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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  Never Driven a Better Car! - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By vyoung - May 16 - 2:00 am

  At 65" and 290lbs., I find it difficult to find a truly comfortable car. Forget the exemplery reliability of this vehicle...the ride is beyond any possible expectation. More amazing is the fact that the ride is exactly the same after 40,000 miles! Responsiveness and handling are excellent and the service is unmatched. Cannot imagine every buying a car elsewhere. I am more spoiled.

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  benadam - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By benadam - May 16 - 2:00 am

  excellent overall needs more power which was improved in the new models.ES 330....

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  DO NOT BUY 2004 RX330 - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By edev31 - May 16 - 2:00 am

  HUGE disappointment and waste of $44k. Taken back to dealer 4 times since July for rattles they cant fix (ripped out dash twice) jerky transmission that "clunks" when you come to a stop, loud wind/road noise-it sounds like a window is open. Loud,ticking noise from engine. Lexus says this is "normal" although their ES330 with the same engine does not have this noise. DO NOT BUY THIS VEHICLE.Dealer admits there are many problems with the new RX330. Many others are having the same problems.I would hope that Lexus would adhere to their bogus "Passionate Pursuit of Perfection" and stop production until they can produce a quality vehicle.

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  Love our RX330 - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By GSmith - May 16 - 2:00 am

  We purchased at Lexus of Ann Arbor what a great experience from our sales person Trish to our service visits...all wonderful. The RX330 was a great purchase decision. Quiet ride with all the comforts you expect from a Lexus.

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  Fabulous! - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By NYC Architect - May 16 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle seems to float above the road. Its responsive, is incredibly comfortable even on long trips, and has a lot of really well thought out features. The exterior and interior fit and finish is tasteful, luxurious with a very high quality of craftsmanship. Its great looking, definitely 21st Century.

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  Great car - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By J G - May 15 - 1:10 am

  I bought a loaded ES350 with 30,000 mi, car was about as perfect as you could expect with 30,000 mi. Hway MPG about 32 (amazing). Quiet, very comfortable, great car for trips & around town and handles better than you would expect from the reviews. Not a sports car (I already own one) just a beautiful, comfortable car & ride. I have owned Acuras & Infinitys, this is the best.

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  GREAT CAR - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By ANGEL - May 15 - 12:20 am

  I had this car a little over a year, its a great car quality, driving & performance

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  Wait for the 2008 fixes - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By Rich - May 14 - 12:53 pm

  Overall the car is great with a beautiful interior and a smooth ride. There are two annoying design flaws that I am sure Lexus will fix in the upcoming 2008 model. The LED lighting is ridiculously dim, what were they thinking! Second, the latch to open the center console is exactly where your elbow goes causing it to open constantly. It is also a strange design that limits your ability to use it. They should also make the car interior a little bit bigger - an inch more headroom in the frony, an inch each more hip, shoulder and leg room in the rear. Then it would be closer to perfect. It is better than all its competition except maybe the BMW 5 Series which is about $15K more.

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  Lexus SC 430 - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By robert Norris - May 13 - 10:30 pm

  The SC 430 is a very fine design. Construction detail is excellent in every respect. The car is very quiet, smooth, and operates as advertised. It is really fun to drive. The design of the hardtop retraction system is amazingly smooth and quick. When the top is up the car is not noisy like convertibles tend to be.

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  The Best Yet - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By Mark Andrews - May 13 - 3:03 pm

  I am thrilled with the new 2010 RX. Previously I was really sold on the Acura until I actually drove the RX. It has to be the most smooth and yet sporty ride ever. I appreciate the crisp handling and the quiet cabin. The space is great and I love the style. It was the easiest for me just getting in and out. It was the quietest and I have to say my service experience has cost me around the same as my old Toyota which is "peanuts" I love my new Lexus and would highly recommend one to anyone in the market for a five passenger SUV. "love it"