Overview & Reviews

Lexus has earned a well-deserved reputation for turning out utterly refined luxury vehicles. The hallmarks of this brand are a quiet, well-crafted cabin, a plush ride and commendable performance from powerful, nearly silent engines.

Lexus began out of a desire by parent company Toyota to create a world-class luxury car brand. Groundwork for Lexus was laid in the mid-1980s, when the company began tapping U.S. focus groups in an attempt to define design concepts best suited for American consumers. Hundreds of prototypes were built and tested on Germany's autobahn and on U.S. roads.

In early 1989, the company unveiled its first two models (which would debut for the 1990 model year) -- the entry-level ES 250 sedan and the flagship LS 400 sedan. The LS 400 was lauded by both journalists and consumers alike for offering a stellar luxury-car experience, with a remarkably silent cabin, superb build quality and a refined V8 engine. At the same time, the LS was priced considerably lower than smaller, lesser-equipped, six-cylinder European rival luxury sedans.

By the early 1990s, the Lexus brand was expanded to other markets, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. More models were added to the lineup, including the SC 300 and SC 400 coupes and the brand's first luxury performance sedan, the GS 300. By decade's end, the company had added SUVs (in the form of the LX 450/LX 470 and RX 300) and had sold more than a million vehicles in the U.S.

The first decade of the 2000s saw Lexus proving itself a trend setter with the launch of many hybrid-powered versions of its vehicles such as the RX 400h and the GS 450h. And by 2011, Lexus even introduced a world-class supercar, the LFA.

In the years since its inception, the Lexus brand has distinguished itself time and again in quality and reliability surveys. The brand's vehicles may not offer as much passion as some Teutonic rivals, but for drivers interested in vehicles that emphasize quality, dependability and comfort, the Lexus marque is hard to beat.

User Reviews:

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  the new gx47o - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Ronald ciaccia - August 30 - 2:00 am

  This is a great truck, but 1.the arm rest on the captins chairs should be longer. 2.the position of the heated seat buttons are out of reach, try reaching it with a seat bealt on. also the memory seat buttons are in the way, every time i open the door i hit them.

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  Great Car - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Rebecca - August 23 - 12:10 pm

  Overall I love the Lexus GX 470. It is comfortable and has an excellent ride. I like the styling and the mid- size. The size makes it a very manageable vehicle.

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  Not a drivers car - 2008 Lexus ES 350
  By arnie - August 23 - 5:50 am

  Great fit and finish, quality materials, outstanding fuel economy; the only down side is the car has lousy cornering capability; I may go Infiniti next time.

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  Wind noise not fixed - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By Wind Noise - August 22 - 1:00 pm

  The wind noise is still very excessive on the passenger side after Lexus installed the fix for the issue (November 2007). 10 out of 10 passengers in my car thinks the windows are not closed tightly. The wind noise is not acceptable to me for such an expensive car. This car is supposed to be quiet. Lexus still claims that. My experience with this car and Lexus customer service has been big dissapointment to me.

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  Can recommend - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Kushan - August 20 - 4:58 pm

  Good place to buy cars

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  Our 2nd Lexus Purchase Was an RX300 - 1999 Lexus RX 300
  By Candace - August 19 - 10:00 am

  I like the fact that when I am driving this vehicle, it doesnt feel like Im driving a truck. Its versatile, looks good, and has the reputation that comes with a Lexus vehicle.

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  2000 rx300 - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By hn - August 11 - 2:00 am

  great vehicle coming off lease in 3 months. our 2nd lexus. will probably aquire the rx330.

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  Better than I expected - 2012 Lexus CT 200H
  By bob446 - August 10 - 10:51 pm

  I just retired, so I traded the LS460 for this economical hybrid. The adjustment hasnt been as difficult as I anticipated. The CT has sufficient power, many of the usual Lexus luxuries, and provides a warm feeling about saving the planet. I drive in the Normal mode, and after warm-up, frequently see the car running on only battery power when steadily cruising as fast as 40 mph. Although not as silent as an LS (but what is?), it is acceptably quiet except during hard acceleration.

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  Solid Reliability Lexus - 2011 Lexus RX 350
  By cyoulater - August 9 - 2:45 pm

  The RX350 is an Excellent Car/Truck. For the most part ride is compliant.. Over some bumps, it can be non compliant. Rides like a truck.. When the road is smooth, the ride is great !! Acceleration is brisk to be sure.. Stopping is good.. Visibility is great ! Plenty of room.. Reliable , more reliable than any Mercedes or BMW with out question. Former Mercedes owner here.. Many of them actually.. The appointments are not as good as Mercedes, and there is not as much Substance as Mercedes.. But... All that is outweighed by Lexus reliability.. This is our 2nd Lexus, and nothing ever goes wrong with any of our Lexus cars.. Except.. Every 4-5 years, you have to replace the battery..

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  for the love of lexus - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By 2005 lexus gx 470 - August 9 - 2:20 am

  This car is amazing. It has every feature you could dream of!! The smoothness of the ride makes make it feel more like a plane gliding along the road.