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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  Less Car than Earlier Model - 2008 Lexus LS 460
  By econpasha - October 7 - 2:40 pm

  Took this car on two long trips, to Washington, DC and Florida, and now have 4000 miles on it. At highway speeds, there is significant wind noise. Also, unlike my earlier 1994 model LS 400, it feels lighter on the road. I dont feel any pride of ownership. Yes, it gets good gas mileage: 29 miles on the highway. But no feel for the road, and wind noise is simply awful. I miss my BMW.

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  Katies - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By Katie L. Hannigan - October 6 - 3:26 pm

  Still smells like "NEW"! I want to sell this car for a 2005?? model. Poor turning radius & does not coast at all - you let off the gas & thats it. Uses more gas that way! Short seats being husband is 6 & long legged. Gives him sciatica!

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  Sexy Lexy - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By sexy lexy - October 5 - 10:03 pm

  Great car! For the price I got many more bells and whistles with the GMC Envoy, but no where near the smooth ride. This is a MUCH BETTER BUY!!!

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  Best Car Ever! - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By ChrisW8595 - October 5 - 7:53 pm

  Biggest change in automotive technology Ive ever experienced in 46 years of driving! The last change I remember close to this was the Olds Toronado with Front wheel drive. This is a bigger step, more luxurious, more responsive, smoother ride, more intelligently built, and a beautiful car inside and out. Tailgate goes up and down electrically, great rear end camera out the back on dashboard display in reverse gear, best GPS, best audio. I came to this from a BMW 540i six speed stick which I used to feel was the best car Ive owned. Now the BMW is second best. I am already in line to buy the sedan model GS450h which comes out next May. All car manufacturers have to be scrambling to keep up!

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  Still the best in its class - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By Happy Lease Customer - October 4 - 7:36 am

  After years of waiting for a same size Vehicle to dethrone the Lexus RX, I gave up looking. The Lexus RX is and has always been the best all around ride in its class from the very first day it arrived here. Comfort & Safety & Handling were always its best points and now it looks great too. Highly recommended. Ive driven from New York to Florida in this Lexus and I would never drive anything else. Just try to get anything close to this machine for the price? Impossible.

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  Nice Car - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Happy with the RX - October 4 - 5:20 am

  We have owned the 2006 RX-400h AWD for 4 yrs. We have been very happy with the car. No mechanical problems or breakdowns, much better mileage, about 26 mpg, than our 1999 RX-300 AWD, 18 mpg. Recent safety inspection shows almost no brake wear due to regenerative braking system. Original Michelin Tires have lasted for 54,000+ miles. There are some rattles developing over the years, but nothing serious. Power Steering linkage was replaced by dealership, under warranty repair and at their own recommendation.

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  Overall the Perfect Family Vehicle - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By griffintish - October 3 - 10:56 pm

  Perfect car to get from point A to point B. I wouldnt necessarily call it "fun to drive" but it definitely has some power underneath the hood. Interior quality is very good, and the standard power lift-gate is very convenient. Only major complaint is the standard sound system, its not bad but definently not for an audiophile, and the Mark Levinson package is really pricey.

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  Wind noise unacceptable, comfort disapp - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By Bob M - October 3 - 9:43 pm

  I owned a 2002 LS430. This car is not as comfortable and the wind noise is totally unacceptable. The dealer has installed the factory recommended fix, but my wife does not like to ride in the car because the wind noise is so bad. The LS430 was so comfortable and quiet that I made the mistake of not road testing the LS460 extensively. My assumption was that it would be improved. That was a BIG mistake. In contrast to the LS430, the LS460s seats are very uncomfortable after a couple of hours on the road. If the factory does not come up with a fix for the wind noise, this will be the last Lexus that I purchase.

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  Reliable - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By Reliable - October 3 - 11:40 am

  Love the car. Bought it with 15K on it and its got just over 80K now. Sporty, handles great, looks great but most of all its reliable. In 65K miles of driving, I have had to do squat to the car other than oil and change the tires. Obvious normal maintenance but still havent needed brakes, belts are getting ready but no mechanical problems at all. Especially the A/C - works like a champ and still freezes me out.

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  You get what you pay for - 2006 Lexus GX 470
  By JayB - October 3 - 11:16 am

  I am the 2nd owner of this GX. So far, so good. Great ride and carries our family of 4 nicely. Very smooth. Decent amount of interior space, although I would have liked a little more interior storage. Have grown to love the navigation and ML sound system. The only CON would be the gas mileage...but I went into this purchase knowing that it would not be that good. As long as you are comfortable with that, I would recommend this vehicle highly!