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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  2003 Lexus IS300 Sport Design - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By Justin - November 9 - 12:26 pm

  I bought my 2003 black on black Lexus sport design in 2009 with 86k miles on it. The car drove and performed awesome the whole time i owned it. The interior is classy/sporty and stylish. Every girl Ive taken on a drive loved the car. The cars chrome shift ball is F1 inspired i love the look. The door stiles have silver step plates. Car never fail me but the previous owner never changed the factory battery and it died on me twice. Thats the only problem i had but the battery was 6 years old so go figure. Love the car had to sell it because i need money. The sport design is 300 is a great car. Get you one!

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  Best SUV - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By SUSAN - November 6 - 8:06 am

  I have had this SUV for 9 years now and the only problem I have had is that in cold weather the fan belt sometimes squeals. A little grease eliminates the problem. I do regular oil changes every 5000 miles (use Mobil 1), and thats about it.

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  Great SUV - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By RPLexus - November 6 - 2:00 am

  This is the best SUV I have owned.

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  Beautiful auto! - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By yeahright30 - November 6 - 2:00 am

  Beautiful car inside and out. Good amount off the sticker price these days too. I was able to get even lower than tmv. Absolutely the most gorgeous car for the price. especially the interior with leather and wood that is unsurpassed in its class.

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  Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By Garry Willis - November 4 - 8:33 am

  Trouble free, low maintenance, smooth, efficient, powerful and a huge trunk over 20 cubic ft. Just change the fluids and youre good. Classic good looks and good re sale value.

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  An excellent car - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By becknsteve - November 4 - 7:03 am

  I did a lot of research on this vehicle before buying and driving, and it has lived up to the Lexus reputation and more. I did seriously consider the Toyota Avalon, and found I could buy the ES 350 and get more amenities for less money than the Avalon came fully loaded. For space and comfort that I was looking for, the only other car that came close was the Infinity and it was more out of my price range. I hear a lot of "sour grapes" rap out there about Toyota products, but they are still the most reliable and top quality large automotive manufacturer in the world today.

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  Best Car Ever - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Batteryman - November 1 - 12:20 pm

  This is the best car we ever had. You sit up high and get the SUV feel, but still get pretty much the 18/24 mpg advertised. It may be slightly under- powered for some, but thats the price of decent mileage. It has been completely reliable. The controls are ergonomic - placed logically just where they ought to be. One exception: the GPS navigation system is complex and somewhat counter-intuitive. Expect a learning curve of some weeks. The low-profile tires are more expensive than the regular kind, but they look great. I replaced them at Walmart in 2009 with top-quality for about $1,000. Groceries tend to slide in the cargo area - the "cargo net" sold as a $60 option is useless.

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  German fun - Japanese reliability - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By thomasrex - November 1 - 10:00 am

  Excellent handling makes fun out of any canyon roads. Engine is like butter, and the 2002 Auto is smooth

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  Fun to Drive! - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By Dave - October 30 - 5:20 pm

  This is the most fun to drive of any vehicle I have owned - and I have owned a lot of them at age 71. I find it responsive and a joy. I drive mostly highway miles and really like the gas milage - beats my 2002 Honda Accord by 15%.

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  In A Class By Itself - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By Paul - October 30 - 12:03 pm

  We have had many Benzs over the years, and we just got tired of all the mechanical problems and costs. We were ready for a car to rely upon, that was luxurious, comfortable and beautiful. We got it with the LS 460. The car is awesome. We considered BMW also, but I know we made the right choice. Until you live with the car, you cannot appreciate it.