2003 Lexus Es300 Base Sedan 4-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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Lexus, Mazda win KBB 5-Year Cost To Own Awards

We focus a lot on what new cars are like to drive, but it's difficult on a one-week loan to really get a sense of what a car is like to live with. Sure, we try to recreate that sense with our long-term vehicles, but even after a year, it's impossible to know fully learn about a car, particularly in terms of reliability and cost of repairs. For 2014 model year vehicles, Kelley Blue Book has put together a list of the most affordable vehicles over a five-year period.
At the tippy top of the list are Mazda and Lexus, with the Zoom-Zoom automaker winning the award for best non-luxury brand. Lexus, meanwhile, was the most affordable luxury marque over a five-year period. It's interesting to note, though, that not a single Mazda won its segment in this year's awards.
General Motors did quite well, taking eight segments, including both the subcompact and plug-in segments, with the gas-powered Chevrolet Spark and Spark EV. The Chevy Camaro SS and ZL1 took the high-performance car award. Toyota was well represented, with five winners split between the main brand (Corolla, Prius C and Tacoma) and Lexus (LS and RX).

Lexus IS F avoids cancellation, priced from $63,350*

Ever since the redesigned Lexus IS hit the scene, we've been wondering about the 416-horsepower IS F model, and now we finally have some answers. For 2014, the IS F carries over with the previous bodystyle, and Lexus gives its sport sedan some small changes to go with a higher starting price of $63,350 (*not including $910 for destination) when it goes on sale in October. Compared to the 2013 model (shown above), the price has risen by $1,600.
For that extra money, buyers will get a couple styling changes like the new carbon fiber decklid spoiler and LED fog lights, as well as some minor interior updates like headrests embossed with the "F" logo, Alcantara trim added to the door panels and center console cover, semi-aniline leather replacing the black leather and black Alcantara seat-inserts added to cars equipped with the red leather seats.
The price hike for the IS F is considerably higher than the rest of the 2014 IS lineup such as the $885 increase for the new IS250 and the $855 drop for the IS350 while pricing for both IS Convertible models (IS250C and IS350C) went up by $100 each. Speaking of price increases, Lexus has also increased its destination charge slightly from $895 up to $910.

Lexus reveals production RC coupe en route to Tokyo

Feast your eyes, ladies and gentlemen, on the new Lexus RC coupe. With the exception of the six-figure LFA supercar, it's the first stand-alone two-door model to come from Toyota's premium brand since the demise of the SC, and it's coming to the Tokyo Motor Show later this month.
With unmistakably Japanese styling, the Lexus RC is clearly inspired by the LF-CC and LF-LC concepts, and features the brand's signature spindle grille. Anyone who's been inside a contemporary Lexus should feel right at home inside the four-seat cabin, where the Japanese automaker has fitted ambient lighting that glows upwards instead of down, coupled with a new Remote Touch Interface.
Lexus has already announced two versions of the coupe: the conventional RC350 with a 3.5-liter gasoline engine and the RC300h with a 2.5-liter hybrid setup. It's all packed into a form that, for comparison's sake, is slightly larger than the new BMW 4 Series but markedly smaller (in every dimension but height) than a 6 Series.