Lexus Sedan Range

Apart from the obvious requirement to change to 17-inch wheels as well as your chosen tyre, there are legalities to be considered here, and they can vary from State to Territory, so you need to check with your local authorities before committing to any change like this. However, broadly speaking, you can increase your wheel size by up to two inches, provided you don’t throw your speedometer out in the process. You also need to stay within a certain percentage of the car’s original rolling circumference (the distance the tyre travels in one revolution) to remain legal. And there are the practical issues such as tyre-to-bodywork clearance.

However, on the surface the swap you’ve nominated should be legal and practical. The 2000 Lexus LS400 originally came with a 225 60/16 wheel and tyre, so your preferred option only increases wheel diameter by one inch. Also, by fitting a 55-series tyre, you’ve reduced the sidewall height (from the standard 60-series tyre) so the rolling resistance of your new combination will be less than one per cent larger, so shouldn’t create any legal or clearance hassles. Just be sure to let your insurance company know you’ve made the change. Be sure to check the accuracy of your speedometer after the change, too. A GPS speedo app on your phone is the easiest way to do this.

Big Lexuses, like a lot of high-end luxury cars, have a habit of depreciating quickly, making them great second-hand buys. Like any complex vehicle, of course, there’s plenty to go wrong, although Lexus electronics seem a lot better than a lot of the competition’s.

As for the battery packs, it’s conceivable that a 2008 model LS400h could be getting to the point where it’s battery pack does, indeed, require replacement. But having talked to a few limousine operators who run hybrid Lexus cars, some of them rack up huge distances on the original batteries.

In any case, hybrid cars are now beginning to land in recycling yards faster than their batteries are wearing out, so there’s a relatively good supply of second-hand battery packs if the worst comes to the worst. There’s no hard and fast rule for the lifespan of the batteries in a Lexus, so the best bet is to have the car inspected carefully before committing to the purchase. The money spent on an inspection might be a really, really good investment.

The world of hybrids is moving very fast, Hannah, and the rule of thumb is that newer is better purely because the technology is improving all the time. You’re obviously concerned with running costs and your carbon-footprint, so the latest hybrid technology with a full factory warranty would seem to be an obvious way to go.

That puts the new Corolla Hybrid firmly in the frame as both a car with the latest planet-saving and life-saving tech as well as Toyota’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty as well as a ten-year warranty on the hybrid’s batteries. For some reason, Lexus hasn’t budged on its four-year warranty, meaning that a 2017 CT200h might only have a few months of factory cover to run if your bought it now. You’ll also potentially pay more for the second-hand Lexus than you will for the brand-new Corolla.

The only real drawback with the Corolla Hybrid is that its luggage space – because of the battery-packs – is quite shallow. But beyond that it’s a great car with the hybrid driveline thrown in for just a couple of grand extra. That’s a bargain and it’s one of the reasons the new Corolla will be a lot of Australian families’ first hybrid.