2004 Lexus Gs on 2040-cars

Auto blog

A car writer's year in new vehicles [w/video]

Christmas is only a week away. The New Year is just around the corner. As 2014 draws to a close, I'm not the only one taking stock of the year that's we're almost shut of. Depending on who you are or what you do, the end of the year can bring to mind tax bills, school semesters or scheduling dental appointments. For me, for the last eight or nine years, at least a small part of this transitory time is occupied with recalling the cars I've driven over the preceding 12 months. Since I started writing about and reviewing cars in 2006, I've done an uneven job of tracking every vehicle I've been in, each year. Last year I made a resolution to be better about it, and the result is a spreadsheet with model names, dates, notes and some basic facts and figures. Armed with this basic data and a yen for year-end stories, I figured it would be interesting to parse the figures and quantify my year in cars in a way I'd never done before. The results are, well, they're a little bizarre, honestly. And I think they'll affect how I approach this gig in 2015. {C} My tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015 it'll be as high as 73. Let me give you a tiny bit of background about how automotive journalists typically get cars to test. There are basically two pools of vehicles I drive on a regular basis: media fleet vehicles and those available on "first drive" programs. The latter group is pretty self-explanatory. Journalists are gathered in one location (sometimes local, sometimes far-flung) with a new model(s), there's usually a day of driving, then we report back to you with our impressions. Media fleet vehicles are different. These are distributed to publications and individual journalists far and wide, and the test period goes from a few days to a week or more. Whereas first drives almost always result in a piece of review content, fleet loans only sometimes do. Other times they serve to give context about brands, segments, technology and the like, to editors and writers. So, adding up the loans I've had out of the press fleet and things I've driven at events, my tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015, it'll be as high as 73. At one of the buff books like Car and Driver or Motor Trend, reviewers might rotate through five cars a week, or more. I know that number sounds high, but as best I can tell, it's pretty average for the full-time professionals in this business.

2023 Lexus NX gets slight price increase across the board

Launched for 2022, the second-generation Lexus NX enters its second model year on the market with small price increases across the board. The company's popular mid-range crossover remains available in several variants, including a pair of hybrid models. Pricing for the 2023 NX starts at $39,755 including a $1,150 destination charge. That figure corresponds to the front-wheel-drive NX 250 model. In comparison, the 2022 NX 250 started at $39,500 including the same destination charge. Pricing for the full range is as follows: NX 250 front-wheel-drive: $39,755 ($255 more than in 2022) NX 250 all-wheel-drive: $41,355 ($255 more than in 2022) NX 350: $43,515 ($415 more than in 2022) NX 350h: $43,105 ($405 more than in 2022) NX 450h+: $57,705 ($405 more than in 2022) Lexus is not making any significant changes to the NX for the 2023 model year. The crossover comes standard with a 9.8-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite of electronic driving aids, which bundles features like Risk Avoidance Emergency Steer Assist and Left Turn Oncoming Vehicle Detection/Braking. The list of options includes what Lexus calls "nature-inspired Thematic Ambient Illumination," Black Prism interior trim, and a panoramic moonroof. Buyers who select the NX 350 can also order the F Sport Handling package that adds the Active Variable Suspension (AVS) system, front and rear performance dampers, 20-inch wheels painted in gloss black, and an array of specific trim inside and out. Dealers across the nation will begin receiving the 2023 Lexus NX in the coming weeks. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lexus RX L coming to L.A. with 3 rows of seats

It's been nearly a year and a half since we heard Lexus would introduce a three-row RX crossover, and now it's finally materializing. The crossover will make its debut at the L.A. Auto Show with the name of RX L. Lexus will offer it with two different powertrains and individual designations for each. The basic version is the RX 350L, which we presume will use the same 3.5-liter V6 with 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque as the two-row model. The other is a hybrid called the RX 450hL. We also expect this to use the same 308-horsepower hybrid powertrain as the short RX hybrid. Toyota hasn't revealed any other details about the crossover aside from the teaser photo shown above. The full reveal happens on November 29, when we should have more photos and information. This bigger RX is an important vehicle for Lexus, too. Currently, the only way to get a Lexus with three rows of seats is to get a GX 460 or LX 570. Both of these are based on traditional, body-on-frame, V8-powered SUVs, the Land Cruiser Prado and Land Cruiser respectively. As such, they could be a turn-off for someone that wants the car-like driving and better fuel economy of the RX, but needs that extra level of practicality. The RX L bridges that gap, and could be a big sales success for the brand. Related Video: Image Credit: Lexus LA Auto Show Lexus Crossover SUV Hybrid Luxury lexus rx 2017 LA Auto Show lexus rx450h