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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  Let Those Gas Prices Rise - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By andy2xus - May 4 - 6:10 am

  At 3300 miles were averaging 29-30MPG in 50/50 mixed driving w/very rare AC.The temps been 70 - 80, low humidity. Our driving style is reflected in the change in MPG - mine is about 1MPG higher than my Y-chromosome mate. For us it truly makes a difference in fuel efficiency. Although I dont drive like a little old lady, I tend to coast and anticipate much more than my husband. It makes driving like a video game. I try to see if I can adjust the mileage back up after he drives it (even though he has his own vehicle). Love the stealth mode in the city, love our dealer, love the reputation of Lexus. Great vehicle.

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  Continual Improvement - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By DFE - May 4 - 6:03 am

  I traded a 03 430 for this car. It gets plenty of looks.

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  Love this SUV - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Hriel - May 4 - 2:50 am

  I truly love driving this SUV- and I am convinced after test driving many other SUVs in the same class that this is the best purchase for the price. The comfort in this car is matched by no other SUV I have ever been in, and it truly rides like a sedan and not an SUV. It has a very smooth ride, and has all of the luxury features/options that Lexus has built its reputation on. I am also pleased by the reliability of this vehicle. I would like a little more cargo space, and Im not a huge fan of the metallic trim on the interior surrounding the console (would prefer wood trim), but other than that, this car has been perfect for our family of 3.

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  Dream Car - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By John M - May 3 - 11:46 pm

  I have never had so much fun driving a car. It is smooth, comfortable and just a treat to drive. I have had trouble putting the key in the ignition a few times and will bring this to the attention of the dealer. Probably something I am doing wrong, because there is nothing else wrong about this car. I love it. Getting a combined 19.8 miles per gallon, city & Highway

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  Great - but!!! - 2013 Lexus RX 450h
  By slojimi - May 3 - 1:17 pm

  This is my 2nd RX, previously owning a 2008 RX400h, the 450 is definitely the better of the two. It is extremely comfortable, fun to drive, well appointed & stylish. I drive a lot, so it is important that I dont feel beat up or worn out after 5-8 hours. There isnt much I dont really like about this vehicle. My disappointment has been with mpg in both vehicles. I am a "hyper-miler", squeezing every mpg out of the car I can. In the 450, after two years I was averaging 30.5 mpg; getting 32-33 mpgs on many trips. Something changed and Im lucky to get 28.5 now. The same with the 400h after 70K. Raising the issue with Lexus netted "thats too bad", offering no interest/solution to fix it!

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  Great, But Not Exciting - 2000 Lexus LS 400
  By cecurr - May 3 - 10:43 am

  This is an excellent car. The LS 400 is all a luxury car should be. Its quiet, comfortable and powerful. The fit and finish is unmatched. Im still amazed with the car power and acceleration, yet how quiet it is at all speeds. The tranny shifts so smoothly you can barely feel it. Great gas mileage for car size @ 18/25 city and highway. The car is so good to ride and drive, its almost boring.

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  New owner love the car but tech weak - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Catmamatimes2 - May 2 - 7:29 am

  We had to drive300 miles to get this car as local dealer failed us miserably. I love the car I dont love the nav system. It simply doesnt work and is off by about 100ft. It cant even find " home" shuts down about 20 homes from ours.i have to rely on my iPad. Which is more accurate. The weather map doesnt work when its cloudy when you really could use it . It quits at" downloading data" back to the iPad.for real time radar. Since we live on an island where the streets flood this feature is kinda important. Too bad it doesnt work.

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  So Far...So Perfect - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By brown - May 2 - 2:00 am

  The fuel economy is not great but as good as expected for this type of vehicle. If I wanted better gas mileage I would have bought a 3 cyl. Geo Metro. Power is good but not great. The engine puts out less horsepower but equivalent or better torque than the larger V8s. More power is always better, in my opinion.

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  So Far...So Perfect - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By Brown - May 2 - 2:00 am

  The fuel economy is not great but as good as expected for this type of vehicle. If I wanted better gas mileage I would have bought a 3 cyl. Geo Metro. Power is good but not great. The engine puts out less horsepower but equivalent or better torque than the larger V8s. More power is always better, in my opinion.

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  One fine automobile - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By LCDR - May 2 - 2:00 am

  A fine touring automobile. The DVD navigation system and excellent sound system made a recent trip a pleasure. Excellent acceleration and handling. I am very pleased with this car.