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2021 Lexus ES 250 AWD First Drive | Pick your first-world problem

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Looking at the 2021 Lexus ES sedan, one couldnÂ’t be faulted for thinking it unchanged from the previous model year. There is a significant new element, however, with Lexus offering an all-wheel-drive ES for the first time. The ES 250 AWD is a bone tossed to customers living in the Snow Belt, many of whom find the confidence of all-wheel drive an easier investment than a set of snow tires for their front-drive vehicle. With our first drive of the new AWD model, weÂ’d have the opportunity to take it on a long trip to Northern Michigan and, as luck would have it, a terrific storm was headed our way complete with snow and bone-chilling temperatures. Aside from pushing lateral grip and balance to its limits on a race track — and, really, who tracks their ES? — it seemed the perfect opportunity to test the ES lineupÂ’s newest improvement. The new feature comes with a caveat, though, which could be a deal-breaker for fans of the ES 350Â’s 3.5-liter V6: All-wheel drive can only be had in the also-new-for-2021 ES 250 designation, which indicates the sedanÂ’s naturally aspirated, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Unlike the I-4 in the ES 300h — ‘hÂ’ standing for ‘hybridÂ’ — the 250Â’s mill doesnÂ’t come linked to any electric motors. The engine and drivetrain go hand in hand. You can only get all-wheel drive with the I-4, and you can only get the non-hybrid four with all-wheel drive. Interestingly enough, the ES 250 AWD costs exactly as much as the V6-powered ES 350 in each of its trim levels. Both start at $41,025, and go up from there. If all that sounds familiar, perhaps it's because the mechanically related Toyota Avalon has the same price and drivetrain situation going on. It too is locked into the combinations of FWD/V6 and AWD/I-4, with equal price tags for both and for ultimately the same reason: the also-related Toyota Camry AWD. Because of the minuscule numbers the V6-powered Camry sells in, Toyota saw no need to invest in engineering the all-wheel-drive system to work with a V6. And since the lower-volume Avalon and Lexus ES are really only getting AWD because it can be essentially pulled off a shelf and plugged into the TNGA platform shared by all three, well, that's how you end up with this unusual ES 350 and ES 250 AWD situation. ES 250 AWD, left, ES 250 AWD F Sport, right   So what do the two extra driven wheels actually cost? Your soul? No, but close, depending on your priorities.

2018 Lexus LS First Drive | Luxury, performance and the puzzling parts

When one imagines the enormous executive sedan that might be driven by a wealthy lawyer or banker (or their chauffeur), the mind naturally goes to the Mercedes S-Class or the BMW 7-Series. Venerable, enormous and expensive. But for those wanting to keep their driveway a little more understated, we also have the Lexus LS. Sure, it's not as ostentatious as the big saloons from Munich and Stuttgart, but it has a dignified elegance all its own. For nearly three decades, the LS has been a discrete and dependable Japanese luxury sedan. The new 2018 LS, perhaps thankfully, is a bit less discrete. We saw the new-look LS when it was introduced earlier this year in Detroit. Now we know how it drives. We put the 2018 LS through its paces on the traffic-clogged streets of San Francisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge to the twisty B-roads around Marin County and the legendary Skywalker Ranch, where we stopped for lunch. Unfortunately, all in attendance were sworn to secrecy about the details of Skywalker Ranch, but we're free to tell you all about the LS. Here's our one-sentence summary, which can be used to describe many cars to bear the Lexus badge: It's excellent in many respects, odd in a few, and incredibly, massively frustrating in one very important area. Lexus has a brand new 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, a first for a premium passenger car. It produces 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, up from 386 hp and 367 lb-ft from the outgoing naturally aspirated 4.6-liter V8. Lexus engineers are extremely proud of the fuel efficiency of the new engine, which required some clever technical innovations (a longer bore stroke and increased valve angle) as well as tech borrowed from Formula One, including a "laser clad valve seat" that allows for a more direct flow of air into the combustion chamber and a high "tumble ratio." In other words, Lexus figured out how to get more bang out of each gasoline-powered buck. Fuel economy numbers are 19 city, 29 highway, and 23 combined for the RWD version and 18/27/21 for AWD, with the highway numbers particularly helped along by the 10-speed gearbox. It's a torque converter unit, but Lexus promises shift times that rival its dual-clutch-wielding competitors. The LS is no slouch, either. In RWD trim, the nearly 5,000-pound car hustles from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds, according to Lexus' reckoning.

10 electric cars we’re excited are coming soon

If you were considering buying an electric vehicle a couple years ago, we wouldn't fault you for thinking your options were limited, both in terms of quantity and quality. You just might not have been able to find an electric car that would suit your needs, lifestyle or budget. With the newest generation of EVs that have launched in the past year or two, your options have changed — and improved — dramatically. If you still don't see an EV you like, just wait a little while longer. It won't take long. There are a whole lot more on the horizon, and the problem may soon be in narrowing down your options. To give you an example, here are 10 electric vehicles we're excited about that you'll be able to buy very soon, from GM, from Germany, from Japan and more. Some of these will be available by the end of the year, and all are expected to launch by the end of 2023. The Chevy trio: 2024 Blazer EV, Equinox EV and Silverado EV GM is stepping into the future with strong footing. Following high-end electric launches from GMC (Hummer EV) and Cadillac (Lyriq), Chevrolet is bringing three electric vehicles with familiar nameplates. The 2024 Chevy Blazer EV (above left) will offer a number of versions, starting with the 2LT and RS trims in the summer of 2023, followed by the 557-horsepower SS in the fall and the base 1LT in early 2024. The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV (above right) will go on sale in fall 2023 as a limited-edition model, with volume sales ramping up in 2024, with a base cost of “around $30,000.” For those who prefer a bed to a liftgate, the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV is an electric pickup that looks more like the old Chevy Avalanche than the current Silverado. The WT (work truck) trim launches in fall 2023, while the 664-horsepower RST will follow in 2024. Read more: 5 new electric car companies coming in 2023 and beyond 2023 BMW i7 BMW revealed the all-electric 2023 i7 luxury sedan alongside the gas-powered 7 Series. It should go on sale before the end of 2022. The i7 xDrive60 will be the only variant, with its two motors providing a total of 536 horsepower and 549 pound-feet of torque, and its battery expected to offer a range of about 300 miles. Just like its internal combustion counterpart, this full-size sedan wonÂ’t come cheap, with the i7 starting at $120,295. 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Following the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 will be the fourth car using Hyundai GroupÂ’s E-GMP electric car architecture.