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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  Happy With the RX - 1999 Lexus RX 300
  By Alexis Owner - February 24 - 10:00 am

  We purchased it for my wife with 30K Miles and have thouroughly enjoyed it. I recently had an exhaust manifold leak fixed and I had the rear bushings replaced a little while ago. No maj problems and we enjoy driving it in bad weather as the visibility through the winshield is great. Pohanka service dept and salesman Terry have been great.

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  Headlights - 2006 Lexus LS 430
  By Barbara - February 22 - 2:00 am

  I find the headlights dangerous. They cast a shadow and it is difficult to see the road when the road is unlit. The dealership says they cannot be adjusted. Im very disappointed that such an expensive car could have such a bad defect.

• 

  best car ive owned - 2000 Lexus ES 300
  By mike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - February 21 - 1:23 pm

  The Lexus es300 is one of the best cars Ive owned. After 8 years I have had no problems with it. It drives smooth and is pretty fast. The seats are comfortable and its quiet and gets decent fuel economy. (I get about 19/24 mpg.)

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  I need your feedback! - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By niceandfunny9 - February 20 - 2:00 am

  Purchased new..right off the truck..foolish move..didnt test drive it..find that transmission does not shift properly. Hesitates/holds back from first through second gear. The rest of the package is awesome. Only 1,000 miles on it and Lexus says the car is fine??????? Would love to hear back from other owners about transmission shifting concerns

• 

  A good choice - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By MP2 - February 20 - 2:00 am

  Very nice car for the price. Very solid driving. Fuel mileage is pretty good, also. I like the overall look and feel of the car. If you want the luxury car without huge sticker shock, the ES330 is a nice place to start.

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  Not the advertised MPG! - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By jeneaneball - February 19 - 11:40 pm

  The only reason I purchsed the 400h was because of the so called "great gas mileage." A joke at best. I live in Texas, it cant get any flatter, I am a very conservative driver and my MPG is at 21.2. I guess the only way to get the 29-33 mpg they claim is to drive under 40 mph, never run the air conditioner and live where the air temperature is always in the 70s.

• 

  Never Again - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By Never Again - February 19 - 1:20 am

  Cant stand this car. Had a 2002 before and loved it. The car sounds like a diesel pickup truck when cold. Dealership and Lexus have refused to do anything about it. Wind noise at high speeds is terrible. It sounds like the windows are open just a little bit, but they are not. I like my Ford Edge 100% more, and it cost 25% less. Very loose handling and visibility. I will never buy a Lexus again.

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  Actual gas mileage = false advertising - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By phsandiego - February 17 - 1:32 pm

  Our gas mileage has never been as advertised. We bought our RX400h with 8000 miles on it in Sept 2006. It was 1 yr old, the prior owner traded it in fast and took a $20k loss on the trade in. We have always averaged 26.2 mpg in a mix of city/hiway driving. We had the hybid inverter module replaced in Feb 2012. $10k+ repair! Our gas mileage then plummeted from 26.2 to 23.4 mpg. We suspect that Lexus reprogrammed the engine management computer to use the gas engine more and the hybrid less so as to extend the life of the batteries and inverter. This way, they wont have to make so many expensive warranty repairs. Please let us know if you saw the same thing with your mileage.

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  Impressive Sport Sedan from Lexus! - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By dave1122 - February 17 - 10:00 am

  After owning a BMW 323i and having to stay in that same price range, i decided not to go for the 325i and pay an extra 3000 for a 14 hp improvement over the 323. I test drove the lexus and fell in love with it. Very comfortable, handles great, engine is nice (would have like a few more horses), but overall, an EXCELLENT sport sedan for the price. Oh, and did I mention, it is sooo fun to drive.

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  Best luxury for price. - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Bugs - February 17 - 10:00 am

  True to Lexus tradition, this is the best luxury sedan for the price. Others imitate but can never catch up.