Life is full of surprises but few are as welcome as the Lexus ES300h Takumi saloon delivers. A larger successor introduced in 2019 to the Lexus GS series, it has the advanced petrol & electric powertrain developed by parent Toyota over some 25 years. The experience shows. While some car makers are only now coming to terms with hybrid power, Lexus has been setting the standard over three … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Lexus RX 450h Takumi
The Lexus brand came to SUV prominence in 1998, actually year 2000 in the UK with the introduction of the original RX as a luxury, comfortable easy to drive large SUV, writes David Miles. Now in its fourth generation spanning two decades the petrol-electric hybrid RX 450h 5-seater and RX L limousine style 6 or 7-seater premium large SUVs have received further improvements in specification, … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Lexus UX 250h Takumi E-four AWD
Lexus has shaken up the UK car market in every sector it’s entered and with the latest UX urban SUV its challenge intensifies, writes Robin Roberts. Intended as an introduction to the Lexus range, the UX is their first contemporary compact SUV with the urban driver in mind rather than the country living/ loving driver who needs a serious off-roader. That’s not underselling the Lexus UX as it is … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Lexus UX 250h
The new UX 250h petrol-electric hybrid urban SUV is described by Lexus as their ‘gateway’ model to their range of SUVs which already includes the well respected NX mid-sized models, the larger RX versions and the 7-seat RX L variants, writes David Miles. Lexus says UX stands for ‘urban explorer’ and they expect it to become their best selling SUV range attracting new customers to the … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Lexus ES 300h ES Takumi
The new seventh generation front wheel drive ES 300h self-charging petrol-electric hybrid D-segment executive class saloon is the first ES range ever to be sold in the UK and Western and Central Europe, writes David Miles. Although we are only just getting the ES, the original ES launched the Lexus brand in 1989 alongside the LS flagship saloon. The ES has become the brand’s most popular saloon … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Lexus RX450h
There are no shortage of SUVs, small, medium, large and very large, petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all electric are all available depending on the model and from ‘budget’ buys to ‘upper-class’ premium brands, all cashing in on the seemingly unstoppable public demand, writes David Miles. Sales of SUVs of all sizes now account for over 35% of the European new car market, a figure more … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Lexus CT200h Premium
The Lexus CT200h set the bar for the hybrid revolution in the compact premium sector when it arrived in 2011, and its raised its game still further with the latest version, writes Robin Roberts. Using the well-engineered powertrain from its sister company’s Toyota Prius introduced in 1997, the Lexus CT200h has been further retuned and it is and impressive combination of petrol and … [Read more...]
Contrasting SUVs compared
On a regular basis the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders get together the latest new models at one of their test days for accredited motoring journalists to briefly sample the latest new car offerings. At the most recent event, due to the fact that sales of SUVs of all sizes and prices are booming and accounting for one of every three new cars sold, I took the opportunity to … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Lexus CT200h Luxury
The Lexus CT200h is in its sixth year of production and for a final throw of the dice before its replaced it has some useful styling and equipment updates for the 2018 model year. The CT200h is the steppingstone model into the premium Lexus brand which celebrates its 30th anniversary next year of being introduced by Toyota. The CT200 range was a big move to providing a range of premium … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Lexus IS300h
The market for compact sports saloons is arguably one of the toughest and was dominated by the German brands, until the arrival of the ‘baby’ Lexus. That all changed in 1999 when the first petrol Lexus IS200 hit the road and we are now into the third generation offering the pure petrol IS200t, or as here, a hybrid petrol & electric powertrain in the IS300h. Using the parent Toyota company’s … [Read more...]
