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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  Great Value, Excellent Overall SUV - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By bsa - January 28 - 10:00 am

  We have owned our GX 470 for about 2 months and are extremely pleased with our purchase. Very comfortable ride, drives like a car, solid pickup. Good in-vehicle gadgetry. Great dealer support. Gas mileage appears to be worse than reported.

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  Poor manufacturing quality control - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Carrol - January 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned the RX-330 for 6 months. Of that time, it has spent over one month in the shop while the dealer tried to figure out some of the problems. There were two sqeak/rattles, one on a front strut and one on the rear hatchback door. Then there is the very noisy wind sound from the area of the drivers side window. The Lexus dealer has tried replacing almost everything associated with the drivers side window and side mirror, all to little avail. They now say that the noise is associated with the side mirror. My Toyota Tundra has a larger side mirror, and it is quiet. The quality control is not up to Lexus standards!

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  Baddabing - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By tlcbjc - January 28 - 7:03 am

  The 2002 Toyota Avalon I drove was my favorite. Not true since I bought my 2005 ES330. The luxurious interior and standard equipment of the ES330 outshined the Avalon. I have had many compliments on the Silver/Black interior. Truely a beautiful ride. For more bang for the buck, this car cannot be beat.

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  Long term winner - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By Davidinbend - January 27 - 8:33 pm

  Our friends said we overpaid for a "fancy Camry". Now we are laughing because this car is as good as new. They all have had to trade for new cars and cant believe our Lexus runs and looks so good after four years. Not one mechanical problem,great highway mileage and the navi/Levinson setup ROCK.

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  Almost Flawless - 1999 Lexus LX 470
  By Steve - January 27 - 2:46 pm

  Weve owned it since new. On long trips, it feels like youre sitting in a comfy chair in your living room. On the negative side, too many unnecessary options for headlights, give us "on" or "off". The height adjustment was also a useless addition, we never used it. Also, the button to engage the 4-wheel drive was placed where it could be inadvertently hit which happened several times for us and caused problems. Would like to see Lexus add some practical options, like an automatic step that would engage and allow older or physically challenged passengers easier access. Overall, though, its been a delightful vehicle.

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  Easily best in its class - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By ricois300 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  The IS easily beats out the BMW330 and the Audi A4 considering the extra thousands youll be putting down for the same options. I got the 5spd, leather, NAV, everything but heated seats. Thats because I found the only 5spd with NAV in all of Atlanta at the time. Looks great, pretty good power, great brakes, handles like a beast. Interior could use some more luxury for my taste, some wood here and there, but the stereo is powerful, and the Nav is great and easy to understand. Excellent performance/luxury rear drive car for the money.

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  Pure Joy! - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Richard Levy - January 25 - 2:56 pm

  When you drive this vehicle around town, its just another car. But when you take it on a trip - ITS PURE JOY! I love the nav. syst. It helps to keep me awake & alert when Im driving through the desert to Las Vegas in extreme comfort using cruise control. On a long trip this car is a "toy". its my entertainment, & I love it. Dual temp. control is a great feature. I inflated the tires to 37 psi & got 26 mpg without sacrificing comfort. Plenty of room for 2 sets of skiis & all our gear for a week of skiing at Las Vegas Ski Resort. No need to purchase ski rack. We needed chains for last 10 miles. No problem! We had rain in Las Vegas, Snow at Mt. Charleston, & wind on the freeway. No Problem!

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  Whos supposed to buy these things? - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By Lmigliore - January 24 - 3:30 am

  The IS 300 seems conceptually confused. Its an imitation 3-series BMW but Lexus had to muffle its road feel and give it unreadable instruments. The instrument cluster on this car is the ugliest and least functional I have ever seen. The traction control cuts the power on city street corners. It burns much more premium gas than a car its size should. It beeps if I get out of the car wrong. I guess if I wanted a Toyota I should have gotten a Corolla.

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  The best car out there! - 1998 Lexus LS 400
  By Carolyn VanO - January 23 - 8:02 pm

  The value in a LS 400 is amazing! It runs better than a new car. It has been very dependable. It takes bumps in the road like a full size Lexus. I tend to have a problem with motion sickness. The LS400 is so smooth that vibrations seem to be absorbed in the suspension and the car floats on the road. Even though ours is a 1998, it is road worthy. It is a great car!

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  My new Lexus RX 350 - 2009 Lexus RX 350
  By cheryl - January 23 - 7:36 pm

  I have had my Lexus for three days. I am still wondering if it is the right vehicle for me. It is a better fit for my smaller size. Its easy to drive. My escalade was way to big. I love thr shape. The interior could use an upgrade.