Lexus SC

While the configuration of the Lexus SC430 may lead you to believe it is intended to be a sports car, it isn't. A personal luxury car with a retractable hard top, the Lexus SC430 offers the attributes of a plush coupe with the potential for open-air cruising in one of the most sumptuous and refined interiors on the market. The SC430 is very well finished, with extremely soft carpets and supple leather seats. Motorized panels covering the navigation screen and radio create a nearly continuous sweep of nice-looking wood across the dash. The 4.3-liter V8 engine is smooth and refined, but the SC430 is not particularly quick. However, it does return decent overall fuel economy at 21 mpg on premium, and the six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly.

The original SC coupes were introduced for 1992. The six-cylinder SC300 cost less than the V8-powered SC400 and still delivered good performance, though at the expense of some engine smoothness. The SC300 offered a five-speed manual transmission, but the SC400 was only available with an automatic. These cars handled nimbly in our tests, and their suspensions soaked up bumps without fuss. The front seats offer fine accommodation, but the rear is tight. The trunk is also small.