endless flakes rapidly hitting the glass. Gripping the wheel, I glance down at the navigation system. Just 20 miles to my destination, but it could take an hour or …

Kevin · June 25th, 2010

C&D Comparison: Lexus ES 350 vs. Hyundai Genesis vs. Buick LaCrosse vs. Ford Taurus

Car & Driver took the Lexus ES 350, Hyundai Genesis, Buick LaCrosse & Ford Taurus Limited out on a golfing trip — here’s what they had to say about the ES 350: […]the ES350 is also the lightest car in this group, and good things always happen when you’re slim. For starters, the Lexus, while …

Kevin · June 21st, 2010

Reader Review: Lexus LS 460 Sport

TLE reader Heimdall222 has put 1,800 miles on his brand new 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport — here are his impressions of the sport-infused flagship sedan. The 2010 LS 460 Sport is my second Lexus, following a GS 350, and I’ve also owned several Infinitis. The basic Sport Package is, of course, what converts a …

Kevin · June 10th, 2010

Autocar Drives 20-year-old Lexus LS 400

In a nod to their 20th anniversary in the UK, Lexus put automotive journalists behind the wheel of an old LS 400 at the annual Society of Motor Manufacturers Test day. Purchased off eBay, the LS 400 had 103,000 miles on the odometer and still plenty of life — here’s a quick review from Autocar: …

Kevin · June 1st, 2010

Road & Track Lexus LFA Video

Seems like a day can’t go by without posting a Lexus LFA video — today, it’s a feature from Road & Track: The LFA was a laserbeam through that slalom course!

Kevin · May 21st, 2010

Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus GX 460 vs. Mercedes GL 450 vs. Land Rover LR4

Motor Trend has a new luxury off-road comparison featuring the Lexus GX 460 against the Land Rover LR4 and Mercedes GL 450: The GX ends up finishing second behind the LR4, and was well-received by the Motor Trend writers, especially in terms of value — however, they deducted points for its low tow rating (6,500lbs) …

Kevin · May 17th, 2010

Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus LFA vs. Nissan GT-R

Motor Trend has unleashed an absolutely epic comparison test pitting the Lexus LFA against the Nissan GT-R — some choice quotes: Subsequent testing proves the LFA to be dynamically superior to the GT-R in nearly every category. Any doubts that the Lexus is anything but a legitimate supercar are absolutely gutted on the test tarmac. …

Kevin · May 10th, 2010

James Martin Reviews the Lexus LFA

Celebrity chef/auto reviewer James Martin recently spent some time with the Lexus LFA: I drove this Lexus LFA up London’s Regent Street and had a procession of kids following me all along the pavement as I slowly made my way. By the time I reached Oxford Circus there were about 40 of them, all glassy-eyed …

Kevin · May 10th, 2010

Lexus Driver Assist Technologies HS 250h Review

Courtesy of Grant Winter from RealWorldTestDrives.com, this HS 250h video review focuses on three Lexus technologies that are increasingly found throughout the company’s lineup: The first technology, Lane Keep Assist (begins at 0:50), is also found on the LS line, and the warning feature is used on the GX. The second technology, the Wide-View Front …

Kevin · April 30th, 2010

Lexus HS 250h Inside Story

CanadianDriver has put up an interesting piece on the HS 250h interior as part of the website’s “Inside Story” series. Billed as a 7-day “review of interior comfort features, cabin controls, storage options, trunk space and under-hood accessibility,” this review features a non-Remote Touch equipped HS 250h, and describes the storage options available instead: At …

Kevin · April 18th, 2010

Automobile Magazine Reviews the 2010 Lexus ES 350

Automobile Magazine has published an editor’s review of the entry-luxury Lexus sedan, the ES 350. As in their prior LS 460 L review, four editors provided their take on the best-selling sedan. The key emphasis was on the ES 350’s concept of effortless luxury, as described by senior online editor Phil Floraday: If you’re just …

Kevin · April 16th, 2010

AutoGuide Comparo: Lexus ES 350 vs. Buick LaCrosse

AutoGuide cut through some of the marketing hype and took the Lexus ES 350 and its advertised Buick rival for a multi-day test, with the review team rating both cars on 19 categories from driver comfort to price. They had praise and criticisms for both vehicles, and the final score tally was close—here’s the ES …

Kevin · April 15th, 2010

Lexus LFA Video from Car & Driver

You may remember last month when Car & Driver took the Lexus LFA out on the track to compile some real-world performance figures on the supercar—well, here’s the video to go along with the stats: (I think the C&D video editor might have spent too much time watching Top Gear’s LFA feature.)

Kevin · April 14th, 2010

Lexus RX 450h Review

My three month winter road test of the 2010 Lexus RX 450h wrapped up last month, and it’s safe to say that the experience has changed my opinion of Lexus’ most popular vehicle. It’s not that I didn’t understand the success of the RXh — from a purely practical point, it’s easy to see how …

Kevin · April 11th, 2010

Lexus IS 250C Review from Autoweek

AutoWeek has posted a editor driver log of the 2010 Lexus IS 250C, and while they gave the convertible marks for its smoothness and features, when it came to styling and and other aspects, they were not as forgiving—first off, senior editor Bob Gritzinger noted the design challenges faced by all hardtop convertibles, and concluded …

Kevin · April 8th, 2010

Four Wheeler Lexus GX 460 First Drive

Having named it their Four Wheeler of the Year in 2003 and 2004, Four Wheeler magazine has been a longtime fan of the original Lexus GX, so with the introduction of the GX 460, the magazine’s reviewers were naturally eager to put the next generation model to the test and see if it could live …

Kevin · March 28th, 2010

Automobile Magazine Reviews the 2010 Lexus LS 460L

Providing views of the 2010 Lexus LS 460 L from several perspectives, Automobile Magazine has published an editors’ review of the Lexus flagship. Four editors, ranging from online to senior positions, provide their opinions—to begin, web producer Evan McCausland described the new AWD model’s snow handling prowess: Given the LS has always been the ultimate …

Kevin · March 25th, 2010

Motor Trend Comparison: Lexus IS 350C vs. BMW 335i vs. Audi A5 vs. Infiniti G37

Motor Trend has joined the recent spate of luxury convertible comparisons, pitting Audi, BMW, Lexus and Infiniti against one another in this March 2010 drop-top test. From their IS 350C review: If you’re in search of a hardtop cabrio as unfailingly civilized as high tea at Claridge’s Mayfair, stop right now. The Lexus IS 350 …

Kevin · March 24th, 2010

Top Gear’s Richard Hammond Reviews the Lexus LFA

In addition to his test drive of the Lexus LFA on Top Gear, Richard Hammond also recently wrote a review of the supercar for the British daily, the Mirror. It reads much like his on-air segment, singing praises of the LFA’s bespoke construction and exotic performance, while again resorting to hang-ups over the price and …

Kevin · March 23rd, 2010

Lexus RX 450h Service Appointment

Last week, right before my long-term Lexus RX 450h loaner was set to be returned to Lexus Canada, I had the opportunity to bring it to my local Lexus dealership, Performance Lexus in St. Catharines, Ontario, for its 8,000km oil change.

Kevin · March 17th, 2010

Inside Line Tests the Lexus GX 460

Edmunds Inside Line recently put the Lexus GX 460 to a full test, seeking to determine whether the mid-size luxury utility vehicle successfully combines off-roading prowess and multi-purpose convenience—first off, here’s their video feature: Much of the test is devoted to the GX 460’s technological and performance features, including: The GX 460’s optional Crawl Control …

Kevin · March 9th, 2010

Autoblog Reviews the Lexus GS 450h

Autoblog recently published a review of the Lexus GS 450h, detailing their impressions of the performance hybrid sedan. Along with favorable mentions for the silent electric mode capability and interior design, the review raved about the 340 hp V6 hybrid’s performance: The GS 450h is the world’s first performance luxury hybrid, and we loved its …

Kevin · March 7th, 2010

Road & Track Reviews the 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport

Road & Track has posted their driving impressions of the LS 460 Sport, which features a sport-tuned air suspension, Brembo brakes, and the Sport Direct Shift (SPDS) transmission from the IS-F, all intended to give the Lexus flagship a more performance-oriented demeanor: Seemingly small changes add up to big differences out on the road—especially if …

Kevin · March 1st, 2010

EVO Magazine Reviews the 2010 Lexus IS F

For 2010, the Lexus IS-F gained a Torsen Limited Slip Differential (LSD), and EVO magazine has put the revised model to a road test. The Torsen LSD helped shave 2 seconds off the IS-F’s track times at Fuji Speedway, and on UK roads, EVO seemed impressed with the results. Here’s how they described it: In …

Kevin · February 23rd, 2010

The Lexus GX 460 in Starfire Pearl

Couldn’t help but notice how great the Starfire Pearl Lexus GX 460 looks in these photos that were part of a (uniquely written) review in The Gulf News: While I’m partial to Starfire Pearl on almost every vehicle in the lineup, it really gives the GX some extra definition, especially in the side profile. Don’t …

Kevin · February 21st, 2010

On the Road with the Lexus LFA

We saw the video portion of Chris Harris’ Lexus LFA review for EVO Magazine, and now we have the written instalment as shared by Edmunds: The only engine as free-revving and responsive as this that we’ve ever experienced has been the Porsche Carrera GT’s 612-hp 5.7-liter V10. The resemblance is uncanny, from the heavy, lash-free …

Kevin · February 18th, 2010

Lexus LFA Video Review by EVO Magazine

Here’s a video review of the Lexus LFA by EVO Magazine’s Chris Harris : The video watches almost as a love letter to the LFA—some select quotes: “The fit and finish, and just the sheer levels of fetishism, that have been lavished on this interior, I think, know no equal. It’s just stunning. The materials …

Kevin · February 12th, 2010

Four Seasons Lexus IS F Review from Car Magazine

Car Magazine has just wrapped up its Four Seasons review of the Lexus IS-F, and like most of these long-term test drives, it’s interesting to see what the year brings (although it does sound like the author and the IS F fit together like a square peg in a round hole). Read this review

Kevin · February 4th, 2010

Lexus RX 450h Long Term Review: Week 5

I’m now halfway through my time with the 2010 Lexus RX 450h— after six weeks, the interior controls and options has become second nature, and that familiarity has increased my appreciation of the design decisions throughout the cabin, particularly with the steering wheel layout.

Kevin · January 26th, 2010

Ode to the Lexus SC 430

Here’s a fantastic article on Automobiles De Luxe praising the Lexus SC 430 and its “clean beauty”—author Gunnar Heinrich manages to capture the very thing that made the sports convertible special, no matter what its critics may say. Read this story

Kevin · January 25th, 2010

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