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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  Test drive - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By irish - July 2 - 2:00 am

  I only test drove this truck. I own a 99 LX. Everything was great about this truck except the handling. On the freeway it was a bit loose. The 3rd row seating is comfortable.

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  Great - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By sooppa - July 2 - 2:00 am

  Great car. This would be the greatest car if it had more torque.

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  Number One Convertible On The Market - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By Barton Simon - July 2 - 2:00 am

  I believe this car to be superior to the Mercedes SL500 (Ive owned 3)and BMW convertible (owned 1). Just a fantastic automobile at 2/3rds the price of an SL.

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  Cosmo - 2002 Lexus SC 430
  By Leslie Crawford - July 2 - 2:00 am

  This is my third Lexus automobile and I considered no other vehicles at the time I purchased my 2002 SC430. As much as I admired the Lexus SC430, the fact that it was a Lexus and that I had had two very good previous experiences with Lexus automobiles was a big factor in my decision. The only problem I have experienced with the vehicle was a faulty "window regulator", which manifested itself by a rattling sound. The problem was corrected when the dealership installed a new regulator. Otherwise, I have continued to enjoy this vehicle since taking delivery in August 2002.

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  Love this car - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By viktoo - July 2 - 2:00 am

  My first lexus and what a car. A punchy acceleration for an suv that can beat many sedans. Talk about roomy and comfortable, with an interrior and exterrior design that makes you want to jump in the car and drive around for no reason. The xenon lights are a big plus and the spolier just fits the car perfectly. The only downside is the poor fuel economy that is created by the constant AWD. But is mad up for the termendous control the car has while driving. A great car and i highly recomend it.

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  EJM - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By ejm - June 27 - 2:03 pm

  It had been a long time since I purchased a new car. Driving the IS 300 is like a breath of fresh air. It is manuverable, responsive, and quick off the line. It is quick to deliver whatever I ask it to do. It performs so well that I rarely require the use of some of the other high-performance options.

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  Wonderful! - 2004 Lexus LX 470
  By Caroline Holmes - June 26 - 7:30 pm

  thank you for sharing that!

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  Not Your Childs Car - 2015 Lexus ES 350
  By DrV1968 - June 26 - 12:16 pm

  First of all, I didnt even consider Lexus when my husband and I test drove cars recently. In fact, I wasnt going to purchase ANY car because I was perfectly happy with the one I had, but my husband wanted to look, so well, lets be honest, much easier to give them what they want! We drove several luxury sedans that day, and my husband wanted to look specifically at Acura to replace my loaded Honda Accord, which was a car that I loved. We visited dealerships up and down "motormile" including Audi, Acura, BMW, Honda, and so on. At the end of the day, I was happy to have proven to my husband that my Honda was, even after a few years, unbeatable. THEN, at the end of the day, he asked me would I like to visit Lexus, which I really didnt, but like any good wife, my response was Why not? Oh. My. Goodness. Ive friends who own Lexus, BMWs, Mercedes, etc. but Im not one to be persuaded to buy for the "label" unless its truly a better product and an exceptional value. That said, I should have stopped while I was ahead that day... Because Im now officially a Lexus addict. There are three things that I demand of any vehicle I own: comfort, reliability, and power! When I press the accelerator, I want that car to move; however, Im not a twenty-something looking for a sports car, (or a mid-life crisis hot rod) and if thats what you want, look elsewhere. Try their slightly more affordable IS version for a stiff sports ride if you need that speedster experience. There is no go-kart, stiff, bumpy, hardcore ride to the ES 350 at all --- it is pure comfort and smooth luxury. After test driving cars all day, including a few for $60K and 80K, this one actually made me realize that I did in fact want a new car- THIS car!! Let me be blunt, if I shell out over $40K from my pocket - not the banks money, but cold hard cash - it must be an amazing bang-for-the-buck because, personally, it hurts to turn loose of that much hard-earned money in one fell swoop (Note to cash buyers: If you pay the dealership $9900 in cash and write a check for the balance, they are still required to report that to the IRS. Checks count as cash, go figure.) All this to say, Im not a Lexus fan, or a gadget junkie, or a new car aficionado, but that ES 350 literally sold itself. Period. If you havent driven it, what are you waiting for? No review is going to convince you like the car itself! There is a reason that the ES 350 is Lexus best selling model - its just that good! Yes, even if it means I have to admit my husband was right! Three things you should know: Most surprisingly, Lexus of Knoxville mailed us a refund check for $100 because we overpaid (after we had dickered over price for an hour) which tells me the associates working for that dealership have integrity! It would have been extremely easy for someone to stick that cash in his or her pocket. They were honest during the entire process, even when it came to telling me what they were going to do with the Accord I traded in. (I loved that car! And FYI they auctioned it. For less than they gave us in trade in value.) If you have the ability to deal in Knoxville, definitely buy from them! Next, the accessories and safety features definitely stand head-and-shoulders above the rest. A back-up cam is nice, sure, but features like the park assist and blind spot monitoring are fab-u-lous. The dealership tech expert sat in the car with me and taught me all the nifty tricks and short-cuts. For example, If you activate the voice command system and say, "Im cold," the car increases the temp by four degrees, without ever taking your eyes off the road. Same with "Im hot" and "Im hungry" is a simple way to get nav to display local dining options. Take advantage of your tech expert because he or she knows how to make it easy and fun to drive this car and will answer all your questions no matter how long it takes --- then gives you his number in case you have questions after delivery. Lastly, when you do purchase the ES 350, and if you drive it, you will buy one, make sure you get all the accessories you think you might want; having them added at a later date (like a spoiler or body-side molding) is actually more expensive than the price on Lexus website "due to the added labor costs." Unfortunately, we bought ours on a Sunday night and I regret not getting those items added in at a set price, thinking when I drove back to Knoxville to have the car officially delivered, I could add accessories at their stated price. Luckily, I found a spoiler and body-side molding online for less than $100 each (original equipment branded In a Toyota box when delivered) and our local body shop installed both in under an hour... So, we spent $200 on options that would have been a grand had we had them done in Lexus service dept; however, these parts arent covered under warrantee. If the car is already equipped from the factory, according to the dealership, you dont pay labor.

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  Lexus 300 Drives Like a 400 Series Sedan - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By nukkles - June 26 - 10:00 am

  This is my fourth year with the Lexus 300 and I couldnt be happier. Im sometimes tempted to trade it in for a new one but, except for a few more bells and whistles, they are exactly the same. Great car! Plenty of room. My dogs love being able to roam around the back.

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  Lexus ES330 - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By max22 - June 25 - 7:20 am

  Great luxury car. Great value for price paid, with a much better repair record. Car drives, and handles as well or better than Mercedes E320, and BMW525.