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2022 Lexus NX First Drive Review | Believe us, it really is all new

The 2022 Lexus NX is at once a safe evolution of the product it replaces and a significant redesign with long-lasting implications. Its dimensions and styling are so similar to the outgoing NX that you'd be forgiven for thinking it's merely a mid-cycle refresh, but indeed, it's a ground-up re-do based on new underpinnings. Sure, they're shared with every front-wheel-drive Toyota group product introduced in the past four years, but then, that's part of the "safe evolution" bit.  Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with such an approach to a new model. Although the NX has never been considered a class leader since it was introduced for 2015, it nevertheless enjoyed strong sales – you know, just like the Lexus ES, RX and name-a-Toyota – vehicles that car enthusiasts might scoff at but everyone else appreciates for their build quality, dependability, resale value and general competence.  Although, if we're talking competence, it's at least worth pointing out one element of the Lexus formula that all those loyal buyers have somehow been putting up with: the Remote Touch tech interface and the infernal touchpad that's been in use, with a few exceptions, in every Lexus since it debuted in Â… that's right, the original NX. And here's where the long-lasting implications of the all-new 2022 NX come in: Remote Touch is gone and in its place the new "Human Machine Interface" touchscreen infotainment system will be making its way through the brand. This is a very big deal, because it means a very real and annoying reason for not buying a Lexus is about to go away Â… and isn't present at all in the new NX.  That said, the new touchscreen not only represents the most important change and improvement to the NX, but the most significant missed opportunity. WeÂ’ll cover that in-depth in a followup infotainment review, but in short, the system thinks too highly of voice commands and could really use the ability to show multiple sources of information at once. Otherwise, the two available touchscreens (a base 9.6-inch unit and a 14-inch widescreen upgrade) feature a UI that's quicker, prettier and easier to use. I was able to jump into the new NX and quickly figure it all out, which definitely can't be said of other luxury systems that continue to perplex after multiple uses, including MercedesÂ’ MBUX and Remote Touch. Those trims with the 14-inch screen also pair with a unique set of steering wheel buttons.

Lexus LS mid-cycle refresh to restore V8-powered LS 600h hybrid?

When Lexus launched the fifth-generation LS at the end of 2017, the Japanese luxury maker predicted its once-brand-defining sedan would sell 12,000 units per year in the U.S., a threshold the model hadn't reached since 2010. The LS managed 9,301 transactions here in 2018, its first full year on sale, falling back to 5,528 units in 2019. Through the first three coronavirus-affected months of this year, Lexus dealers have sold 801 LS sedans, compared to 1,404 units in Q1 2019. There's a mid-cycle refresh supposedly due for release in the fall of 2021, and the June issue of Japanese magazine Mag-X (translated), via Lexus Enthusiast, claims we're due for a couple of big surprises that could jolt the sales figures. The first shock is that Lexus is supposedly bringing back the LS 600h moniker for an LS with a V8 hybrid powertrain.  Lexus debuted the LS 600h L in 2007 for the 2008 model year, retiring the hybrid trim in 2016. Its heart was a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8, and when combined with an electric motor, combined output came to 439 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. The fifth generation introduced the LS 500h that switched to a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6, producing a combined 354 hp and 369 lb-ft., taking second place in output to the twin-turbo V6 in the non-hybrid LS 500 with 416 hp and 442 lb-ft. If Lexus were to double back to a V8 after experimenting with a V6 hybrid for four years, some question which V8 would get the nod. The old V8, codenamed 2UR-FSE and still in use in the Lexus LC as the 2UR-GSE, dates back 14 years and is scheduled to retire in two years when the LC-F introduces Lexus' new twin-turbo V8. According to leaked dealer information, that's the same year Toyota and Lexus will stop offering V8 engines in any model with an MSRP under $90,000. Toyota has shied away from turbocharged hybrids, but the next-generation Tundra could change that if rumors of the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 i-Force Max engine come true. A twin-turbo V8 LS hybrid would rocket the model back to the top of the range in performance and price, and we could see it breaking the "F" seal on the LS lineup, since it would run counter to everything the German competitors are doing with their standard flagship sedans. Or Lexus could remove the turbos for a better compromise of potency and frugality.

8 excellent minivans you can't buy in the United States

Americans have fallen out of love with minivans. For some reason, a super-practical, multi-seat vehicle that can haul almost anyone and anything is less popular than giant SUVs that make it difficult to access the third row. The rest of the world hasn’t forgotten the minivanÂ’s virtues, and many well-known automakers offer a whole rainbow of family carriers, some of which offer clever camping and luxury features. Here are some forbidden-fruit vans we canÂ’t buy in the United States. Toyota Noah/Voxy The Toyota Noah and Voxy have been around since the early 2000s and sit below the Alphard (more on that below) in the automakerÂ’s van line. ToyotaÂ’s sales model in Japan seems complicated from the outside, as the company sells different vehicles at different types of dealerships. The Noah was originally sold at ToyotaÂ’s Corolla Stores before the automaker shifted its model to the van in all locations in 2020. Now in their fourth generation, the van twins offer unique family-friendly features like a step system and use ToyotaÂ’s latest hybrid system. Toyota Alphard The Toyota Alphard is a stately minivan sold in several countries and regions, including Bangladesh, China and the Middle East. ItÂ’s now in its third generation and features Lexus-like styling with a massive cabin. The Alphard is available with several powertrain options, including some it shares with Lexus and other Toyota models, including the ES 350 and Highlander. Toyota equips the Alphard with several advanced safety features, and the van can comfortably carry up to eight people. That said, the Alphard is more expensive than many of its rivals in the markets where itÂ’s sold, so people may consider other options. Mitsubishi Delica If youÂ’ve spent any time in the automotive corners of social media, youÂ’ve seen a Delica. TheyÂ’re everywhere now, as Americans figure out that a small, light van with real ground clearance and four-wheel drive is a great thing. Mitsubishi has made different vehicles under the Delica name, including a truck and a kei car, but the minivan is the one most of us recognize. The Delica entered its fifth generation way back in 2007 and got a facelift in 2019. ItÂ’s still available with four-wheel drive, though Mitsubishi also sells a front-drive version. TodayÂ’s van is light years away from the classic models we can import here and features a massive grille with unique front lighting fixtures.