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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  High end luxury; low end price - 2010 Lexus ES 350
  By Wan Kim - June 13 - 10:00 am

  After driving SUVs (Sequoia, Cayenne) for the last 8 yrs, I switched to this sedan. The comfort level and ride quality is amazing for a car at this price level. Ive only had it for 300 miles now (17 at delivery), but love it so far. The V6 has more than enough power for any driving situation; smooth & quiet throughout. The Levinson audio and panoramic roof are very nice "higher end" touches. Camry frame etc, but all the great luxury features of most Lexus vehicles. Compared to what I had, the gas mileage is great for this car; averaging over 20 mpg in roughly 60/40 (city/hwy) driving. Buying experience was "OK"; but am happy w/ the car itself.

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  Quarter Million Mile IS - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By woodworking101 - June 13 - 2:35 am

  Cant believe its been 11+ years w/my car. I still remember the rush of the test drive. I took an on-ramp aggressively w/the salesman next to me & we both smiled. I couldnt believe I was in a sedan, let alone a Lexus. It was better handling than my old Eclipse Turbo. Better road feel, more grip, similar body roll & much faster turn-in. After a little negotiating, she was mine. Ive been a Toyota guy since 88, but even I cant believe how reliable this cars been. Oh, thereve been the usual tires, brakes & oil changes along w/one timing belt & one clutch. My odo is @ 248K mi & the only unscheduled maintainence Ive done is a set of o2 sensors, ball joints & a fuel pump.

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  Love the RX - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By Rooster - June 12 - 1:16 am

  This is our first Lexus and we love it. Build quality is very high. Changing the oil yourself is very easy to do and saves lots of money. Havent had any problems with the car at all so far.

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  Best riding SUV period - 2001 Lexus LX 470
  By Jabo - June 9 - 2:00 am

  I looked at 2004 Navigators and Escalades. I already own a 2003 Explorer. None of them compare to the refined ride of this vehicle. The off the line torque seems to be every bit as good as the Navigator and not that far from the Escalade. Most of the torque seems to be readily available at the lower end of the tach. The ride is incomparable. The handling is exceptional for a vehicle of this size/weight. The interior is as luxury as it gets with soft leather and burlwood accents. The navigation system is in a class of its own. Extremely intuitive to operate and accurate, with a huge screen. The third row seats are useful for small people only.

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  Nothing like it - 2004 Lexus LX 470
  By Satan - June 9 - 2:00 am

  A truly competent vehicle. Very agile compared to my 2000 Pathfinder despite the extra wt. Wouldnt mind some extra power. Impeccable reliability

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  Best car I ever owned - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Golfkat - June 9 - 2:00 am

  This is by far the best car I have ever owned (and I have owned 7). The car is fun to drive, it handles great and beats most around. There are only a few minor things I would change about this car and none of which are performance. Lexus hit the money on this one.

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  Comfartable and excellent luxury car - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By arunsen - June 9 - 2:00 am

  Great drive, smooth ride, interior is awsome, Exterior is very nice and was appreciated by many. Looks great.. Drives great, Needs a liitle more power. Turning radius should be improved. Music system is awsome... Heated seats and Memory seats and very good.

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  The Best - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By cougarmt - June 9 - 2:00 am

  Best car I have ever owned. Well worth the money

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  Best in class - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Tukkus - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Im 36 and not small by any means. I thought the IS300 was for younger folk. Then I went for a test drive. Its lagrer inside than the Volvo, BMW, and Audi. Its also funner, faster and a blast to drive. The sound system is is better than my home theater system. I have had the car for over a month now and have zero complaints. I live in a area with too much traffic, and the IS300 lets me zip through it when I can. Its also nice when you can blow past a Mustang GT, and get better miledge while doing it.

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  Fine Product - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By Don - June 5 - 6:26 pm

  We purchased the 2010 RX350 as a replacement for a Volvo XC Wagon, which was a maintenance disaster. Weve had one previous Lexus. I concur with many who state they dont understand the negative comments. There is little I find fault with in this vehicle. The seats are firm, comfortable on long rides, and cooled. The handling is solid, with excellent steering response. Quality throughout exceeded what I noticed in BMW and Acura SUVs. As for gas mileage, given engine size and performance, Im pleased, averaging 22.5 after 10,000 miles. We did not opt for the nav system, as I couldnt justify the added cost over a plug-in GPS.