Great luxury car for the price

This is an interesting vehicle. Being part of the Lexus family, it was obviously intended to be a luxury car. It is not really that - it is more of a quasi-sports car. With paddle shifting, you get the feel of a stick shift without all of the hassle. The gas mileage is pretty good for the size of engine and type of vehicle (18-25 MPG). The sound system is better than most vehicles and the multi-CD changer works flawlessly. The heated seats and climate control work well (even for rear passengers). The rear seating is adequate (not fantastic, but not bad).

The car does have its flaws. Its low profile tires create two problems. The first is that the tires are expensive and are prone to blowouts if you hit the smallest pothole. We have gone through nearly 3 full sets in just under 75K miles (good thing for lifetime tire replacement insurance). The second is road noise. This car is very noisy. Both tire and wind noise present a real issue if you want to converse in the vehicle.

At around $30 grand out the door, this is a well designed luxury vehicle.