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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  Great Car - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By A. J. - May 19 - 2:00 am

  Just got the IS 300 E-style, black/black, lots of options and out the door at $29,000. Fun to drive, smooth ride, great handling and looks great.

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  Fast and Comfortable - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By d12ew99 - May 19 - 2:00 am

  LEXUS IS 300 Is a great car. Great pick up and beautiful design. Looks more expensive than what i paid for it. LSD, RWD, 215hp, 5speed,17inch graphite rims, with a lip spoiler. This Car has it all for performance! :LUXURY wheres the wood? hahah.. SAVING THE TREES? Full Leather Interior with attractive Gauges for Speedo! Full Spare with rim included!

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  IS300 - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By DJ jr. - May 19 - 2:00 am

  I knew as soon as I test drove the IS I was going to take it home. Its inline six makes it super quick, and suspension and handling are far better than BMW 3 series and the Infiniti G35. The polished alloy 17s complete the beautiful exterior. As far as the interior, well its just awesome.

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  Super Cool SC430 - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By Nursey - May 19 - 2:00 am

  Great car for those who seek impractical, but fun transportation. Top down, superior sound system up, gets lots of attention.

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  Great Car! - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By Cameron2 - May 19 - 2:00 am

  The lexus rx300 is a great suv, but not to much of an SUV that it is a gas- guzzler. Also great handling and breaks. If you are looking for that big SUV feeling, this probably isnt the right car for you.

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  Lovin life! - 2015 Lexus RX 350
  By Maureen Bates - May 17 - 3:45 pm

  Lexus makes a quality car/suv that I appreciate. The comfort level is wonderful and it is so quiet when the windows are closed. It drives great and easy to park and maneuver thru traffic. Great sound system, Bluetooth is awesome. All in all I couldnt be more pleased.

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  Greatest SUV - 2006 Lexus LX 470
  By Peter L - May 17 - 5:10 am

  Although the gas mileage is tough on the pocketbook... the performance and reliabilty are in a clas by itself. The finest engineered SUV on the road or off road... when they come up with a hybrid LX470... I will be the first in line.

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  Love this Car - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By Jonnyjmp - May 17 - 2:13 am

  I have to say this has been the best car I have ever owned. The only problem is people want to talk to tell you how nice the car looks when you have the top down and are stopped at a light.

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  Simply the Best - 2008 Lexus GX 470
  By Liquiddi - May 15 - 3:03 pm

  I bought an 08 GX 470 for my wife and love every bit of this truck. I own an 06 Trailblazer SS and love it to death. I can say the Lexus out performs the SS in every category except performance. The Lexus is tight The doors dont rattle when you shut them. At the age of 33 Im really sick of all the American cars Ive had. I guess Im getting old and tired of dealing with the problems. GX 470 is awesome.

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  Great Vehicle, fantastic mileage - 2008 Lexus RX 400H
  By lexus_gta - May 15 - 1:49 am

  I bought this used about a month ago with only about 60 K km. (less than 40K miles) on it. After much research I decided to use only REGULAR gas in it since it seems that Premium is more about performance than fuel economy. Ill probably throw in an additive every three months or so. Having driven it about 2500 km. (about 1500 miles), Im averaging 8.6L / 100km. which is just over 27mpg. And thats on REGULAR Gas. My 2010 2.4L 4 cyl. Hyundai Santa Fe could not even begin to to approach these numbers. Couldnt be happier because I got a great deal on a car that was just inspected by Lexus and had all the brakes done by Lexus, and is practically new. My best vehicle ever!