Bigger Than Average: Check Out This Owner's Manual

Pop quiz: What weighs 5 pounds, is twice as long as the King James Bible and can be yours for about $51,000? It is indeed a special book, but you won't find it at any rare bookstore: It's the owner's manual for the 2013 Lexus RX 350 F Sport.

A recent sampling of Lexus' latest take on a sporty crossover (comfortable, well appointed, attractive, but with artificially heavy "sport" steering and throttle response that's far too aggressive) revealed a surprise when I opened the glove box. Inside was the most massive owner's manual I've ever seen, taking up nearly half of the available space. Stuffed into a leather protective jacket are the owner's manual, navigation system manual, lemon law guide and a "quick start" booklet.

Cars.com Family Reviews the 2013 Lexus RX 450h

Parents are often in search of a little tranquility, and the 2013 Lexus RX 450h delivers it, says Cars.com Family reviewer Courtney Messenbaugh. Of course, silence is golden, so you'll have to pay a premium for this hybrid crossover, which starts at $47,205. The RX seats five, but it was a squeeze for Courtney to fit her three kids and their child-safety seats into the backseat.

2013 Lexus RX 450h Family Review

Best Hybrids for the Money 2013

Gas prices remain volatile, but even so, no one expects prices below $3 per gallon ever again, and many parts of the country consistently see prices near or above $4. As much as ever, shoppers need to know how effectively hybrids deliver efficiency for your dollar — if they do at all.

To determine if a hybrid's added expense is worth the cash, we devised an efficiency-cost rating to reflect efficiency bang for your overall buck.

It's simply the combined city/highway mpg divided by the base price (MSRP plus destination charge). We then multiply that number by 1,000. This formula can be applied to any type of vehicle, hybrid or not. A high mpg rating and low price provide a high efficiency-cost rating. A higher score is the better score.

We don't account for equipment levels, quality judgments, cost of ownership or any variances from EPA mileage estimates. The goal here is to pay the least for the most mileage, barring all other considerations.

Lexus, Porsche Top 2013 J.D. Power Dependability Study

New-car quality keeps improving, according to J.D. Power and Associates' annual dependability study. The 2013 report, released today, says that overall vehicle dependability across all brands and vehicles has improved by 5%. The big winner this year is Lexus, ranking the highest in vehicle dependability for the second year in a row. At the bottom of the heap is Land Rover, taking the spot from last year's loser, the Chrysler brand.

The data company's annual Vehicle Dependability Study rates the reliability of 3-year-old vehicles, so this year's scores examine the performance of model-year 2010 cars, trucks and SUVs. Along with the results, J.D. Power also reported some surprising findings: This is the first year there are fewer reported problems for new or redesigned models than carryover models.

Toyota Slapped With $17.35 Million Recall Fine

Toyota started recalling vehicles for floormat-related unintended acceleration problems in summer 2009. Fast forward two years — it waited until June 2012 to add the Lexus RX crossover to the list — and the automaker is now paying a hefty price for the delay. 

The automaker has agreed to pay $17.35 million to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, settling claims related to the timeliness of the recall that affected 2010 RX 350 and 450h vehicles. Under federal law, automakers have five days to notify NHTSA after finding a safety defect.

According to a NHTSA statement, it's the maximum fine allowed by the law and "represents the single highest civil penalty amount ever paid to NHTSA for violations stemming from a recall."

2013 Lexus RX 350: Car Seat Check

The Lexus RX 350 crossover is the ubiquitous mom-mobile in my north-side Chicago neighborhood. For the 2013 model year, the five-seat family hauler received a refresh in the looks department and a new sport-oriented F Sport trim. For our Car Seat Check, we tested the RX 350 F Sport.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

2013 Lexus RX 350 F Sport Video

Lexus took its best-selling model, the RX, and gave it a redesign inside and out for 2013. Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays takes a look at the RX F Sport, which adds a sport-tuned suspension, aggressive styling cues and an eight-speed automatic transmission. While it may look fun and get better gas mileage, Lexus buyers might want to consider other RX trim levels after experiencing the F Sport's harsh ride and uninspired handling, Mays suggests.

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Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Lexus RX350
2013 Lexus RX Photo Gallery
Lexus RX 350 Used Prices Tumble in October; Ford Crown Vic Claws Its Way Back

Lexus RX 350 Used Prices Tumble in October; Ford Crown Vic Claws Its Way Back

In last month's used-car price report, we were surprised to see the average price for a used Lexus RX 350 spike nearly $6,000, making it one of the biggest price movers September. Well, it's one month later, and the party is already over. All of the RX's September gains — and then some — were erased in October with a 17-percent drop ($6,954) to $32,927.

Have overly confident sellers been humbled, or is there another force at work? Whatever the reason, the RX saw the biggest drop in October — a tough prescription to swallow for some sellers, I'm sure.

Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Lexus RX 350

Lexus' midsize crossover may tend to blend into the crowd, but a light refresh for 2013 helps the RX 350 stand out, says Cars.com reviewer Kristin Varela. The styling updates give it a more polished look, furthering the appeal of this ultra-comfortable, family-friendly crossover.

2013 Lexus RX 350 Review

Regular Cars that Take Premium Gasoline

It's common to see "requires 91 octane gasoline for best performance" on the fuel door of sports or luxury cars. So, we scratch our heads when we see the same premium recommendation on a family car, hybrid or non-performance car. According to AAA's FuelGauge Report, the price difference between regular and premium gas is 32 cents nationally. Spending an additional $4.80 on a 15-gallon refuel isn't an insignificant amount of money, and you could save it if you buy a similarly efficient car at a similar price that runs on regular gasoline. 
 
Below is a list of cars that you may not guess recommend or require premium fuel. The manufacturer's fuel recommendation from the owner's manual or consumer website is listed alongside each vehicle.