2010 Lexus RX350 and RX450h

Few vehicles have done more to establish a genre and define a brand as much as the Lexus RX. Introduced over a decade ago to suburbanite real estate agents and their Napa-weekending friends, the original RX300 helped boost Lexus sales by 60% when it hit dealers in late 1998

Lexus Advances Hybrid Drive with Comprehensive Improvements

With each iteration, and now generation, of its Hybrid Drive system, Lexus continues to push forward its hybrid technology to increase efficiency and performance of its vehicles.

Now, nearly four years after the debut of the RX 400h, the world’s first hybrid-powered luxury vehicle, the new Lexus RX 450h brings a broad range of improvements designed raise the bar in the luxury sport utility class once again.

Lexus to roll out system that lets its cars talk to drivers

For every company that ever dreamed of being able to talk directly to its customers, Toyota (TM) has found an answer.

It announced Wednesday that new Lexus vehicles will start being delivered later this year with a system that includes capability for voice messages sent directly from the automaker to its drivers.

Called Lexus Insider, the service will let Lexus send audio messages to participating owners on whatever subject it chooses, from tips on making the best use of the vehicles' features to suggestions for a scenic drive.

Toyota officials promise to be discerning and restrained.

"We're not going to barrage customers with marketing messages," vows Jon Bucci, vice president of Toyota's U.S. advanced technology unit.

Toyota believes the capability, part of a larger package of new electronic features coming to select Lexus vehicles under the name Enform, is a luxury-car first. Spokesmen for its two top import competitors, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, say they don't offer it. BMW has a system that allows drivers to remotely send themselves reminder messages and map routes to their navigation systems.