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2016 Lexus RX First Drive [w/video]

There is no more important model line to Lexus than the RX. Year to date, with a replacement on the way, the RX accounts for 28 percent of the brand's sales. It's the undisputed champ of the midsize luxury SUVs, nearly outselling BMW's entire SUV lineup. So when it came time to push a significant update to its best-seller, Lexus put the whole of its engineering might into the challenge. The 2016 RX represents the very best that Lexus is capable of, specifically when its spindle-shaped grille is pointed at its core audience. Starting with the basics, Lexus increased the exterior dimensions. Wheelbase grows just under two inches while overall length goes up by five. But overall interior space remains exactly the same at 139.7 cubic feet. Rear-seat passengers get extra space – head, hip, and legroom all nudge up slightly for 2016 – but it comes at the expense of cargo area, at least on paper. Whereas the 2015 RX offered as much as 80.3 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats folded, the 2016 model cuts that by a quarter to 56.3 cubes. Lexus representatives say that cargo space is up, and the numerical reduction is due to different measurement methods. The 450h's cargo area is smaller by a negligible half cubic foot due to the location of the car's battery pack. The new RX looks seriously chiseled. RX buyers and their friends enjoying the more spacious back seat are going to look considerably more stylish in 2016. The new RX looks seriously chiseled, with sides creased and cut to the point that there's hardly any flat surfaces. It's hard to pick favorite details, but we really like the upward-kick of the rocker panel. At the front lives Lexus' ubiquitous spindle grille, more exaggerated than ever before and rimmed by a strip of thick chrome. Sharp lines dominate the rest of the fascia, from the slit-like headlights to the arrowhead-shape that surrounds the fog lamps. There is a premium lighting package that includes LED lamps everywhere not to mention awesome sequential turn signal indicators in the taillights. UPDATE: It turns out the awesome sequential turn signal indicators aren't going to be available in the United States, which is a big bummer. If the floating roof looks familiar, that's because you've seen it on the Nissan Murano. Somehow the massive proportions of the trademark Lexus grille is not the most controversial styling element of the new RX.

Mazda and Lexus crowned with KBB 5-Year Cost To Own awards

We report on a lot of awards, some of which are given out based on more solid criteria than others. This one, the Kelley Blue Book 5-Year Cost to Own awards, seems like one that new car shoppers should pay attention to.
The cost of a car goes far beyond what you pay for the actual metal, leather and rubber at the point of purchase. Fuel, insurance, maintenance and repair costs, and the cost of fees from the state and financing will all weigh on your wallet while you own the car. That's not even taking into account the biggest cost: depreciation, or the amount of money you lose based on what your car is worth years from now versus the day you bought it.
KBB tracks these sorts of things, and they've compiled a list of winners for 2013 models. On the brand level, Mazda and Lexus earn the 5-Year Cost to Own award for having the lowest overall projected five-year totals (though, curiously, we note that Mazda and Lexus each had only one segment winner). There are lots of winners for all the various segments, so we'll just pick out a few surprising ones to share and you can view the rest here.

2015 Lexus NX offers bold design, compact luxury

Meet the all-new NX, Lexus' entry into the space occupied by the likes of the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA. Based off the LF-NX Concept and sharing much of the design language seen on the polarizing IS sedan, the NX looks to be a rather sporty Lexus crossover.
The big news here is under the hood: the NX will be the first Lexus to use a turbocharged engine. That's right, a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder can be found in both the NX 200t and NX 200t F Sport. There will also be an NX 300h, and if Lexus' nomenclature remains consistent, we already know all about that one. As of right now, there aren't a lot of details on either powertrain, although with the NX's Beijing debut still over a week away, here's hoping we know more soon.
As for that design... well, we're waiting to see it up close. The initial reaction from the Autoblog team has been mixed so far. Like the IS, there are plenty of sharp angles, while the front is dominated by the brand's spindle grille. Lexus' designers have refined the shape of the headlights, giving them a cleaner overall look than on the pioneering IS. In back, LED taillights come standard. According to Lexus, 17-inch wheels are the base rollers, while 18s are optional.