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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  this vehicle is a must have! - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By tea - February 8 - 1:43 pm

  my husband just bought me this 3 days after christmas. we traded in a lx 470. this suv is out standing. it has a dvd player for the kids and a navigation system. even though it is a few inches smaller than the lx 470, you would never know it. i also love the way the back door opens. it is much easier to load groceries and packages.

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  Outstanding Automobile - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Darin Bell - February 8 - 10:00 am

  Nothing comes close to the build quality and comfort of the Lexus. It is quiet, comfortable, and just a joy to drive. The Lexus just feels tight. I compared the GX470 to many other luxury SUVs and the Lexus always won out in my mind.

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  Class Action Needed for Trans - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By JGawrysiak - February 8 - 10:00 am

  Ive written Lexus Customer (NON) Satisfaction 3 times--theyve called me back twice only to tell me the transmission is "operating as designed". Funny they would say that automatically without driving the car. Service writers and salespeople at the dealership know theres a problem and say there is no fix. SM told me that Lexus said to use premium gas and it may help--so they KNOW theres a problem. Ive counted 21 complaints on this site. Is anyone working a Class Action, or had any luck getting some compensation in the way of a buy-back? Please e-mail me your experiences and the actions youve taken and maybe we can get something done. JGawry@aol.com

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  Great Car - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By SBenner - February 8 - 10:00 am

  Fantastic Car! After looking at Acura TL, Volvo, Audi I know I made the right choice. Rides like a dream and looks great inside and out.

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  Outstanding - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By D Wofford - February 7 - 4:30 am

  A fun and reliable vehicle that I have had almost no problems with. When the speakers were damaged by my son, the dealership replaced them at no costs. Lexus service is outstanding.

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  love it but the grill has to go! - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Bman - February 6 - 8:55 pm

  This is my second RX as I loved my 2008. O love 90% of the 2016, its the front grill that will take me some time to get used too. it doesnt fit with the rest of the car, it looks like they stuck it on and made this huge ugly grill. Other than that I love the reat f the car, The sides and the rear look awesome. the rise is smooth and comfortable. The only other drawback is the radio controls, seems to be too complicated for doing easy functions. Hopefully Lexus will weed out these small issues and and have the best car on the market as they are close.

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  Front driver seat is bad - 2013 Lexus ES 300h
  By russell42 - February 5 - 6:10 am

  The front drivers seat hurts my leg and is uncondortable

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  Velvet Rocket! - 2016 Lexus RC F
  By John D. Clark, D.D.S. - February 5 - 12:56 am

  Exactly as advertised; smooth, fast, a real joy to drive. Perfect for long drives for the three of us. (Ollie, our Frenchie puppy, owns the back seat.)

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  Awesome - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By JGH - February 3 - 9:40 pm

  Excellent vehicle -- quality is hard to beat. A great looking car that is very enjoyable to drive.

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  The best ever - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By Darren Mclean - February 1 - 3:40 pm

  It is very comfortable to drive. If I was to sell it I would make sure that it is in the best conditions that it could be in. It is so comfortable that you could sleep in as soon as you sit in it. It drives very smoothly. The interior design is very beautiful to my eyes. The exterior design is wonderful to my eyes. It is fun to drive.