2007 LEXUS ES 350 - $5350

Lexus Malaysia recently held the 12th edition of its Golf Invitational tournament where those that attended and participated in the 3-part tournament had fun on the green as well as receiving  first-class Lexus hospitality. It was held at the Palm Garden Golf Club, Tropicana Golf & Country Resort and the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club. Throughout the tournament, guests were pampered with

The 2018 Lexus ES 300h.

One of the hardest things to do is a smaller, reasonably-priced luxury car.  Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar...they've all had swings and misses on that score.  Arguably, the Lexus ES 300 originally fell into that category.  It was, largely, a Toyota Camry with richer-looking paint colors,  a leather interior and copious amounts of sound deadening insulation.

That changed five years ago, when the ES was moved to the Avalon platform and took advantage of the greater interior room to create a true luxury car.  We've been a fan ever since.  And of the available trims of the ES, our favorite is the ES 300h hybrid.

2018 Lexus ES 300h.

The price gap between a gasoline-powered ES 350 and the hybrid 300h is so small that the gas savings (40 city/39 highway for the hybrid compared to 21 city/31 highway for the gasoline version) will pay for the car in about two years. 

Beyond that, there's the excellence, comfort, quiet and luxury of the ES itself.  I really could picture owning one and making it the car I would drive for the rest of my life.

$41,820 is the base price for the ES 300h.  That includes a list of standard equipment so long that I'm just going to let Lexus tell you about it.

2018 Lexus ES 300h interior.

The interior ambiance is a bit more sporting than previous models, but there's nothing frantic about it. If you'd asked me in the glory days of Jaguar what their interiors would look like today, I'd have described something very similar to the ES 300h cockpit.

Our tester had about $8,000 worth of extra-cost options:

• Blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert ($500)
• Twin projector Bi-LED headlamps ($515)
• Navigation with Mark Levinson 15-speaker premium 835-watt surround sound audio system including the Lexus Enform app suite ($2,615)
• One-touch power trunk ($400)
• Intuitive parking assist ($500)
• Ultra Luxury package...Semi-aniline leather seats, heated and ventilated in the front,  wood trim, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, memory front seats, outside mirrors and steering wheel, remote keyless entry, power rear sunshade and manual rear door sunshades, power driver's seat cushion extender, ambient lighting, panoramic glass roof and power moonroof...($3,000)
• Heated wood and leather-trimmed steering wheel ($450).

The 2018 Lexus GX460.

It's been four years since our last week in a Lexus GX460.  So what's changed?  Virtually nothing.

And that's a good thing.

2018 Lexus GX460.

Some folks have been expressing worry about the future of the GX460.  It's been around, virtually unchanged (this year's big news is the Sport Design Package, more about which later),  since the 2010 model year (LED lights and the Lexus spindle grille were added in 2013). 

That's a long time without even a mid-cycle refresh.  And Lexus hasn't been publicly discussing a next-generation GX.  But our bet is that Lexus will keep making the GX460 because people keep buying them.  It is a solid, strong competitor to Land Rover's Discovery and Range Rover Sport, every bit as capable and luxurious and demonstrably more reliable.

2018 Lexus GX460 interior.

The GX460 is a body-on-frame, V8-powered, three-row SUV with full-time four-wheel drive and a Torsen limited-slip differential.  As David E. Davis, Junior once said, it'll climb a tree if you're brave enough.

The V8 is the long-serving 4.6-liter, 32-valve DOHC variable valve timing powerplant that's been under the hood for eight model years running.  EPA fuel economy estimate: 15 city/18 highway.

A base price of $63,230 gets you that as well as adaptive variable suspension, rear air suspension with automatic load leveling, a kinetic dynamic suspension system, 18-inch alloy wheels with mud and snow tires, anti-lock braking with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, vehicle stability and trailer sway control, ten airbags, the Lexus Enform Safety Connect app suite, smart access with pushbutton start and stop, a blind spot mirror with rear cross-traffic alert, backup camera, intuitive parking assist, navigation with an eight-inch touchscreen, voice command, a one-year trial subscription to Lexus Enform Destinations, a three-month subscription to SiriusXM Satellite Radio, semi-aniline leather-trimmed seats with memory, the front seats heated and ventilated and ten-way power adjustable, the second row heated.

There's also a heated mahogany wood steering wheel and shift knob, a three-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, a windshield de-icer, auto-dimming mirrors, Homelink, power folding mirrors, a power tilt/slide moonroof, automatic LED low-beam headlamps with washers, LED daytime running lights, LED foglamps and running boards (which my wide feet found too narrow to be useful---I had to step over them to get in and out).

That's a lot of SUV for $63,000.  Especially in a world where you can find less capable machines nudging $100,000.

Of course, our tester had options:

• Dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system with audio/video and HDMI inputs, a 12-volt outlet and wireless headphones: $1,970.
• The Sport Design Package (18-inch split-six-spoke alloy wheels with gunmetal metallic finish, heated second-row tilt and slide captain's chairs, unique lower grille front, and rear bumper spoilers, a chrome exhaust tip, chrome detail side mirrors and deep red taillights): $1,950.
• The Driver Support Package with Mark Levinson Audio (a pre-collision system with driver attention monitor, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, intelligent high-beam headlamps, wide-view front and side monitor, crawl control, and a Mark Levinson Premium surround-sound audio system): $4,340.
• F-Sport 18-inch alloy wheels: $1,499.
• Tow hitch with ball mount: $654.
• Carpeted cargo mat: $105.
• Glass breakage sensor: $329.

The 2018 Lexus LS 500 F SPORT.

It was a few days into the week that I had the all-new 2018 Lexus LS 500 F SPORT.  Mrs. TireKicker and I were walking back to the car in a parking lot, and about 50 paces away, I saw the entire car from the side for the first time.

"Damn", I said, "that is just gorgeous."   And Mrs. TireKicker agreed.

It is the second time in three months that Lexus has grabbed both of us by our sense of aesthetics.  Regular readers will recall our Thanksgiving week trip to Los Angeles in the 2018 Lexus LC 500h hybrid coupe...which we still want, $101,385 price tag be damned.   That review was entitled "Motivation", since I'd need (using my dad's formula of never buying a car that costs more than half your annual salary) to make $202,770 a year (minimum) to buy one.

2018 Lexus LS 500 F SPORT.

And the headline for this review is "More Motivation", because...you guessed it.  I now want two Lexuses...the coupe and the sedan.

By luxury car standards, the 2018 Lexus LS 500 F SPORT is, as big Lexuses have been since the beginning, reasonably priced.  The base price for the new LS 500 is $75,000.  In rear wheel drive F SPORT trim like our tester, it's $81,000. There's also an all-wheel drive version that starts at $84,220. You can't get Mercedes S-Classes or BMW 7-Series for that little money.  Base price for the Benz is $89,900, and the least-expensive 7-Series is $83,100.

Still, I only know one guy who went to the Lexus dealer and came home with two new cars.  It was 16 years ago.  One was the then-new LS, which he bought on my recommendation after two decades of owning Benz S-Classes, and the other was the then-new SC, which he bought on a whim for his wife when he saw it on the showroom floor.  He used to joke that I cost him $130,000, and I'd remind him that I only suggested $70,000 of that purchase and that, with a net worth well into nine figures, this was lunch money for him.

So what would this run me, you ask?  Well, we're at $81,000 base for the 2018 Lexus LS 500 F SPORT with all-wheel drive.  The F SPORT package brings with it a special F SPORT grille, aluminum gas and brake pedal, suede headliner, door scuff plate, an exclusive F SPORT moving gauge, and F SPORT seat and power cushion extender.

Under the hood, it's the same as non-F SPORT LS 500s, with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 replacing the previous generation's V8, making 416 horsepower with 442 pounds per foot of torque, mated to a ten-speed automatic transmission and getting an EPA estimate of 18 miles per gallon city and 27 highway.   Power is smooth, way more than adequate and effortless.  You won't miss the V8.

Our tester had the Circuit Red leather with Naguri aluminum trim, a no-cost option that absolutely brightens up the interior::

2018 Lexus LS 500 F SPORT interior.

Our tester also had a panoramic glass roof ($1,000), and the Mark Levinson 23-speaker, 2,400 watt (you read that right) QLI reference surround sound audio system ($1,940 and worth it).

With $995 delivery processing and handling fee, that gets us to $84,935. which means, according to my dad's formula, I'd need to be clearing $169,870 to afford it.  Add that to the $202,770 I'd need to justify the LC 500h, and my new goal is $372,640 a year.

Gotta go.  Lotta work to do.

The 2018 Lexus LC500h.

There are many cars that I can admire for their beauty alone.  Most are classics.  The first one I can remember is the original 1961 Jaguar E-Type.  My father pulled over on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood one evening so five-year-old me could press his nose against the glass of Hornburg Jaguar's showroom and marvel. 



I've appreciated cars since, but I haven't felt that sense of wonder until October, when I attended Western Automotive Journalists' annual Silicon Valley Re-invents The Wheel gathering, and this was parked out front.  I shared my visceral reaction with the world via Instagram:


Yeah, I know, in the picture, they're all looking at the donuts, but the car got some major attention too.

Oh, yeah...the car.  Still very rare on the street, even in Los Angeles.  So here's the scoop:

2018 Lexus LC 500h

The 2018 Lexus LC 500h is the hybrid version of Lexus' new sport coupe.  The purely gasoline-powered version is the LC 500.  It has a 471-horsepower V8 engine and starts at $92,000. 

In the hybrid, you give up significant power (the total system power is 354 horsepower), but you gain some environmental cred by polluting and consuming less.  The gasoline version has an EPA estimate of 16 miles per gallon city/29 highway.  The LC 500h bumps that up to 26/35.  And there's the priceless factor of watching people's reactions when you tell them this fantastic beast is a hybrid.

I say "priceless", and that's not exactly so.  There is a price.  The LC 500h is more expensive than the V8, starting at $96,510...but the difference in fuel economy is such that you'd likely save that much over the life of the car, if not the term of your loan.

2018 Lexus LC500h interior.

And in a way that only Lexus seems to get exactly right, the LC 500h blends beauty and practicality.

Unlike many exotics, which get driven only a couple of thousand miles a year, I'm betting LC 500h owners will drive their cars everywhere, every chance they get.  Besides being a Lexus, and thus utterly reliable, the car is supremely comfortable. 

We got caught in Sunday-after-Thanksgiving traffic coming back from L.A., which along with starting out with a scenic leg (up Highway 1 from Santa Monica to Ventura, then turning inland), turned a six-and-a-half hour drive into 11 hours.  And at no time were either of us uncomfortable or itching for a break from the car.  The seats are superb.  The climate control system knows exactly how much cold and warm air to blow.  The optional Mark Levinson Reference surround sound audio system is magnificent.  And the standard all-speed dynamic radar cruise control will maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you even at a crawl...all the way to a full stop...and will start moving again either automatically, or, in the case of a prolonged stop, at one flick of the speed control switch.

The $96,510 base price buys the hybrid powertrain, 20-inch, ten-spoke forged wheels with run-flat tires, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, all-speed dynamic radar cruise control, intelligent high-beam headlamps, lane keep assist with steering assist and lane departure alert, smart stop technology, triple-projector ultra-compact LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights, tire pressure monitor, a first aid kit, a tool kit, keyless entry with pushbutton start/stop, heated and ventilated ten-way leather trimmed power seats, electroluminescent gauges with shift indicator, oil temperature and a G-force meter, automatic dual-zone climate control with pollen filter, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, side view mirrors with defogger and memory, and inside auto-dimming electrochromic rearview mirror, a 12-speaker Lexus premium audio system, the Lexus Enform information and destination app suite, automatic sound levelizer, Bluetooth, dual USB jacks, Siri eyes-free, predictive traffic, a backup monitor with dynamic gridlines, a power tilt/telescope steering wheel with audio controls, memory and cruise control, and carpeted floor mats.

There's also Lexus Enform Safety Connect and Service Connect, which is free for the first ten years of ownership.  Because, let's face it....this car is a keeper.

As with all Lexuses, there were some options (though fewer because it's hard to upgrade what comes standard in the LC 500h).  In this case, an extra $1,000 for the Convenience Package, which is intuitive park assist and a blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert, $900 for a heads-up display, $1,790 for the Touring Package, which includes semi-aniline leather-trimmed front seats, an Alcantara headliner,  a 13-speaker, 915-watt Mark Levinson Reference surround sound audio system, $65 for a cargo net, $20 for a leather key glove (which wraps around the key fob since there is no actual key) and $105 for a carpeted trunk mat.

Add $995 for delivery, processing and handling and the bottom line is:

$101,385.

Those of you who read TireKicker regularly know I'm not an impractical man.  I appreciate many cars whose sticker prices stay well on this side of $40,000...even $30,000. 

But, like the 2017 Volvo S90 T6 Inscription that had me doing some serious "what-if" math....in fact, more than that Volvo....I want the Lexus LC 500h.  It spoiled me rotten in seven days.  By my Dad's formula of never buying a car that costs more than half your annual salary, that means I need to start clearing $202,770 a year.  Minimum.

It's not just a car. 

It's motivation.

The 2017 Lexus RC-F.

On the day the 2017 Lexus RC-F was delivered to my driveway, I walked out, saw it there, all menacing in black (Lexus calls the color "Caviar") and I said to Glenn, the delivery guy "...and then one morning, I wake up and I'm Batman".

Seriously.  This IS the Batmobile.  Okay, so I'm not Batman (tragically) nor is Mrs. TireKicker Robin (thankfully).

We did have an adventure planned.  One that didn't include crimefighting.  We were off in search of beauty unknown in Gotham City.  And, as regular readers know, for us, that usually involves a lot of twisty back roads.

Map of Folsom, CA to Oakhurst, CA (source: Google Maps)

Incredibly, for a kid raised 60 miles south of  Yosemite National Park's east gate, I had never been to Yosemite Valley.  Mom wouldn't drive Tioga Pass.  Here's why:

CA State Route 120, Tioga Pass in 1963.

That's Tioga Pass in the 1960s.  Someone (most likely my dad) drove Mom over that in the 1940s (when, if anything, it was worse) and from that point forward, Mom and Yosemite didn't happen.

Too bad, because, while there is some beautiful scenery up there on Tioga (Mrs. TireKicker, then known as "Navigator", and I drove it three-plus years ago), it's nothing compared to the Yosemite Valley.  And I still hadn't been there.

Tioga Pass is a much better road today, but I live on the west side of the Sierra now.  So it's an easy run.  About three hours and 15 minutes down historic CA 49, a quick jog onto CA 120 before it begins climbing and down into the valley from TireKicker World Headquarters in Folsom, California.  The map shows Oakhurst as our final destination because that's where we spent our nights, driving back in to the park for three days.

Highway 49 runs through California's historic Gold Country....it's 95 percent winding two-lane roads.  As is Highway 41 between Oakhurst and Yosemite Valley.  Exactly the right environment for the 2017 Lexus RC-F.

2017 Lexus RC-F.

The RC-F is a combination of old-school brute force and technological wizardry.   There's a 467-horsepower 5-liter V8 under the hood mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.  The suspension bits include an "F" spec double-wishbone front and multi-link rear, a TORSEN limited-slip differential and Brembo ventilated disc brakes with opposed aluminum calipers and high-friction pads. There's also a speed-activated rear spoiler to provide some nice rearward downforce on an otherwise nose-heavy (V8s aren't light) car.

2017 Lexus RC-F instrumentation.

It's all good stuff, but the real magic begins when you select the SPORT S drive mode.  SPORT S gets you more dynamic throttle response and tightens up the suspension.  The next step is the button marked "TVD" on the console.  That stands for Torque Vectoring Differential.  That distributes power between the inside and outside wheels of the car, which helps to rotate in the direction of a turn (TVD is optional).

There are three settings, Standard, Track and Slalom.  I chose Slalom for two reasons.  One: I suck on the track (something I found out first-hand at the 2016 Western Automotive Journalists Media Days at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca), and two, these roads really are a lot like slalom courses.

Understand:  There's nothing wrong with the RC-F before you select SPORT S or dial up "Slalom" on the TVD.  But do those two things, and it's like the car is reading the road.  The thing simply sticks like glue, responding to your inputs rightthissecond.

And, for such a powerful beast, the fuel economy isn't horrendous...an EPA-estimated 16 city/25 highway, which we fell a tiny bit short of at 22.5 mpg on the road.  But then, Highways 49 and 41 aren't a straight, flat stretch of interstate, either.

All this made getting there at least half the fun, but nothing can prepare the uninitiated for Yosemite.

Half Dome, Yosemite National Park.

I'm not going to get into a travel piece here.  Just go to Yosemite.  If you've never been, go.  If you've been, go.  Doesn't matter that the rainy season hasn't come and the falls are a trickle.  The photo above from a smart phone on a bridge while we were out for a walk. I'm Batman and Ansel Adams.  The place is just stunning.  See it as often as you can.  It is California at its most spectacular.

2017 Lexus RC-F.

Back to the car.  The 2017 Lexus RC-F starts at $64,165.   Besides what we've already mentioned, that includes LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights, Lexus Enform Safety Connect, tire pressure monitoring, smart key with pushbutton stop and start, NuLuxe-trimmed "F" spec sport seats with 10-way power adjustments up front, an electroluminescent gauge cluster that includes a G-force meter, dual-zone automatic climate control with pollen filter,  an "F" spec leather-trimmed steering wheel, auto-dimming electrochromic rearview mirror, a 10-speaker Lexus premium audio system, Bluetooth, USB, Siri Eyes Free, a backup monitor with dynamic guidelines, a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power windows and carpeted floor mats with the "F" logo.

That's a very complete car.  But it's a Lexus, and so there were options:

• 19-inch split ten-spoke forged alloy wheels (in place of the standard 19-inch five-spokes), $850.
• Premium triple-beam LED headlamps, $1,160.  My only beef:  They were aimed a shade too low for the dark woods at night.  The car also needs but doesn't have fog lamps.
• Leather-trimmed interior, $800.
• Navigation system with an upgraded 17-speaker, 835-watt Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system.  Worth every penny of $2,550.
• A performance package with carbon fiber roof, carbon rear wing and torque vectoring differential, $5,500 and worth it for the TVD alone.
• A premium package with heated and ventilated front seats with driver seat memory, carbon fiber interior trim, blind spot monitor with cross-traffic alert, intuitive park assist, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming mirrors with memory reverse tilt and steering wheel memory, $3,240.
• Pre-collision system with radar cruise control, $500.
• Illuminated door sills, $449.
• Trunk mat, $105.

With delivery, processing and handling fee, the bottom line wound up at $80,314.  Yes, that's a lot of money.  But Bruce Wayne paid more for his.  And it's ugly.

2017 Lexus NX 200t F SPORT.

In this third model year of the Lexus NX series, it is without question a success.  Sales are good, outpacing those of direct competitors like the BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA-Class.   In fact, the NX has sold nearly as many copies this year as BMW has the midsize X3.  It is only a couple of thousand sales away from the bread-and-butter BMW 3-series.

2017 Lexus NX 200t.

Wisely, Lexus has left well enough alone this year, the changes limited to a few new colors, a tire and wheel option and an upgrade to the navigation system.  There's also been a $220 boost to the base price of the NX 200t F SPORT compared to the one we drove and loved in 2016.  It is now $37,185.

As before, the NX 200t F SPORT has a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 235 horsepower.  Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, the EPA fuel economy average is 22 city/28 highway.  17-inch aluminum wheels are standard, as is drive mode select, a location-specific tire pressure monitoring system (pressures can vary by altitude---Ed.), anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, LED low-beam headlamps with halogen high beams, door handle courtesy lamps, a backup camera, smart stop technology, a theft-deterrent system, hill-start assist control, smart access with pushbutton start, the Lexus Enform infotainment app suite, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, an eight-speaker Lexus audio system with HD Radio, iTunes tagging, real-time traffic and weather, a ten-way power driver's seat, an eight-way power front passenger seat, manual tilt/telescoping steering column, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a sport-tuned suspension, F SPORT NuLuxe seats, metallic sport trim, perforated leather-trimmed F SPORT steering wheel and paddle shifters, cornering front fog and driving lamps, LED daytime running lights, F SPORT door scuff plates, active sound control and, because it's an F SPORT, an automatic upgrade to 18-inch F SPORT wheels.

2017 Lexus NX 200t F SPORT interior.

It's absolutely a complete package, but our test vehicle came with another $7,500 plus worth of options:

• Qi-compatible wireless charger (iPhones are not Qi-compatible---Ed.). $220.
• F SPORT Comfort Package (Memory, a power tilt/telescoping steering column, a power ten-way driver's seat, manual folding heated outside mirrors with reverse tilt). $565.
• Electrochromic inside rearview mirror and Homelink garage door opener. $125.
• 18-inch F SPORT wheels with summer tires. $75.
• Heated front seats. $440.
• LED headlamps without auto high beams. $1,160.
• Navigation package including remote touch interface and a 10-speaker premium sound system. $500.
• Intuitive parking assist. $500.
• Power back door. $400.
• Premium paint (Ultrasonic Blue Mica) $595.
• Power tilt and slide moonroof. $1,100.
• Mudguards. $155.
• Illuminated door sills. $459.
• Cargo mat. $99.

With $975 delivery processing and handling fee, the as-tested price came to $45,718.   More lavishly equipped than the 2016 we drove, it also came to a couple of thousand dollars more.  But the price is in range for well-equipped luxury small SUVs.  And Lexus has a winner here.

The 2017 Lexus IS 200t F SPORT.

Publisher's note:  Normally, the cars you read about here at TireKicker are loaned to us by the press fleets of the various manufacturers for several days.  Seven is typical.  Occasionally, we'll get a longer period of time, and sometimes it'll only be three or four days.  Our "30 Minutes With" series are cars that we spent half an hour behind the wheel of during the just-concluded Western Automotive Journalists Media Days in Monterey, California.

Day one of Media Days is a driving program, with journalists taking cars from the staging area at Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca via Laureles Grade.  Once there, you swap cars with another journalist for the drive back, and then swap cars again once back at the Quail. Apart from an hour's lunch, this is your day from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Each run is about half an hour, and driving 10 to 12 cars back-to-back-to-back gives you interesting points of reference about the next one.

My fourth car of the day was one the Phoenix Bureau liked a lot when they reviewed it at the beginning of last year...the Lexus IS 200t.

Quail Lodge to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca via Laureles Grade (courtesy Google Maps).

Laureles Grade is about five and a half miles of non-stop twists and turns between Carmel Valley Road and CA 68, and thus perfect for a pack of automotive journalists and some high-grade machinery.

2017 Lexus IS 200t F SPORT.

The IS has been around a few years in both IS 250 and IS 350 guise.  So what's the 200t about?  Well, it replaces the 250 (and the 350 is now the 300), replacing the 204-horsepower 2.5-liter V6, which, like all Lexus engines was creamy smooth, but which was a bit down on power compared to the competition, with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four.

The upsides are many, not least of all an increase of 37 horsepower and a whole lot more torque.  Plus, fuel economy improves to 22 city/33 highway, because the change in the engine room also involves deep-sixing a six-speed automatic in favor of an eight-speed unit.

In this case, less is definitely more, as the IS 200t felt awake and alive carving up the five-and-a-half miles of Laureles Grade.  Less weight over the nose, better balance and a more responsive throttle are all things that get noticed quickly on this drive.

2017 Lexus IS 200t interior.

Unchanged is the IS interior, which in absolute terms is no problem, since there's not a thing wrong with it...but it is beginning to feel just a bit dated.  A few of the elements are starting to look every bit of the four model years old that they are (the grade and shading of the plastic bits and the audio system are the obvious weak points).  A thorough refresh could do wonders.

As with all the cars at Media Days, we weren't given a window sticker, so pricing is a rough guess based on Lexus' "build it" feature on their website and immediately obvious options.   Base price for the IS 200t F SPORT is $41,370.  There's an instantaneous mandatory option of the blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert that adds $600, and they put the $995 delivery processing and handling fee in at this point, too...so we're at $42,965.

Add $1,735 for navigation, and frankly, I can't prove the car had anything else.  So we're at $44,700.  And that's pretty much the sweet spot for this segment with a 2-liter turbo.  If you're of the belief that Lexuses (Lexii?) aren't serious road cars and are just sensory deprivation tanks with whipped cream in the shock absorbers, you need to update your playbook.  Start with a test drive on the next best thing to Laureles Grade you can find.

The 2017 Lexus GS200t.

Lexus is by no means a bargain-basement brand.  But for the second time in just under two years, I find myself reviewing a Lexus GS with a lower price tag.  Then, it was a $2,195 price reduction on the GS350 F-SPORT from 2014 to 2015.  This time, changes come with the price adjustment, because this is an entirely new GS variant.

2017 Lexus GS200t.

The GS has traditionally been powered either by a six-cylinder---the GS350---or an eight-cylinder---the GS-F---engine.  But as automakers strive to meet impending CAFE, Corporate Average Fuel Economy, standards, the solution has been a smaller engine.

Generally, the standard is a 2.0-liter four cylinder, turbocharged.  And that is what the Lexus GS200t brings. 241 horsepower, 258 pounds per foot of torque.  With an eight-speed automatic transmission, the combination is good for 0-60 times in the mid-6-second range, which keeps it competitive with other sport/luxury sedans also using 2-liter turbos.  Fuel economy improves to an EPA-estimated 22 city/32 highway.

2017 Lexus GS200t interior.

Where the Lexus GS200t has it all over its largely German competition is in luxury, quiet, refinement and reliablity.  All of those are hallmarks of the GS sedans, and the change in powerplants changes none of that.  But it does lower the base price.  The GS200t starts at $46,310, with 17-inch alloy wheels, a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, a backup camera, the Lexus Safety System suite, perforated leather trim, a power tilt and telescopic steering column that tilts away from the driver when the engine is shut off, pushbutton start, a moonroof, auto-dimming inside and outside mirrors, dual-zone climate control, and a premium audio system all standard.

As usual with Lexus, there were extra-cost options on our test vehicle:

• 18-inch alloy wheels with summer tires ($905).
• An even more premium Mark Levinnson 835-watt, 17-speaker surround sound audio system ($1,380).
• Navigation with a 12-inch screen, voice command, the Lexus Enform app suite and a single-disc CD player ($1,730).  
• Intuitive park assist ($500).

2016 Lexus NX300h: fast take Lexus takes its initial shot at a compact hybrid crossoverHIGHLIGHTS Auto News: This car's nose dominates the outside. Lexus calls it the spindle grille. On the lexus NX300h compact crossovers it comes across as dramatic, very cool, bold, ridiculous and silly, all quickly. In different words, polarizing. individuals either adore it or hate it. I will say the styling

The 2017 Lexus ES 300h.

Less than a month ago, I wrote that the 2017 Lexus ES350 was "the unassailable choice"...one of a handful of cars that there is no plausible downside to buying.  The hybrid version of the ES350, the ES 300h---yes, there is a space between "ES" and "300h", where there is none in the "ES350"---is the same car with the added benefits of lower emissions and higher fuel economy estimates, without the financial penalty that often comes with hybrid ownership.

2017 Lexus ES 300h.

I have written about this before---in last year's review of the 2016 ES 300h.  The difference in price between the ES350 and the ES 300h is so small---$2,920---and the difference in fuel economy so great---an EPA-estimated 40 city/39 highway for the ES 300h versus 21 city/30 highway for the gasoline-powered ES350---that, according to the fueleconomy.gov hybrid savings calculator,  the fuel savings will pay for the difference in 5.4 years.

A seven-year break-even is more typical.  Some, like the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, will take more than 11 years to pay for the extra cost of the hybrid.

2017 Lexus ES 300h interior.

Apart from the expected Lexus list of standard features, our test vehicle had optional equipment:

• Blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert ($500)
• LED low/bi-LED headlamps ($515)
• Navigation with upgraded Mark Levinson premium audio and Lexus Enform app suite ($2,500)
• One-touch power trunk ($400)
• Intuitive parking assist ($500)
• Ultra Luxury Package with wood trim interior, driver and passenger memory seats, heated and ventilated front seats, power rear and manual door sunshades, driver seat power cushion extender, ambient lighting, power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, panorama glass roof and power moonroof ($3,000)
• Heated wood and leather-trimmed steering wheel ($450)

The 2017 Lexus GX460.

Yes, the old phrase is "leaving well enough alone".  But where "well enough" doesn't describe the Lexus GX460, "excellence" does.

2017 Lexus GX460.

Our Publisher and Executive Editor has had the last couple of turns in a GX460,  the most recent being about two years ago, in a 2015 model.  His observations stand.

The Lexus GX460 is, along with its big brother, the LX570, which we reviewed just two weeks ago, one of a handful of truly capable luxury SUVs.  One size smaller than the LX, its competition is the Land Rover Discovery and the Mercedes-Benz GLE, both newer, more efficient---the 301-horsepower, V8-powered GX460 has an EPA fuel economy estimate of just 15 city/18 highway---designs.

2017 Lexus GX460 interior.

There is something to be said for those machines, and 2017 is the fourth model year of the GX460 without much in the way of major changes---the center stack of the instrument panel is beginning to look like a relic of a different age---but let's stop and consider Lexus' trump card, its unassailable reputation for quality and reliability.  That alone will keep the GX460 on customers' lists until an all-new one is ready.

Our test vehicle had a base price of $62,980 and a staggering list of standard features.  There were, as usual, options:

• A dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system with audio/video and HDMI inputs, a 12-volt power outlet and wireless headphones ($1,970)
• The Sport Design package---18-inch split six-spoke alloy wheels with gunmetal metallic finish, unique lower grille surround, unique front lip garnish, contoured side mirror covers with chrome, rear valance, deep red taillight graphic and chrome exhaust tips ($1,625)
• The Driver Support package---Mark Levinson audio system, pre-collision system with driver attention monitor, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, intelligent high-beam headlights, wide-view front and side monitor and crawl control ($4,340)

The 2017 Lexus LX570.

The Dow Jones cracked 19,000 just before Thanksgiving.  Gasoline---at least here in Phoenix---is $1.90 or so a gallon. Those are ideal conditions for the people who are the intended buyers of the Lexus LX570.

2017 Lexus LX570.

As has been said many times during the eight-plus years of TireKicker's existence, most recently in our review of the 2015 Lexus LX570,  there are really only four major players in the large luxury SUV field...Range Rover, the Mercedes-Benz GL, the Cadillac Escalade and the Lexus LX570. Of the other three, only the Range Rover has the go-anywhere credentials of the LX570, which is, at its heart, a Toyota Land Cruiser.  And if utter reliability is any factor in the decision, the Lexus becomes a category of one.

What's changed?  The styling is more aggressive, following the rest of the Lexus lineup with now-exaggerated spindle grilles and "Angry Birds" taillamps.   The powertrain is the same, a 383-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 with a six-speed automatic transmission and an EPA fuel economy estimate of 13 city/18 highway...hence the reference to low gasoline prices at the beginning of this review.

2017 Lexus LX570 interior.

And the instrument panel and steering wheel are new---less blocky and truck-like---with a much larger and more attractive wide-screen for the navigation and other functions in the middle and at the top of the dashboard.

The price has changed, too.  The 2015 model we tested had a base price of $82,930.   For 2017, it's $89,380.  That is a huge leap, but the intended buyers in this category are not shopping for price.  All it needs to be is in the same ballpark as the competition, and up against Range Rover, Mercedes GL and Escalade, this is right there.

For that money, you get a huge list of standard amenities.  But, as usual in high-end vehicles in general and Lexuses (Lexii?) in particular, there's always more in the way of extra-cost options. Our test vehicle had:

• Wireless phone charger ($75)
• Cool box---a refrigerated center console ($150)
• Heads-up display ($900)
• Luxury Package---semi-aniline leather-trimmed interior with contrast stitching, heated/ventilated front seats with second row heated seats, SmartAccess card key ($1,190)
• Mark Levinson Audio System---19-speaker reference surround sound with DVD Audio and DVD video playback ($2,350)
• Dual-screen DVD rear entertainment system with wireless headphones and AV inputs ($2,005)
• Heated dark walnut wood steering wheel ($150)