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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  goo driving - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By mansour - August 10 - 2:00 am

  blast to drive. very comfortable and slik looking. made my choice over mercedes slk AMG. this car handles like a dream.

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  Lexus 430 - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By msd947@aol.com - August 10 - 2:00 am

  2004 model follows our old 91 Lexus with 111,000 miles. So far, so good. Gets about 25 mi. per gallon.

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  clunky drive train - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By mountaineer - August 10 - 2:00 am

  Better riding than an "M" class. Do away with the drive train noises and hesitation in the shift from first to second and this might be a SLV.

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  Lexus RX 330 - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By miriam1548 - August 10 - 2:00 am

  This is the most comfortible Lexus I have driven/owned. Its styling is classic and will be "in vogue" for many years.

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  What a combination of luxury and fun! - 2002 Lexus GS 300
  By mrd1 - August 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought a Lexus GS 300 Sport Design. What a wonderful car! I needed something larger and more civilized than the Corvette I previously drove, but also wanted a car that was tight and handled well. Although I wouldnt say the car was quick, the power is perfectly acceptable and top speed (140mph) demonstrates the car can move. Absolutely great on the highway. Youll feel great starting this car everyday. Features are excellent for the money, dealer experience was truly painless and like none I had previously experienced. I was considering a BMW but tired of the attitudes of sales staff. Lexus quality is also obvious.

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  My Wonderful GS - 2000 Lexus GS 300
  By Ivana - August 8 - 10:00 am

  I havent had one single solitary problem with this car...its uncanny! Id recommend it to anyone

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  A very satisfied customer - 2000 Lexus LS 400
  By Robert Donald - August 8 - 10:00 am

  This is my 4th Lexus LS400 over the last 9 years and the best ever. I have now purchased my wifes first, GS300 and she loves it. By the way, over all these years the only thing which was a problem was the cigarett lighted didn,t work but while having it serviced, the service folks replaced it and said thanks for bring it to our attention. By the way, it was a non because neither of us smoke anyway.

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  Best Convertible on the Road - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By Michael B. Johnson - August 8 - 6:03 am

  In the few months that I have owned the SC 430 hardly a day has passed that I have not had someone on the street make a compliment about my car. I purchased the Pebble Beach Edition and I must say that it by far is the BEST looking car on the road. The special edition black is absolutely breath taking. The car handles beautifully on the road as well. I am especially pleased with the hard top conv. I live in a climate that does not allow the top to be down all the time and I enjoy the fact that you do not notice that you are driving a conv. with the top up. The Lexus quality and the dealerships are the highest quality that I have encounter to date. Looking forward to the new SC 430 model.

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  Great Car - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By CB - August 8 - 5:23 am

  Mechanically robust. Silky smooth engine. Manual Transmission. Enough aftermarket parts to turn the car into the real sports sedan it is supposed to be. Rare.

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  Lexus Rx400h - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By M Butterfield - August 7 - 7:13 pm

  Love the ride!!! Getting twice the gas mileage than my old SUV - only having to fill up every other week. Easy handling, great get-up-and-go, very comfortable and extremely quiet! Im thrilled with my new hybrid and Im doing my part to help the environment!