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:

• 

  Best car Ive owned! - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By joe - June 10 - 8:06 pm

  Fun car, superb characteristics top down or up, quick but not lightening fast. Attracts alot of attention from everyone, so you cannot hide in this beauty. Very reliable. Best on a warm sunny day without a doubt. It is a treat to drive, even after 3 years of ownership. The best car I have owned, including LS and GS 400 models, Jags...

• 

  Expected more - 2000 Lexus LS 400
  By Jim - June 10 - 2:10 am

  I did not expect to have to have a valve adjustment done at 70,000 miles that cost $850. Nor did I expect climate control and steering components, as well a clock to stop functioning. I had none of these problems with our Camry.

• 

  Unimpressed - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By P. Chetras - June 9 - 10:50 am

  The AWD system on this vehicle is horrible in the snow. It is not as good as other systems I am familiar with. It appears that the rear wheels only work when there is noticeable slip in the front wheels. The delay at which the rear wheels engage is very noticeable and is scary when going around corners. Even with the stability control the AWD system destabilizes the car around corners in slippery conditions.

• 

  Lexus LS430 - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By Nocek - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Best car I have owned.

• 

  IS 3 - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By EPGuy - June 8 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE THIS CAR!

• 

  Disabled the Navigation - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By Wantin to Nav - June 8 - 9:33 am

  All 2007 Lexus vehicles are set to disable the navigation and phone dialing while the car is in motion. This is a huge pain!! The otherwise very good Lexus quality is overshadowed by the loss of the "override" that was present in older Lexus vehicles. I would have bought an Acura, Audi or BMW (anything, actually) if I had known the nav was disabled.

• 

  Quiet, Powerful, Joy to Drive - 2007 Lexus GX 470
  By moxielady - June 6 - 12:40 pm

  This is my 4th Lexus SUV, and by far my favorite. Its unbelievably quiet, and tows a 6x10 covered trailer like nobodys businesss. LOVE the audio-in port, in which I can play my iPod or anything else. Brakes are steady and strong, not grabby. The new nav is mind- boggling and easy to use, and the bluetooth phone interface blows me away. Theres lots of room for pax and cargo, and my dog loves the ease of access to the way back. Best vehicle Ive ever owned.

• 

  the "ONLY" issue - 2001 Lexus LS 430
  By Bill in Katy, TX - June 6 - 3:00 am

  First set of tires were shot in 18,000 miles. Steering settings were set to Lexus specifications. Found good front end man who played with the settings and now up to 65,000 miles on the car with the second set still looking great. Best car I have ever driven-- have new LS 460 on order. Hope it is just as good

• 

  The best car Ive ever owned - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By lucky boy - June 4 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car, tight, reliable, posh, thoughtfully executed. Everything about it suggests quality-- the finish, looks, touch of the controls. I owned the previous model (SC 400) which was also very sexy, but harder to control--road feel, handling, and control of this car are greatly improved. Run flat tires occasionally transmit too much of uneven roads to driver. I look forward to enjoying this car for years to come.

• 

  Lexus ES 350... Big Fan - 2008 Lexus ES 350
  By DT - June 4 - 8:36 am

  Traded in an 2006 Acura TL for the 2008 Lexus ES 350. I loved the TL but I love the ES 350 that much more. Totally diferrent drive as the TL is a much more aggressive car. This car feels much roomier and everything put into the car is of top notch quality. Little disappointed in the stereo but overall am very satisfied. The gas mileage as well as the ability to not have to use premium gas is much improved over the Acura and the displays are very easy to read.