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Lexus NX Luggage Test: How much cargo space?

According to the specs, the new Lexus NX has 22.7 cubic-feet of cargo space behind its raised back seat. That is considerably less than the mechanically related Toyota RAV4 (37.5 cubic-feet) and Toyota Venza (28.8 cubic-feet). It's also less than several of its compact luxury SUV competitors. However, the shape of its cargo area, a clever cargo cover and the added versatility of under-floor storage make it one of the best cargo areas in the segment in terms of usability.  It's also important to note that there are four versions available, all with their own powertrain: the NX 250 (shown here) has a naturally aspirated four-cylinder shared with the RAV4; the NX 350h with the same hybrid powertrain as the Venza and RAV4 Hybrid; the unique turbocharged NX 350; and the NX 450h plug-in hybrid that's very similar to the RAV4 Prime. Despite these different powertrains, and the need to store the hybrids' batteries somewhere, I am told by Lexus that their cargo areas are equal. That includes the sizable under-floor storage area you'll see shortly.  Here's the cargo area. As you can see, it has a large cargo cover that's fairly distinctive. Rather than a long, large cartridge with a cover that rolls out, or a solid rigid panel, this one features a mesh fabric supported by a metal frame that folds in half. This design would make it easier to store than either of the other designs (be it inside or outside the vehicle), but Lexus goes a step further on this front. The under-floor storage area was thoughtfully designed specifically to accommodate this cargo cover. This is a rare feature in a compact SUV. It means you shouldn't have to worry about getting stuck with the cargo cover when you need every square-centimeter of space available.  There's also plenty of storage space without that cover. In fact, the main bin is big enough to swallow the Luggage Test fancy bag. Also storing the cargo cover would've been iffy, but this is nevertheless impressive. The Acura RDX is the only other compact luxury SUV to offer such a space and it makes a difference.  Now, onto the other bags. As in every luggage test I do, I use two midsize roller suitcases that would need to be checked in at the airport (26 inches long, 16 wide, 11 deep), two roll-aboard suitcases that just barely fit in the overhead (24L x 15W x 10D), and one smaller roll-aboard that fits easily (23L x 15W x 10D). I also include my wife's fancy overnight bag just to spruce things up a bit (21L x 12W x 12D).

Toyota, Lexus recall 460,000 vehicles for stability control issue

Toyota and its luxury subsidiary, Lexus, are recalling 460,000 electrified models produced for the 2020-2022 model years to address an issue that can cause the vehicles' stability control systems not to activate on startup. If you drive a new Toyota or Lexus and it has at least one electric motor in it (or it's the new LX 600), there's a better-than-even chance you'll be hearing from your dealer in the coming months. The good news for owners is that the issue is one of compliance, rather than something which may immediately endanger a vehicle occupant.  "A software error can cause the Vehicle Stability Control system (VSC) not to default to ON the next time the car is started under certain circumstances. This can result in a noncompliance with applicable regulations in the U.S," Toyota said in its announcement. "For all involved vehicles, Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software of the Skid Control ECU free of charge to customers." Included in the campaign are the 2020-2022 Toyota Venza, Mirai, RAV4 Hybrid, RAV4 Prime, Sienna Hybrid, and Highlander Hybrid. On the Lexus side, it hits the LS500h, LX600, NX350h and NX450h+. Notably absent here are the Tundra-based trucks with the new iForce Max hybrid, though Toyota may have addressed the issue in those models before they went on sale. On the other side of the coin, the LX 600 — a purely ICE model for the time being — managed to stumble into the defect pool.  Toyota says owners should receive notices before the end of June. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Recalls Lexus Toyota Safety Luxury

Anything but boring | 2018 Lexus LC 500 First Drive

This is it, the headliner, the main event. After years of Lexus promising to make less-boring cars and instead giving us countless spindle-grille facelifts, the 2018 LC 500 is here as the brand's new North Star. It's the official halo to mark where Toyota's luxury brand is headed. This is the car that we hope can bring an end to the relentless mentions of boring cars - which are themselves needlessly boring. And besides, "not boring" is a terrible metric for evaluation. What Lexus is really trying to do is give its cars some spirit, to transcend the paint-by-numbers stereotype that made this brand the luxury juggernaut it is today. By that yardstick, the LC 500 is a success simply based on how it looks. It's beautiful in a way that we couldn't predict from the 2012 LF-LC concept that foreshadowed it. The kind of beauty where instead of reflexively grabbing your phone to take a picture, you just stand there and keep looking. And pictures don't do this car justice, anyway. They soften the edges and reduce the massive draw of the wide shoulders. In person, looking straight at the LC, the car looks like it's 80 percent hood. In the rest of the lineup, the trademark Lexus grille's execution ranges from caricature (RC) to botched nose job (LX). Here it pulls everything together. From every other angle, the LC has some feature that seems excessive – in the best way possible. The proportions of the LC give off a distinctively functional vibe, and it's genuine. That hood is so long because the 5.0-liter V8's center of mass sits three and a half inches behind the front axle. The extra space up front is mostly empty - Lexus uses high-strength steel cross-braces to shore up torsional rigidity instead of adding structure ahead of the front wheels, and the battery sits under the trunk floor. For all the visual excitement, the LC is still a conventional vehicle. Aside from some advancements in the LC 500h's hybrid powertain, the innovation here is of the iterative type. It's interesting, in that Lexus is betting on emotional appeal and driving character at a time when the future relevance of both is up for debate. If anything, the LC is a car for the current automotive world, not the one to come. And despite extensive use of aluminum and sheet-molded carbon, the LC 500 weighs in at a hefty 4,280 pounds. That's right in line with the BMW 6 Series and a good deal below the Batali-esque Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe's 4,700 pounds.