Life behind the wheel of the LS 600h has little in common with your standard daily driver. Road noise is nonexistent, bumps and broken road surfaces have no chance of making it through the suspension and are absorbed with ease. The steering is light and responsive, but devoid of feel.

The sports sedan comes with a cockpit that comfortably envelops both pilot and passengers. High bolsters, clear gauges and fine details dominate inside, while a near-flawless direct-shift 8-speed transmission delivers up shifts as fast as one-tenth of a second outside.

Overall, the IS 250 AWD is generally a comfortable, quiet place to be. The 2.5-liter V-6 engine is no screamer and feels just adequate given the extra bulk of the car’s all-wheel drive system, but as long as the revs are kept high it does its job. Paddle shifters come standard for those who like selecting gears, but the system merely limits the highest gear the car will shift into, meaning if you stomp on the throttle in manual mode the car still has a tendency to downshift.

Balancing lateral support and La-Z-Boy comfort into sports seats is a slippery slope, but Lexus has mastered it. The engine isn’t a top-end screamer, but rather provides plenty of ample, linear power. Exterior and interior stylings are both unique and charming, without going too far.

The Toyota-owned company- Lexus - set about building their first dedicated hybrid model, the HS 250h. Loosely based around the European-only Toyota Avensis (not to be confused with the bulbous Venza crossover we get here in the States), the HS 250h is meant to slot into the Lexus lineup as the world’s first entry-level luxury hybrid. Don’t think of this as a tarted up Prius , though. This is a hipper car with a Lexus badge, a more powerful drivetrain borrowed from the Camry Hybrid and enough cameras and technology crammed on board to rival a last-generation spy satellite.

Despite the added weight of a folding hard top, motors and bracing, the IS C has managed to retain its driving composure – top up or down. A properly spacious trunk when the top is up that leaves room for more than a bottle of water when the roof is down definitely adds to buyer appeal as well.

The biggest changes begin in the longer and wider exterior design of Lexus RX models, continue through to a more sophisticated and modern interior cabin and culminate with modifications to the suspension, all-wheel drive system and transmission. Of course, Lexus wouldn't be Lexus if it hadn't thrown in the most advanced technology available, including side and rearview camera systems, satellite traffic and weather and a brand new way to scroll through the car's many infotainment functions.

Where the RX 350 – with only a gas engine powering the wheels – falls just short in terms of on demand power delivery, the additional electric motor in the RX 450h provides better immediate pull. Its 295 horsepower is more than enough to get the SUV up hills easily. By turning ECO mode on – an easy enough event that involves a few pushes of a button – the hybrid system remains in battery mode for longer to allow for more fuel savings.