2JZ-GE 3.0L I-6
When Toyota/Lexus fanboys hear “2JZ” they think Mark IV Supra and turbo power, but you mention the non-turbo 2J, people usually stop paying attention. That needn’t be the case when it comes to the 1st generation Lexus IS300 (XE10). Before Lexus’ F and F-sport existed, the IS300 was Lexus’ sports sedan, with a naturally aspirated 2JZ kicking up 240 horses and the option of a 5-speed manual transmission. The manual IS300s are still highly sought after little gems, as they make great daily drivers and have a borderline un-killable motor.

3MZ-Hybrid 3.3L V6
The 3MZ was the predecessor of the aforementioned 2GR V6, and again, was fitted to most of the Lexus line up at some point. The version of the 3MZ we care about is the 3.3L Hybrid, as seen in the RX330h. Love it or hate it, hybrid powertrains have become increasingly common across the Lexus spectrum, and the 3MZ-Hybrid was the one that started it all.

2GR-FSEThe 2GR is the current corporate V6 found in just about every model in the Lexus family. It’s smooth as silk, linear and surprisingly fuel efficient, there is no reason Lexus won’t keep this direct-injected 3.5L V6 around for the indefinite future. If our praise isn’t enough, it should be noted that the 2GR is a very flexible platform, and is easily swapped into other chassis. We mention this because the 2GR is Lexus’ current choice of engine for their sports cars like the Evora and Exige. They swap the intake manifold for a supercharger and have 400 reliable, Toyota/Lexus-sourced horsepower.