Lexus

Toyota's luxury division, Lexus, launched in 1989 with the 1990 LS 400 full-size sedan, but it’s the company’s RX 300 SUV, one of the world’s first car-based crossovers, that became a benchmark for both luxury and non-luxury brands and went on to propel Lexus to the position of best-selling luxury marque in the U.S. for many years.

The LS sedan lives on, now in its fifth generation, as the LS 500, which offers rear- or all-wheel drive. It’s not the first LS available as a hybrid, but it’s the first generation with one that’s as efficient as it should be in the LS 500h. The RX continues as well, as the RX 350 and hybrid RX 450h, both of which come in three-row L versions.

Lexus offers smaller models in the IS, ES and GS sedans and the UX and NX crossovers. The larger truck-based GX and LX SUVs both offer three rows of seats and enhanced off-road and towing capability. For style and performance Lexus has the RC coupe and LC coupe and convertible.