2005 Lexus IS Reviews

ANCAP has released a raft of new scores for eight new models which have landed in Australia this year, with some notable new entrants falling short of the maximum five-star rating.

Toyota’s luxury arm Lexus is preparing its newest road racer.

Lexus has announced the first ever hybrid powertrain for its LX SUV model, providing a glimpse into the future of what to expect for a future hybrid-powered LandCruiser 300 Series.

Smack-bang in the middle of the GX range is the Overtrail, which lists at $122,250, and is designed to be the most off-road-focused model of the range.

The Sports Luxury is the most expensive GX, at $128,200, before on-roads, and it gets 22-inch wheels, adaptive suspension, better lighting and a fixed glass roof with a sun shade.Inside, there’s a 21-speaker Mark Levinson stereo, leather seats with a massage function for the front row and a digital rear-view mirror, amongst other added goodies. The big question with seven-seaters is how much room you have in the back, and the GX is pretty generous. I had plenty of room for my 175cm frame behind the driver’s seat, and climbing into the back was relatively easy, too.The middle-row seats collapse and fold out of the way, meaning you can climb into the third row without too much grunting. And once there, you’ll find room for adults along with two of the five USB connection points dotted around the cabin.Every GX scores a very punchy 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, along with a 10-speed automatic that feeds the power to all four wheels. The engine produces 260kW and 650Nm, and it feels plenty sprightly.

Lexus is know for a lot of things in Australia, but being tough off road isn't one of them. When it came to the rough stuff, Lexus largely left it up to Toyota. But the Lexus GX changes that. The premium version of the very tough Toyota LandCruiser Prado, the GX promises to do all its sibling can, only wearing fancier clothes while doing it.

The entry-level Lexus GX, the 550 Luxury, lists at $116,000, before on-road costs. Now be warned, according to Toyota’s website, that translates to more like $128,000 drive-away (in NSW). It’s also a long way above the entry-level Toyota Prado, the GX, which lists at $72,500, before on-roads.But something, something, something, ‘premium’, I guess. And besides, you do get a whole lot of stuff — and a whole lot of engine — for your money. The entry-level GX nabs 20-inch alloys with a full-size spare, LED lighting all around (including DRLs and fog lights), front and rear scuff plates, roof rails and a powered tailgate hinged at the top, rather than the side.Inside, there’s seating for seven, all wrapped in synthetic leather, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated window seats in the second row. There's also three-zone climate, a 14-inch central screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 10-speaker stereo, a 12-3-inch driver screen, a head-up display and wireless device charging.You also get to choose from exactly one engine option. Every GX scores a very punchy 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, along with a 10-speed automatic that feeds the power to all four wheels.The engine produces 260kW and 650Nm, and it feels sprightly. I don’t have a zero to 100km/h time for you, but if you’re trying to break the land-speed record in a car this big, well, maybe don’t.

Lexus says it has finally found the means for it to rival German brands like Porsche and BMW when it comes to engaging driving dynamics.

Plans for a new V8-powered Lexus supercar appear to be well underway.

Can you hear what’s coming over the horizon? Probably not, because it’s a swathe of near-silent Electric Vehicles (EVs), set to supersede the bog-standard gas-guzzling Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) car within the next decade or two.