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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  My experience - 2001 Lexus ES 300
  By migoff - January 12 - 10:00 am

  Ive thoroughly enjoyed my Lexus. This vehicle performs well, and I find it to be very comfortable.

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  The right car for me - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By feendog - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I looked long and hard for a car. thought about the acura rsx - was too small. thought about a bmw - im sick of bmws, so i decided on the lexus is. i like it alot. its a pleasure on the highway. only complaint - its a bit of a gas guzzler, and the rear seats dont fold down, make storage small. but id buy/lease it again if i had to do it over...

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  Good car but transmission is lousy - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By fredj - January 12 - 2:00 am

  Many positives about this car BUT, transmission is such an integral part of a car, and this one is lousy for a car of this price. The engine and transmission seem to have trouble communicating on a downshift, when you are cruising in the 40-55mph range, transmission seems to keep searching for the right car, up then down, then up etc..Spoke with Lexus customer service and they said they have a few complaints but have no intention for any fixes at this time... This is strange because my dealer told me he had more than 15 complaints on this issue..Not acceptable for a luxury crusier sedan

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  2001 RX300 AWD w/NAV - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By drummerboy - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I love the Navigation system... although it would be nice if it responds faster.

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  175k miles and never in the shop! - 2000 Lexus LS 400
  By CDH - January 11 - 3:26 pm

  My wife wanted a luxury car so we did the Mercedes/BMW/Jaguar deal. I was most concerned about reliability since we were looking at $60k or more so I pushed for the Lexus and I am glad that I did. I have owned tons of cars and by far this is the best when you consider everything. I have since purchased 2 other older Ls 400s for our two sons and they have been wonderful as well. You cant beat this car for reliability as my 175k never in the shop miles prove. I just change the oil.

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  Unbelievable! - 1998 Lexus LS 400
  By Allen - January 11 - 2:00 am

  It is unbelievable that Lexus can put up so many contradictory characteristics into the same car: Luxury to the extreme yet economical with high reliability and best in class MPG. With "Pulse and Glide" technique, I get 37 MPG on freeway. Using cruise control, I get 30 MPG; Top performance yet quiet and smooth as silk. Acceleration start at 30+ is breath taking. I challenge any sports car on the road. Feel like "Speak softly and carry a big stick" I call it the world class economical luxury sports cruiser.

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  2006 Lexus GS300 - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By airlinephoto - January 10 - 9:20 pm

  This is one fine car. I looked at the M35 first, I didnt walk, I ran out of the dealership, it was too loud, not refined. When I testdrove the GS3 I did not have to go on to see the 535i, I was sold on the Lexus, it rides like a dream, it looks killer, its just such a beautiful machine- true luxury unlike the competition- in my opinion.

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  Less REX for the Money - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By TOMCAT - January 10 - 4:33 pm

  When I decided to upgrade my flawless 1998 Toyota 4-Runner, the RX 350 was a no-brainer. A lot more luxurious, more class and good looks coupled with Toyotas solid reputation made the decision easy. Overall I like it. Ride, fuel-mileage, luxury are right up there. However, the Nav System that is voice-activated comes up short. What really hurts however is that the RX series doesnt include recognition of any Climate Commands. All of the other Lexus models do. I called Lexus/USA about this. A 10 second download would fix the problem. Their answer - Sorry - No Deal. It makes you feel that you have less of a Lexus than the other models. Why??

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  More problems since 8/13/07 review - 2006 Lexus RX 330
  By retired - January 10 - 5:13 am

  Toyota dealer advised @ 30k service that vehicle needs to go to Lexus (100 miles one way) for oil leak "back 1 cam seal leaking." If it were off warranty itd be about $500. This combined with problems stated 8/13/07 will force us to switch makes next trade - have NO confidence in running the vehicle past warranty. This is still a young vehicle for the problems weve had.

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  A good choice - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By tim - January 9 - 10:56 pm

  I use this for my job and drive it a lot. It is very reliable and offers a great deal of comfort