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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  A masterpiece - 2006 Lexus LS 430
  By L Dean - May 24 - 1:46 pm

  Riding and driving the LS 430 is like riding on a cloud powered by a jet! It is the most maintenance free vehicle I have ever owned.

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  Best vehicle i ever had - 2011 Lexus LX 570
  By abidsid - May 23 - 8:38 am

  WOW!!! it is a amazing machine!!!. i have had almost all the best SUV but this is my first time buying a lexus SUV. i had a lexus car before therefore i knew what to expect from lexus. the ride is quite, comfortable, vehicle is very agile, responsive and powerful. all suvs have almost same gas milage in this class. but LX 570 excels them in all departments. i traded my landr rover and promised myself for not buying another european rest of my life. even after spending so much money i am really happy and do not feel got ripped off or i have made a wrong decesion. it is really a amazing machine. trust me cut all other expenses and just get one. i got fully loaded with all the feaure

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  Best ride/drive - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By tom - May 22 - 12:06 pm

  The new 440h is great. The especially quiet - and quick - ride is the best. Comfortable on long ride (450 mile trip over weekend - mostly highway - 27.0 mpg aver.). yes - expensive - bells and whistles not all that necessary - but the car is 100%.

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  The paint color is off too much. - 2015 Lexus RX 350
  By Carolyn Chang - May 22 - 11:43 am

  I bought a new Lexus 350 RX in 2015 with the color of Pearl White. My teacher colleagues and I noticed later that the rear bumper color is different from the body. It is kind of yellowish. I understand that the bumper is plastic, the color is always a little different from its body. I accepted this little difference. But my bumpers color, in brief, is off too much. My relative told me the bumper looked like repainted after the car crash. I have been contacting Lexus Dealer since then. They repainted the bumper but its color is still off too much. They refused to paint it again. Everybody who sees my car told me the rear bumper color is off too much, which makes people think this car once had a crash, the bumper was repainted. I was told by the Consumer Authority person that I could bring this matter to the small court. I already have a court day. I would like to give my advice to anyone who wants to buy Lexus cars, which is: look carefully at every parts of your new car before you drive your new car home. In addition, my GPS failed in taking to the restaurant where I was invited to. My tire pressure warning light is on many days of the year even if the tires pressures have no problems at all. I am a good driver for 23 years and have no accident at all. My experience tells me Lexus is not a good car.

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  This is the best car in the world - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By Lexus IS300 Sports C - May 22 - 7:00 am

  The Lexus Sport Hatchback is the greatest car for me. I carry children around in it, its very safe. And if Im driving a long distance the gas saved by not driving a huge monster oversized van or truck-type vehicle is enormous. Plus, this car is so much fun to drive. Im usually the first to volunteer to drive anywhere because it is such fun and very comfortable. The sound system is wonderful as well. I cant say enough about this fabulous car. It has it all.

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  LS 430 not an olds man car anymore! - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By Precision Pilot - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Awesome.. Great new styling. Fresh Quick transmission. Great 18 wheels with awesome handling characteristics with the Euro-suspension.

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  Car of the Century - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By B.gregorios - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Best auto I have ever owned. From price to performance it cant be beat.

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  Not a pretty face ! - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By Robert Sarchet - May 21 - 10:01 pm

  I do not like the looks of the grill but you can not see it from the driving seats.

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  Very dependable and comfortable - 1996 Lexus LS 400
  By abraham - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Have driven four times for 325 miles one-way and it is a dream to drive and ride the highway. Super quiet, super smooth. A vehicle that you can read with ease without feeling car sickness as you will in most. Everyone after riding in it has expressed satisfaction with the car and was impressed with its, quietness, luxury, room and beauty.

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  Best car bar none - 1997 Lexus LS 400
  By Phil57 - May 21 - 10:00 am

  This car is a joy to drive. I have owned it for 18 months and I look forward to using it every day, whether for work or with the family. I have a stressful job in real estate, with lots of stop and go driving to visit properties. The Lexus smooth performance and luxurious interior are very relaxing and dont intrude on my workday. The entire car is well thought out, simple to operate, performs excellently and is rock solid reliable. I cannot imagine owning another car.