2007 Lexus RX330 review, wallpapers, prices, picture gallery

The 2007 Lexus RX 330 excels at smoothness. It rides more quietly than most cars, not to mention most SUVs. It glides over bumpy roads. It's very easy to drive with light steering and excellent brakes. Its airy cabin is luxurious and inviting.

With the RX series, Lexus pioneered the crossover style of SUV, based on a unibody car platform rather than a heavy-duty truck frame; and in the process set new standards for the modern luxury utility. Crossover utility vehicles offer better ride and handling than truck-based SUVs, but with more cargo room than a car, a better view over traffic and a sense of security from an elevated driving position. Granted, crossover vehicles offer neither the big towing capacity nor the off-road capability of a true truck. But the RX 330 handles gravel roads just fine and can tow up to 3500 pounds with the optional trailer package.

The 3.3-liter V6 engine is smooth. And around town it's quite responsive. Last year it was rated 230 horsepower and 242 pound-feet of torque. Lexus expects those numbers to shrink slightly for 2006, because the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has revised its testing standards for horsepower and torque. At press time Lexus was estimating 223 horsepower for the '06 model; a torque estimate wasn't available, but we're guessing it'll be about 237 pound-feet of torque for the 2007 RX 330. What's important to note here is that the 2006 is just as powerful as the 2005 engine. It's just that the numbers are calculated differently.

The 2007 Lexus RX 330 is available with a choice of front-wheel drive ($36,370) or all-wheel drive ($37,770). Both are powered by a sophisticated dual overhead-cam V6 engine with variable valve timing, driving through a five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission. (Lexus also builds a hybrid version called the RX 400h, which we have reviewed separately.)

2007 Lexus LS460 review, image gallery, wallpapers and prices

The new 2007 Lexus LS models are bristling with technology. The LS 460 is the first car in the world with a computer-controlled eight-speed automatic transmission. An optional parking guidance system uses onboard cameras to help the driver parallel-park or park between cars, a system offered by no other manufacturer. The 460L offers reclining heated bucket seats, a cool box, dual-zone rear HVAC controls, a folding table, an ottoman, a shiatsu massager, and, of course, DVD with wireless headphones.

As the flagship, the new, 2007 Lexus LS 460 gets the most finesse of any of the L-finesse designs thus far. Its lines flow smoothly from its amazingly complex, crystal-like headlamp units, under the car, up over the roof and around the mirrors, with a short trip over the tiny rear deck to the integrated rear spoiler. After all that detail work on the exterior, they gave the car a drag coefficient of 0.26, tied with the best in the industry for a four-door sedan.

Lexus designers have given their latest three models a new look. The recently redesigned Lexus ES, IS, and GS feature a look designers refer to as L-finesse, with much more attention paid to aerodynamic considerations that ultimately lead to improved high-speed stability, quieter operation, and better highway fuel mileage.

The 2007 Lexus LS lineup includes the LS 460 ($61,000) and the longer LS 460L ($71,000). The hybrid-powered LS 600h will be introduced later in the model year.
Options include satellite navigation with Bluetooth, XM satellite radio with real-time traffic display, Mark Levinson 19-speaker, 450-watt sound system and 30-gigabyte hard drive, a pre-collision system, dynamic radar cruise control, advanced parking guidance system, Lexus Link, power trunk opener/closer, a Comfort Package, and a Comfort Plus Package. Four different rear-seat packages are available for the 460L.

2007 Lexus ES 350 review, image gallery, specs and wallpapers!

The Lexus ES is all-new for 2007. Boasting a new 3.5-liter engine, the 2007 Lexus ES 350 is more powerful than last year's ES 330. In fact, the Lexus ES with this new engine is now a serious performer. We were impressed with it and found it quick and responsive. Lexus says it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, a solid performance from its 272-horsepower engine. Likewise, the steering and handling are much more responsive than with last year's model.

The Lexus ES has come a long way. When Toyota launched its Lexus brand of luxury cars in 1989, its entry-level car was the ES 250, a thinly disguised Camry chassis and powertrain with an upgraded body and interior. This car's role was to give the new dealers some sales volume to help support the big LS 400. With each of the succeeding four generations of ES, the car has better met the needs of the upper end of the entry-luxury segment, with more room, more space, more power and more standard equipment. And more safety features. The all-new 2007 ES 350 makes the greatest single leap in ES history.

The 2007 ES 350 featires the Lexus L-Finesse design scheme used on three concept cars and the GS and IS sedans, with everything emanating from the grille and flowing back over the car in hard lines. The new look brings a new level of slickness, only 0.28 coefficient of drag in the wind tunnel, making the ES 350 inherently quieter and more fuel-efficient than before.

The first thing that impressed us was the new look and more generous physical size of the car. The grille has been subdued, the headlamp units have been made smaller and less obtrusive, and the accent line along the side has been raised to yield more musculature under the skin. Now this car looks like it belongs in a Lexus showroom.

Safety features that come standard on the ES 350 include dual front airbags, a knee airbag, side-impact airbags (for torso protection), curtain airbags (for head protection), electronic stability control, traction control, antilock brakes (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and a tire-pressure monitor system. A new two-chamber passenger airbag is designed to stop your passenger's upper body and torso with minimal facial contact and neck stress on deployment.

The 2007 Lexus IS350 sport sedans are quick, responsive and fun to drive. Designed to compete with BMW 3 Series sedans, the Lexus IS models are built on rear-wheel-drive chassis tuned for sporty handling. They stick in corners and stop with authority, aided by high-performance brakes and tires.

A prominent central console clearly establishes the driver and front-passenger zones. The controls wrap around the driver with every gauge and switch within easy scrutiny or close reach. The Optitron gauges are large and easy to read, and their light-saber indicator needles and dynamic redline indication are cool modern. The keyless entry and pushbutton ignition is handy.

New for 2007 is the X-Package, which combines a sports suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels with a bold front spoiler, sport pedals, and illuminated door scuff plates. Also, the electronic stability programs can be disabled by turning off the traction control. Lexus says this might be useful when trying to extricate the car from snow, and in other situations as well.

The IS 350 is the quickest model. Its muscular torque and free-revving engine delivers strong acceleration performance, something we saw driving one at Willow Springs raceway.

We drove several examples of the IS models at competition speeds relentlessly in temperatures that rose above 110 degrees and not one of them stumbled or misfired. Because of the hot, slippery track surface, the tires constantly fought for grip, but the advanced chassis electronics made it easier to keep the cars on the pavement. The inherent balance of the IS models made it easy to push it to the limit, causing the electronic aids to step in and dampen the thrill.