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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  Dissopointment - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By raj01 - April 8 - 8:15 am

  from 1999 corolla to a 2004 camery then to a 2006 lexus gs 300 awd..I have come to one conclusion....totoya mades good cars, but very bad engine. all their vicheles born oil. Ihave had my gs for seven years now, and has 174000 km, and It has been burning oil since 96000km. I have done everything that ther dealers have required, I have questioned lexus headquaters, but still no solution for my problem. Though my research on all three of my vehicles as well as connecting with other owners and toyota specialty machines, have learned that most totoya and lexus model have that issue once you pass the 100000km mark

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  fine car back dealersip service - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By good car bad service - April 4 - 2:00 am

  The car overall is fun to drive, its fast and great when going around corners. The body looks great and interior is cool looking. BUT BOY DOES THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE BAD SERVICE...so BEWARE!! ex. watch for door digs and when they give u an oil change, cause they cracked my under carriage and wont fix it!

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  Great MPG - 2012 Lexus CT 200H
  By feng2 - March 31 - 12:23 am

  Due to my long distance commute, I perchased the CT200h. I used to drive my Porsche Cayenne S to work. The MPG was about 18 MPG on average. I had this CT200h for three weeks now. The MPG is 44.3 on average for about 500 miles. Today, I filled up the tank with the regular non ethanol added fuel. The MPG is 49.7 MPG with 35 mile on the freeway in the Sport mode and 5 miles in the Normal mode. I am sure the MPG will reach 50 MPG if I drive it in the Normal mode full time. In Chicago area, the fuel has 10% ethanol in it. I have to add the non ethanol fuel in Indiana where I work. The non ethanol fuel does increase the MPG by at least 15%. I will stick to the non ethanol fuel then.

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  Great Car - 1999 Lexus ES 300
  By jblynn - March 25 - 8:21 pm

  12 yo, 142K. New noc & MAF sensors in 11th year @ about $1K. Alternator died at 52K mi, just out of warranty. W-pump died at abt 100K. Other than that, routine maint. White pearlcoat looks as good as it did in 99; few very small dings on hood - touch-up paint works. Beautiful car & design, IMO. Very difficult to develop a scratch on exterior. Leather wearing very well. Wood appliques on dash aged a bit due to moisture/cleaning. Interior dash boring; roomy in front; headroom bad in rear for 6 ftrs. Cup hldrs useless. Nakamichi superior. Good perf.; gas mileage 21/28. We all have good days and bad. No day is completely bad if I get to drive this car at the end of it. Great buy.

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  Chech your steering - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By jrhickman - March 21 - 10:46 am

  Nice car but if you have one keep an eye on your sterring. Hah to replace the rack and pinion after 60k. Dealer wanted $2300. Asked then to call Lexus and they chanded it to labor only. Still $700 I think Lexus ahould have covered the whole bill

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  Lexus quality slipping? - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By pgret88 - March 18 - 10:00 am

  I owned a 1997 Lexus SC 400 for six years No problems except a new battery because I left the trunk open. This new 2002 SC 430 has a rattle in the passengers side. The dealer has been trying to fix it for the last year. The last effort two days ago is uncertain.

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  Lexus ES 330 Review - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By JeffK - March 18 - 10:00 am

  I may be a tough grader in comparison to others, especially since I basically love my new car. It is a great compromise between performance and luxury (I am coming off a Saab 9-5). I feel better that the 330 has more power, and that the transmission problem appears to be solved. It is the best overall car in its class.

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  Best FWD used car value for under $20K - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By nixima - March 14 - 5:06 pm

  I test drove the Passat, A4, TL, and G35. They are all nice cars but the ES330 drives more smoothly, is more luxurious, does not require premium unleaded, and is more roomy inside. The transmission isnt as bad as some of the other reviewers have stated. Once in awhile it will have problems finding the right gear but 99% of the time its fine. Other problem areas are the steering knuckle joint makes noise during the winter (there is a TSB for this). The headlights were aimed way too low but are easily adjusted with a screwdriver. The stock Michelin tires are not very good in the snow. Overall the goods outweigh the bads for the ES330.

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  Totally Satisfied - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By jawa - March 13 - 2:43 pm

  This is my fourth GS 300 since 1993 and this is the best of them all. I have owned a Merc 300 and a BMW 3 series and I keep coming back to Lexus. The interior comfort is oustanding. The standard equipment rivals any of those in the ultra-high end vehicles. The drive train is strong yet smooth. I have taken a few long trips and it was very relaxing. The AWD handles the tight curves effortlessly. The exterior design is a show stopper. Im totally satisified with my Lexus.

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  Headlight problem - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By lexusowner - March 12 - 2:30 am

  The car is otherwise excellent with one major problem: because of the brightness of the high intensity headlights, they level off at a low level, and the top half of your field of vision is very dark (otherwise other drivers will feel blinded). Very evident driving in the hills or on a freeway when there is very little traffic. Depending on the steepness of the road, may not see more than 25 feet in front of you. Lexus told me it is a known problem with this model in particular but dont know theres much they can do. Id be interested in whether others have had this problem or ideas where to research it.