While it’s important to be practical with your vehicle choices, if you have the means it’s also nice to have some fun — and there are quite a few vehicles out there that will let you do exactly that.

One such ride is the 2019 Lexus RC350 F Sport, a luxury sport coupe that offers no shortage of thrills. Read on for a full report.

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One look at the RC350 and you know it’s a hot rod.

From the aggressive front grille to its low-to-the-ground status, it gives off racy vibes. The exterior design is a work of art, with a beautiful, sleek design — a contender for best look in the class.

Point blank: THe RC350 is designed for speed and a fun driving experience.
It’s not set up for driver comfort, especially on longer drives (this isn’t a cushy SUV). The sport-style seating hugs the driver tight into the seat.

The back seat is strictly for storage, not people. Unless perhaps it’s a small child, and the people sitting up front are very short. Realistically, think of this vehicle as a 2-seater.

The seats are very low to the ground, and you really sink into the vehicle. This is a Lexus, so you’re going to have high-end materials inside. You’ll be greeted by quality leather seating and other high-end materials.

Options include triple-beam LED headlamps (a $1,160 option); Power moonroof ($1.1K) and heated steering wheel ($150).

As the automotive world becomes electrified more each year, there is a race to get people further and further on electric power only. But it’s not all pure EVs.

The market for plug-in hybrids is still out there, with the potential to get people great fuel mileage with a bit of an electric boost. 

One such entry is the 2019 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid, which I recently got a chance to test. Here’s a full report on how it stacks up in the hybrid arms race.

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First introduced in 2017, the Ioniq features a standout design compared to other plug-in hybrids, including a shark-fin style antenna on top. 

Unlike some other vehicles in this class, you wouldn’t know it’s a plug-in hybrid if nobody told you. It blends in quite well.

There are 16-inch alloy wheels, plus LEDs all around on its headlights, daytime running lights and taillights. 

The inside of the Ioniq is roomy for the class and well-designed, but not fancy. This isn’t a luxury model — but it doesn’t look or feel cheap either..

My test vehicle was a high-end Limited trim level and featured leather seating and heated front seats. It also had a leather-wrapped tilt and telescopic steering.

It’s important to be unique when you reach the upper echelons of the vehicle food chain. 

Prestigious luxury brands must offer a flagship vehicle that stands out from the competition in a segment where all competitors are going to have a quality offering, by definition.

Lexus is one of those brands competing for the luxury car buyer’s dollar, and its LS 500 full-size sedan is quite the specimen. I recently spent some time in a 2019 LS 500 and I’m back with a full report on whether it holds up to the crème de la crème.

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Lexus is up against some extremely heavy hitters in the luxury realm, folks who’ve been at it for much longer that Lexus has been around. 

So Lexus has made the decision to boldly style its grilles in a large spider-web design that takes up most of the front of the vehicle.

This is in sharp contrast to the competition, which are typically more sedated and classically designed. The exterior of the LS 500 also features very sharp, attractive sidelines and a low profile.

Rumor is that the sedan is dying, but don’t tell that to Toyota.

Their Camry is a class-leading midsize sedan that shows up in the upper echelon of U.S. sales charts on an annual basis, despite heavy competition from SUV sales.

I recently spent some time in a 2019 Camry, and I’m back with a full report on what the Camry has to offer that keeps it in those charts.

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Toyota’s exterior designs in recent years are a bit polarizing. The bold front grilles and overall look of newer Toyotas turn off some customers, but are appreciated by others at the same time. The 2019 Camry’s design is one you’ll likely either love or hate. 

The interior of the 2019 Camry I tested was plush and inviting, but not at luxury levels. You’ll need to move up to a Lexus for that level of quality. Still, nothing felt cheap or thrown together on the Camry.

Another positive in the design, especially for families, is a back seat that is actually quite roomy, moreso than many of its sedan competitors. Cargo space is also ample for the segment.

If you’re someone who is used to an SUV, and the extra room SUVs offer, the Camry may feel a bit cramped. But if you’re a sedan fan, you’ll find it holds up well against the competition.

As Americans continue to flock to SUVs, the field of competitors in the large sedan battlefield remains a small one, especially when you exclude the high-end luxury models.

One holdout in the category that is sticking around and trying to remain a segment leader is the Toyota Avalon, which I recently spent some time in.

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The Toyota Avalon, redesigned for the 2019 model, makes a strong impression with its unique look and luxurious feel.

During my time in the Avalon, many people told me they thought it was a Lexus. 

I was not surprised to hear this, as the Avalon looks and feels like an entry-level Lexus model.