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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  Luxury car at middle class price - 2010 Lexus ES 350
  By jarmstr73 - October 11 - 11:16 pm

  I leased this car last week after trading in my 2005 Honda Pilot. Needless to say its like going from cattle class to first class on an airplane. This vehicle has many of the features of the LS (Lexus flagship model) at less than 1/2 the price. Acceleration is competent but the front wheel drive reminds you this is not German engineering. Interior creature comforts abound, seats are comfortable (heated & cooled), sound system is good, features like bluetooth, Navi, etc. are easy to use and intuitive - unlike many vehicles today. Noise is minimal, ride is soft, feedback is not great - steering is a bit soft. Overall good family car if youre looking for excellent service and low main.

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  Very nice car except engine groan, trans hunts - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By John Bowling - October 9 - 4:45 pm

  My wifes car, but I drive when we are together; about 75% of total miles. I could get used to the engine groaning sound if it werent for the 8-speed transmission constantly grabbing a gear so high it cant maintain speed on a hill (louder groan) and shifting back down within four seconds, then repeating the sequence. It is the constant attempt to keep engine revs under 1,800 rpm for fuel economy that causes the groaning and very slight vibration. The engine is laboring, even under the light throttle of a gentle driver the revs are so low. Downshifting manually a gear or two completely eliminates it, making the engine very smooth and quiet. The transmission is also reluctant to downshift when speed drops on a hill with throttle still applied. When climbing a steep hill into our neighborhood, I must make a sharp turn. I feather the throttle to time my speed reduction to reach 6 or 7 mph as I reach the sharp corner, still climbing steeply. As I turn it gets steeper and I add throttle. The speed drops further because its still in third gear. The torque converter sounds like it is being abused. The car slows to about two mph, slower than I want to go before dropping to second, but if I add enough throttle to make it downshift when it should it would surge ahead too strongly for the turn. It never selects first, which is what is needed. I now shift manually every time I climb any hill to prevent these problems. When I do, the engine is quiet, smooth, sounds happy at 2,000-2,500 rpm and of course there is no hunting. The transmission programming must have been done on flat land with fuel economy paramount. Positive effects are my gentle driving and their crummy programming have produced 25.5 mpg combined over many tanks of gas, which is well above EPA estimates. Beating EPA estimates by 15% is typical for me, but I can do it without such substandard transmission performance. One last transmission observation; when cruising gently, then deciding to pass, upon adding a lot of throttle suddenly the car does nothing for almost two seconds as it thinks, revs, drops several gears (all at once, to its credit) and finally takes off. Planning is required. I expect they will get all this sorted out, but keep these points in mind before buying a 2017 if they would bother you. Otherwise a great car. Very quiet, smooth riding, nice seat and steering wheel memory setup, 10,000 mi oil changes, very high quality materials with the luxury pkg. Oh, lane keeping assist rarely works and no headlight system, standard or optional, turns with the steering wheel, even though it is badly needed for curvy back road driving and they incorrectly call both systems "adaptive." Neither adapts to anything. Cornering lights with optional LED headlights are very helpful when turning, but when driving a curvy road at night there are still big dark areas to either side of the high beams, which swiveling headlights would fix. My BMWs truly adaptive bi-xenons with cornering lights that meet the edges of the high beams are far superior. Adaptive Bi-xenon means both low and high beams swivel. Wonderful for curvy roads, which is all we,have around here. My tread depth gauge shows fast tire wear despite 98th percentile on gentleness. Power steering is easy at low speeds, as it should be. Overhead view with backup camera beside it can be selected to display automatically at 6 mph and below. It is terrific for parking. My wife loves this car. I would say I like it despite its flaws. There are a lot of good points.

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  Your average Mike - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By The average consumer - October 7 - 2:00 am

  This is a nice car for a family car. It is underpowered and that is the one bad thing about it. I would say that over all that is nothing too big. I would also advise someone to look at the Toyota line for a better buy on almost the same car. However if you dont mind paying up front five to six grand extra for the Lexus then this is better than the E class from Germany. The dealer will not kill you when you go back in and get anything extra or for service work. I have had several of each and the Lexus is much the best.

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  RX 350 Worry Free Comfort - 2013 Lexus RX 350
  By Jennifer - October 3 - 10:15 am

  Ride, and low maintenance are great. Not much in fun to drive or connectedness to driving experience. Paint easy to scratch, navigation and Bluetooth not as intuitive as previously owner Audi.

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  Great car But !! - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By aa446688 - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Great Car But!actually had an accident backing up the car because of the size rear head rest obstructing the view)..

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  Great Car with few Exceptions - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Vishal - October 3 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car, but I have had a couple problems with it. No matter what the dealer tells you about rear wheel cars, dont believe it. I had a $13,000 front wheel drive car for 7 years. I lived in NJ, PA, IL, and SD (Yes, South Dakota). I lived in rain, snow, sleet, and ice. Out of the 7 years, I never got in an accident and never get stuck. I then traded it for a $33,000 rear wheel Lexus last year. Since I have had this rear wheel drive car, I have fishtailed a dozen times, got stuck in the snow 3 times, and yesterday (the cherry on top of the sundae) slid off the road into a telephone poll.

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  Love the mouse and mpg - 2010 Lexus HS 250H
  By Jim - September 24 - 10:40 am

  Getting 40.7 for first 7,000 miles. The large display with the very functional mouse is a hoot. Get my stock updates, team scores, etc. Love this car. It certainly is not a slow car and is very capable on the long road.

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  no place to put change! - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By TheMasterTailor - September 21 - 10:00 am

  5 cupholders but NO change bin! Dealer donesnt know how to install the cargo net!

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  Headrest issues prevent a sale! - 2016 Lexus ES 350
  By Cristo - September 20 - 2:30 pm

  This automobile was on my short list. Now, after several years, I am finally prepared to purchase a car that will last me for the next 10-12 years. Overall, I was very pleased with the 2016 es350 Ultra Luxury Sedan, and would have "plugged the trigger" and made the purchase. However, due to the terribly designed headrest in this car, I will sadly have to pass. What a shame! The car is everything I need and want. Unfortunately, there really is no way for me to be comfortable while driving. I tend to sit fairly erect when I drive, and the headrest makes me very uncomfortable. I am 60. Now, I am considering my other choice, 2016 Toyota Avalon Limited. Of course, it will lack several "luxury touches", but the headrest is not as intrusive as the es350. I wish Lexus would make an adjustable headrest that you could adjust an inch or two backwards. I know this is for safety, but I feel certain that I am not the only person that feels this way.

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  Reliabilty, are you kidding me? - 2003 Lexus GS 300
  By Lexus??? - September 15 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car, instead of the Mercedes I used to drive as a "change of pace". My friends bragged about how great their Lexus were. Boy did they fool me. The cars electronics are bad, bad, bad. The stereo system cuts in and out, the CD players skips and the sunroof leaks. My airbag lite is always on and my dealer cant fix it. I think they are tired of seeing me. The ride stinks, this is not a performance car. The ride in this car is something my grandparents might enjoy. Too mushy, handles badly.