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All the latest breaking news on the automaker Lexus. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on Lexus.

  • CAR REVIEW |Lexus RX-L Takumi 

    CAR REVIEW |Lexus RX-L Takumi 

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Lexus is a brand synonymous with luxury automobiles. They are the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota.  

    The Lexus brand originated in 1983 and has been making luxurious and outstanding cars ever since. 

    ‘We design to provoke, with bravery, courage, and confidence. We ignore the thinking of the crowd, always exploring new concepts, new outcomes, and new ways to express ourselves.’ 

    I recently had the opportunity to try the new Lexus RX-L for a week. RX-L is their first seven-seat model in Europe. It’s an SUV with a focus on luxury. The Lexus RX-L is an elegant and spacious seven-seat SUV, engineered to make sure every passenger is pampered and protected. The build quality is excellent with top quality materials used throughout and fit and finish that most manufacturers can only dream of. 

    RX-L is a luxury SUV with the added benefit of being a Hybrid.  

    If you don’t currently drive a hybrid and haven’t owned one before, they’re very simple. The RX-L doesn’t need to be plugged in, it is self-charging. You just drive it like you would any other automatic. There are 4 driving modes that you can select; 

    • EV – encourages the car to be powered solely by the battery when city driving 
    • Eco – evens out harsh accelerator inputs and reduces the output of the climate control system 
    • Normal – the default drive setting for everyday motoring 
    • Sport – draws additional power from the battery to help boost acceleration. 

    At low speeds, in town for example, the car will run on silent electric power alone, only using its petrol engine when you call for more power or if the stored battery power is used. The CVT automatic gearbox (continuously variable transmission) is smooth and seamless. Altogether, this makes the RX-L very pleasant to drive.  

    The Lexus RX 450hL has a 3.5-litre direct-injection V6 petrol engine producing 259bhp at 6,000 rpm and 335Nm of torque at 4,600rpm. There is also a small additional boost from the electric motors which pushes the total output of the hybrid powertrain (engine and electric motors combined) to 308bhp.  

    The RX 450hL features the sophisticated Lexus proactive E-Four all-wheel-drive system. This means that in normal use, the RX-L is rear wheel drive to save energy. When required, the all-wheel-drive system transfers power to all wheels as needed. There is also a regenerative element to the system, so under braking or deceleration, the car generates electricity. 

    Takumi specification RX-L’s are fitted with adaptive variable suspension (AVS). 

    This system controls the damping force of each shock absorber in response to road surface conditions and driver inputs. For example, on a rough road, AVS instantly switches to a more compliant setting to maintain ride comfort. When cornering, the damping force firms up to help reduce body roll. It rides very well as a result but you wouldn’t call it sporty. 

    RX-L is based on the RX. Lexus have cleverly extended the rear section of the body by 110mm to create room for 2 additional seats. This has been achieved with no compromise in comfort for the other occupants. There’s tri-zone climate control and a console with two cup holders and air conditioning controls for the 2 rear seats.  

    Accessing the rear seats is simple. A one-touch lever tilts the seatback forward and slides the seat smoothly forward.  

    Semi-aniline leather upholstery is standard throughout and the front seats are heated and ventilated, 10-way electrically adjustable with memory function including 4-way lumbar support.  

    The steering wheel is heated and there are front and rear USB chargers and a wireless phone charger. 

    Infotainment is taken care of through a 12.3” touchscreen multimedia display with Lexus navigation. Music comes through the 15 speaker Mark Levinson® surround sound system. For me, one of the coolest features about the system is that the audio system has neat, machined aluminium knobs.  

    I really liked the colour head-up display (HUD) which projects information onto the base of the windscreen in your eye line, about adaptive cruise control status, speed limits and pre-collision system warnings.  

    As we know, Lexus makes incredibly safe cars and the RX-L is no exception. To support this, there is a suite of safety and driver aids.  

    Lexus Safety System+ is a multi-feature, integrated safety package that delivers exceptional levels of active safety and driver assistance to help prevent accidents. There are several elements to the Safety System+; 

    • Pre-Collision System. Uses a front-mounted camera and radar to detect vehicles and pedestrians. It warns of danger, adds braking force if needed and ultimately can brake autonomously if it needs to. 
    • Dynamic Radar Cruise Control helps the driver maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front. 
    • Lane Keep Assist (LKA). 
    • 3-Eye LED Headlamps with Automatic High Beam, Adaptive High-beam System for headlights and LED Cornering Lamps. 
    • Road Sign Assist system reads the road signs. 
    • 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor through cameras helps with parking. 

    And more…… 

    High quality, soft, semi-aniline leather upholstery covers seats, doors and centre consoles, excellent quality soft-touch plastics top the dash making the interior a luxurious and extremely pleasant place to be.  

    Styling is divisive. It’s bold and unique but it has its critics. I liked it. I wasn’t convinced at first, but I really like how Lexus has been brave enough to style something distinctive and immediately recognisable as a Lexus.  

    To summarise, this is a great car. It’s luxurious, practical, relatively economical and easy to live with.  

    It’s not sporty but that suited me.  

    Fuel Combined WLTP (mpg)34.4 – 34.4 

    CO2 Combined (g/km) 138 

    5 years/60,000 mile cover for both hybrid battery and other hybrid components. 

    3 years/60,000 miles manufacturer’s warranty. 

    RX-L from – £54,145.00 otr 

    RX-L Takumi £62,000 otr 

  • The Gay UK Motoring Honours List 2020

    The Gay UK Motoring Honours List 2020

    2019 was a busy year for us at THEGAYUK motoring section and I’d like to thank all the manufacturers and PRs who helped make it possible. We could not do this without their continued support. 

    It was easy to pick my joker card for the car I’d have if I had the funds this year. It will comes as a surprise but I’ll explain why later. The number 2 position proved far more difficult for me to select. There were many cars to choose from with a few manufacturers making it more difficult because they had more than 1 in the firing line. You couldn’t see the carpet in the library for all the pictures.  In the end I settled it over a vodka based cocktail and a blast of Mel and Kim F.L.M.

    So let’s start with The Gay UK’s New Years Honours list.

    3 Citroen Berlingo £24,925

    It had to happen and I’m sure you all expected this so don’t start rolling your eyes at me for this. Simply put, there isn’t a vehicle out there that can match the Berlingo for space and comfort for 5 or 7 with the extra length model at this price.

    That space also has added visibility to swallowing huge loads and the low boot lip is a boon over an equivalent SUV. There is a compromise with the Berlingo and that comes from its van origins. You can’t escape these and it shows in the handling. Not that you’d think this was a problem judging by how fast you see the van piloted around. 

    Add it all together and it makes for a satisfying long distance cruiser that can also become everything you can think it could and it will. 

    2 Lexus LC500 £87,885

    This was the tricky one and in the end, I wanted to feel a million dollars without actually having to fork out a million. 

    V8 5 litre petrol power, growling exhaust, the ability to cruise in comfort and its looks are what those on the outside will see. Those fortunate to see inside will be well placed in a cockpit meticulously put together by Lexus Takumi masters.  

    A large small volume coupe is a difficult car to make and manufacturers have to go all out like Audi and new comers Polestar and they then also charge you a fortune for it. 

    Here the Lexus LC500 manages it so well and despite it costing almost £88,000, it is great value without the cost cutting compromise. It would be so easy for Lexus to fit switchgear from its parent company and it hasn’t.

    The extra cost option that comes with the Lexus as standard is that people will let you out in traffic. You can’t put a price on that.

    1 Suzuki Jimny £19,149

    The Suzuki caused a bit of a riot and ruined my otherwise planned honours list. Arriving as it did at the end of 2019, I didn’t expect to be sitting here, just after I’d written awful things about its flaws saying that it’s my number 1 choice for 2020. But there we go, nowt queer as a gay motoring journalist!

    And why? Its possesses human qualities that make the Jimny almost become anthropomorphic. You can’t help but melt at its cute looks and this makes you talk to it. You are never alone in a journey in a Jimny.   

    It never lied either at what it was and with that, it never pretended to be anything other than an honest little workhorse that would give you all it can and then some to get you were you needed to go.

    It’s the classic Grant Mitchell look. Heavily flawed with good intentions but cover him in the right clothes and he’s a winner.   

    If It Was My Money

    My must have is the Jaguar F Pace SVR. It only had one competitor with us this year and that was from Alfa Romeo. While the Stelvio Quadrifoglio was a mighty beast to drive, it was on the go all the time. And when it wasn’t, the cockpit quality let it down. This made the F Pace SVR all the better. To use both cars gung-ho powers all the time isn’t possible. About 80% of your time would be just normal driving and it’s that 20% of wild fun that gets over thrown by a cockpit and luxury feel that won the day. 

    And let’s not think the F Pace SVR is all about looks. What it lacked over the Stelvio in power prowess, it more than made up for it with being an absolute scream to drive at its limit and then beyond when the screaming gets louder. 

    Stuart

    xx 

  • CAR REVIEW | Lexus LC500; big, striking and value for money

    CAR REVIEW | Lexus LC500; big, striking and value for money

    ★★★★ | Lexus LC500, Lexus Coast to Coast Cruiser

    The Car

    What’s limited to 168mph, does 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, feels like nothing from its sister company and available at a rather affordable OTR price of £87,885? I’m talking about the Lexus LC500.

    The LC500, a 2+2 coupe, is the flagship model from Lexus. From a company that celebrates its 30th year in 2019, it seems quite a nice way to join the party and be given the keys to this. Lexus, sort of, came from nowhere. A subsidiary company with humble groundings, they set out to take on the finest from Europe. There was talk that they couldn’t do it. There was laughter from the power houses in mainland Europe. The laughter stopped. Now they are back with another attempt at making a luxury grand tourer.

    When I say back I am of course referring to the original 2001-2010 SC300/400 model. A luxury 2+2 with a retractable roof. It had the luxury appointments fit for a Lexus but sadly failed as a grand tourer. Fit for the time, it wasn’t able to take on Europe. The SC was a Boulevard cruiser of American tastes.

    With parent company pioneers in the field of hybrid drive systems, it’s pretty much impossible to find anything on their press fleet that doesn’t have that set up so I was pleasantly surprised and somewhat excited to be pointed into the direction of the all petrol LC500. And what a petrol model it is too. A normally aspirated 5 litre V8 packing 458bhp through a 10 speed automatic gearbox to the rear wheels. This has 4 valves per cylinder, 4 high lifting cams, VVT-i and VVT-ie and a redline at 7300rpm. On paper alone, this has almost super car potential. 

    Add that power to the striking looks that turn as many heads as the super powers from Stuttgart, Ingolstadt and Sant’Agata Bolognese and you’re rubbing shoulders in some high class company. But does the LC500 really have what it takes to mix with this crowd or is it an outsider?

    Playing to the Crowd

    It’s a bit yes and a bit no. I’ll start with the negatives first because there are plenty of positives. The handling is a mix of comfort and grand tourer. With 21” alloys, it’s surprisingly good in the comfort area but as an all-out sports car it isn’t quite good enough and belies its super car looks.

    Its mix of settings from comfort to sport are deceptive and not clearly different. On the one hand, the LC500 and all its power will cosset you on the motorways or entertain you on the fast B roads. Just be careful down those narrower lanes because the LC is wide at almost 2 metres!

    That cosseting comfort comes from the quietness of the V8 up front. Depending on how you feel, it can either be quiet and subdued or vocal but never brash. And that vocalisation doesn’t really alter when you select the drive modes, eco, comfort, normal, sport and sport +.

    Try using it as an all-out gung-ho sports car and until you switch the traction off (it never truly turns off) it will satisfy. Pulling away with a howl from the V8 engine and some kick out from the rear. The limited slip differential curtailing wheel spin from the loosest wheel. But you won’t use it like this all the time, it just doesn’t engage in this kind of behaviour. And that’s down to the many good things Lexus has bestowed upon it in terms of luxury.

    The 10 speed auto box changes gears with frightening smoothness and yet you are never left wondering if the gear selected is the correct one. Easy to use paddles allow quick up and down changes and considering its 399 Ib/ft of torque under 5000rpm, using the paddles allows blasts of power to be released quickly. And thankfully they do come quickly because the gearbox (in most modes) tends to keep the engines relaxed at under 2000. 

    That’s not really a hardship when the power surge is lag free thanks mainly to being normally aspirated. Where the LC500 does excel is being just that little it fun and cheeky. The limited slip differential does its job well in reducing spin from the wheel with the least grip but that doesn’t stop it from spinning the wheels when the throttle is pressed hard. And all this for a car that indicated 18-28mpg. Not bad in my book for such a large engine.

    There Are Some Problems

    If there are niggles to be picked at they are purely aesthetically challenging ones and I’m not talking about the design. While the angular grill looks somewhat a bit too much on the long faced SUV range, on the LC it looks just fine. What throws your eyes are the gaudy textured chrome plastic surrounds on the rear lights. It really doesn’t need to be there. 

    Likewise, carbon fibre and faux carbon fibre used on the door kick plates doesn’t suit the car in its application here. Yes the roof is carbon fibre and I’m OK with that, but not on the inside. Thankfully once you shut the door, you no longer see it. 

    I like the infotainment system. It contains everything you’ll need and responds quickly. Thankfully it does because it’s all controlled via a finger pad in the centre console. Where it falters is even on the less sensitive setting, it’s just too sensitive and wrong things were selected. 

    Paying Attention

    I’m happy to say that the interior is well laid out and the controls ergonomically placed and nicely weighted. There is incredible attention to detail in the fit and finish inside. It’s actually above and beyond anything Lexus has made in the past. The skills and fastidiousness of the Takumi master craftsmen is evident in the cabin even down to the often difficult to cover sharp angles on the door cards. It’s not often apparent unless you go looking for it. Textures and stitch work are seamless.  

    Night time comfort is exceptional. Complimented by footwell illuminations and lighting effects near the clock on the dashboard, the white neons running through a sculptured curve in the doors heighten a sense of luxury for those up front. Those in the rear are less well catered for. The seats, while generous in the ample size of the seat squab, are somewhat hampered by headroom or rather the lack of it for anyone over 5 foot tall. You do feel that the rear seat might have been better removed and the ample 197 litre sized boot space increased.

    There is a lot to like about the LC500. It’s big, it’s striking, it’s expensive but affordable. As a GT it makes such beautiful sense. I’ll leave you with the words of Miki Matsaburu who sums up the car in one of her songs, it’s so creamy.

    Love

    Serenity of the cabin

    Comfortable ride 

    Striking looks

    Loathe

    Rear seat room

    Drive modes difficult to differentiate in normal driving conditions

    Infotainment control pad over sensitive

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Lexus LC500 Sport + Pack

    Price – £87,885 (as tested)

    MPG – From 24.4 mpg

    Power – 458bhp

    0-62mph –  4.7 seconds

    Top Speed –  168 mph

    Co2 – 265 (g/km)

    (C) All Pictures Stuart M Bird

  • CAR REVIEW | Lexus NX h Sport

    There was much excitement at THEGAYUK headquarters with the arrival of the new Lexus NX. A car I had been looking forward to reviewing ever since I had a play in the bigger RX.

    CREDIT: Lexus

    The adverts interspersed in between my favourite Channel 4 drama, Humans further heightened thus feeling. Sadly like a domestic synth, it left me feeling a little cold.

    Dynamically it is a marvel. A true powerhouse of an SUV this time living up to the Sport in the title. You can hustle it along the road and it will reward you with as much grip as you could wish for in an SUV while also remaining poised and neutral. Unlike the bigger RX, the NX doesn’t lean into corners. Sitting high up it also didn’t throw you off your senses. I was sure all SUV’s should be like this or so I thought.

    The steering was nicely weighted. When overriding the CVT gearbox with manual inputs the gear changes were smooth. Only when pressed hard, the CVT gearbox would show its one true weakness inherent in these systems and that was high revs, a lot of noise and a sense of not a lot happening propulsion-wise. That said, most of the time the intrusion was minimal because it got to where you needed it to very quickly.

    Speaking of quickly it belies its 0-60 time of 9.2 seconds. Pulling out in traffic it could be frighteningly rapid with wheel spin curtailed by the traction control system. The accelerator pedal did exactly what you wanted it to.

    However, there are faults aplenty in this £34,000 machine. For a start, the spec sheet looks a little lame compared to the bigger RX model and others within this SUV segment.

    There were no parking sensors fitted.

    CREDIT: Lexus

    For something so big, so premium and with many gadgets, the lack of these is a fundamental flaw. Having them as an added accessory for £800 was a bit of an insult.

    That said, they are well worth it, if a little expensive. The front and rear extremities are very difficult to judge. While you should be able to park a car you own, the sensors do make it a touch easier. The reverse camera helps but it doesn’t show where the bulbous curves of the rear wheel arches are in the dark.

    It was delivered to me with just 40 miles on the clock. It was at 70 miles old that I almost added the first dent while reversing into my drive!

    There is also the absence of the Lexus touch and that is the retracting steering wheel. Many Lexus models I have tried over the years have had this. It is a bit gimmicky I know but I look at it as a Lexus signature piece. It’s a bit like the electric windows that slow just moments before they shut to reduce noise.

    These add up to make a Lexus more than a dressed up Toyota.

    Living with the NX is a bit hit and miss too. The boot is a good size. Very easy to load things into and all the space is available. However, the rear door doesn’t rise high enough for me. That was the miss. Or not as it proved when I clonked my head against it.

    The hit is that it is quite a vehicle. Over its RX sibling, the NX can be hustled around with great ease. The road manners retain a squat feel when hard cornering or taking S bends at rapid speed. It shouldn’t really feel like it should behave in this kind of way.

    CREDIT: Lexus

    Four up and in a hurry, no one said slow down. The only thing that lets it down when going fast is that CVT gearbox. It doesn’t really make the best of the engine’s torque. Revs stay high up at and the engine screams. It doesn’t pay to keep your foot planted into the carpet if it isn’t necessary. The engine is too vocal without sounding sexy. The V6 of the RX is far better.

    Again this gearbox system, that I am not a real fan of, ruins the fine ambience of luxury. Thankfully you can override the gearing and I found selecting 4th, 5th and 6th gear made it far more pleasurable to the ears while not leaving it vulnerable when pulling out in city traffic and rush hour madness to getting in the way of other traffic.

    The hybrid system on the NX is in keeping with the Lexus brand and used as a supplementary system only using it for brief periods or in slow traffic. Most of the time it goes into petrol mode. This didn’t really damage the impressive fuel figures Lexus state or what were achievable in the real world.

    The fit and finish in the NX are above and beyond what you would expect. It was all nicely wrapped up and made to make you feel like you have spent your money wisely. I just can’t get over the missing pieces in the spec sheet.

    It all adds up to an expensive car. As a proposition, I have to say that for the money the more expensive Audi Q7 is far better value even without the bonus of a hybrid system. It has more kit on it. And at £17000 less than the Lexus RX450h I tested.

    I am inclined to say beg steal or borrow the extra and buy the RX. And then there is Toyota’s C-HR that is some £5k cheaper. Now that is a strong contender to consider even if it is in a class lower. It’s where I would be looking.

    Love
    Finish
    Comfort
    Ergonomics

    Loathe
    Cost
    CVT gearbox
    Lack of equipment

    The Lowdown
    Car – Lexus NX300 h Sport
    Price – £34,640 (as tested)
    MPG – 54.3mpg (combined)
    Power – 115bhp @ 5700rpm petrol (bhp 197 for electric motors)
    0-62mph – 9.2 seconds
    Top Speed – 112 mph
    Co2 – 121(g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Lexus RX450h F Sport

    ★★★★ | Lexus RX450h F Sport

    For sometime Lexus have been a bit off the mark. The posher brand of Toyota just never managed to make the grade. Their products were too much Toyota. There was nothing special about them. Take the last generation of RX. A competent car in the making with a striking look but let down by an interior no different to a Yaris.

    It’s quite an astounding thing then the new Lexus RX450h. It may have taken them 27 years but finally, they seem to be moving the brand above and beyond parent company Toyota. The inside is special. It feels like a quality product. The fit of the interior has always been one of the key elements of a Lexus. It’s just that they then forgot to add the other elements to make it special. Imagine a Jägerbomb without the Jägermeister. You are left with a plain old energy drink. Gets to the point but that is it.

    Now you get what you should for £53,640 of your hard earned cash. The RX cossets you in grand luxury. The seats are some of the finest I have ever come across. They heat or cool or a bit of both. Set to auto and they will soothe you in a fuss-free way in addition to the climate control making it all very relaxing. Just pay attention when grabbing your phone from the charging area under the dashboard that you don’t catch the button. I did just this and all of sudden the seat was at full heat and that is a lot of heat.

    It was easy to live with. Something I did scoff at when I read the spec sheet was the all-round electric windows that slow down just before they close to reduce noise. Turns out this is no gimmick. It really does work.

    What didn’t quite work for me was the control button on the centre console for the infotainment system. The haptic feedback force is adjustable in 5 increments. It needs 10. On the lowest, it is quite uncontrollable unless you are a whizz playing platform games on the PlayStation. Five was ok but sometimes it was still too loose in my left hand. The infotainment system was easy to use allowing for easy access to the satnav, hi-fi, car info and all manner of settings. The screen is also large. And as if that wasn’t enough you could scroll through options that allowed you to change items displayed on the facia panel. You were always kept up to speed with the Lexus. It told you everything.

    On the RX I can’t quite work out if I liked the CVT (Continuously variable transmission) or not. What that means is that the gearbox is matched to the engine speed. Great in principle when connected to a hybrid system that cuts in and out without any fuss, it’s just that when pressed hard it sounded like you were slipping the clutch of a manual car. It does have a fine override system though where you can change up or down. Quite advanced for a CVT.

    Sound deadening is exceptional in the RX and the V6 24 valve double overhead cam engine sounded great only if you had the windows open. The payoff wasn’t too much of a hardship for most of the time it was all inaudible. That in itself is a great attribute in a hybrid. The quietness adds serenity to the journey. There was next to no noise from the wide tyres fitted emitted into the cabin on any surface.

    Manual inputs into the gearbox amazed me. I hadn’t expected it to be so smooth or adjustable. That gearbox can also take a damn good kicking. The RX won’t sit around idle for long. Unable to actually time it I can vouch that it is indeed quite rapid in its acceleration. What greatly helps this is the impressive figures. The petrol engine alone makes 259bhp at 6000rpm. With the assistance of the electric motors, it adds up to 308bhp and gives an impressive 7.7 seconds 0-60mph time.

    What I have briefly mentioned so far is that this Lexus is a Hybrid. It’s basically a petrol car that has some assistance from electric motors. It works well in as much as the motors assist the petrol engine in forward propulsion. You could select electric vehicle mode for up to about 30 MPH which was great in stop-start traffic. Over that speed and the system wanted to jump into petrol mode. I couldn’t quite get my head around the battery life. In EV mode it felt it would deplete the battery quickly. Full battery recharge was quickly achieved with little thought about it.

    I’ve not avoided the looks on purpose. It is striking and it was the first thing I was greeted with on first acquaintance. The RX is more than looks alone. The exaggerated family grill makes it look like an angry Darth Vader mask and that is no bad thing. These days when you are paying this sort of money for a car you want it to be striking. The design language is exactly that. It hits you head on. Side on. Rear end. You’ll also find yourself hitting your head on the C-pillar of the rear door when grabbing things from the rear seat. The angle is so sharp it caught me out once or twice.

    I have to say I didn’t push the RX around too much. To me, it just isn’t a gun-ho car. It is so much more than that. That said I wasn’t easy on the go peddle. With my heavy right foot I could average 37 – 41 miles to the gallon. The ride was supple over most surfaces. The payoff for this is a bit too much body roll. Due to the high seating position, it felt more exaggerated than it actually was. Overall the driving experience was nice. It has loads of equipment that was easy to use further adding to the luxury feel that Lexus are finally achieving.

    I liked the RX450h more than I thought I would. I’ve a few niggles that I’d like sorted before I went out to buy one but in this sector, you could do a lot worse for the money. It has plenty of kit and it’s a Lexus that now makes you feel special.

    Love

    Serenity
    Comfort
    Equipment

    Loathe

    Haptic feedback of control button
    Satnav dark colours at night
    Auto boot resistance heavy if caught under it

    The Lowdown
    Car – Lexus RX450h F Sport
    Price – £53,640 (as tested)
    MPG – 51.4 (combined)
    Power – 259 bhp @ 6000 rpm petrol (335 bhp @ 4600 rpm electric)
    0-62mph – 7.7 seconds
    Top Speed – 124 mph
    Co2 – 127 (g/km)