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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  Eh...not so great - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By ashillington - May 26 - 12:06 pm

  This is my second Lexus. Had a 1997 ES300 that was really reliable. Got another newer model in 06 and was never happy with the quality. There were somethings that were just down right cheap and the car was built so that even minor repairs required 18 hours of labor to reach the places that need fixing. Fuel pump went out quickly (replaced under warranty). Flimsy plastic headlamp connector broke when changing a burnt out bulb ($800 to change a light bulb, really?). Final straw was a $250 AC condenser coil went on what was still a "young" car. $1800 in labor later decided enough was enough. Traded it in for a BMW 5-series as my wife has had great luck with her last 2 Beemers.

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  Tired out. - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By Alebowitz - March 30 - 1:56 pm

  With top up, it is difficult to look backward to park because of the hump. Run flat tires are a very hard ride, and not suitable for winter- pothole/cracked streets. When tire hits pothole, you will need to replace tire and rim for approximately $1,000 each. I replaced three tires at a cost of $3,000 in one year.

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  Well built & Comfortable but awful Tech - 2015 Lexus RX 350
  By Jim Weil - February 26 - 4:09 am

  This is a well built and comfortable car. However the technology, while outstandingly marketed, is absolute crap. Voice recognition is extremely inaccurate, complex and distracting to use. It is so bad I have almost completely abandoned it. My 10 year old Garmin portable GPS has better voice recognition and routing features but their is no safe or interfering place to mount it or I would be using it. Emails and phone calls to Lexus & Toyota have been useless. Poor dealer support for tech issues (multiple dealers). Map upgrades are infrequent, extremely expensive & must be done by dealer. Keeping other technology current is also very expensive. The ability to enter in addresses from a computer was a marketing feature but so complex and buggy that it made it time consuming and frustrating for the user. Subsequently that feature has been removed leaving address entry options to be a joystick on the screen keyboard or a complex entry procedure transfer procedure from a smartphone. The screen supported interface is very user unfriendly and is only controlled via joystick. This includes entertainment selection and good air management. Live assistance (extra cost) is often problematic. Some controls are difficult to access when driving. Some others are unneeded duplicates that adds confusion. Windshield has some built-in technology and likely very expensive to replace. Options were outrageously overpriced -i.e. Heads-up display from dealer was $1,000 but high quality from 3rd party was $89. Rear camera is affected by rain. Tailgate has enough force to knock you over before stopping if it hits you. Tech that works well includes Park assist (not automatic), blind spot sensing, and adaptive cruise control. Interior lighting is poor. Car is comfortable and runs well and has a lot of unneeded frosting that boosts the pricing. Good cargo space. Gas mileage is poor. In summary I do not recommend this car due to poor technology, low gas mileage and poor customer support. Based on this experience I currently have absolutely no interest in purchasing a Lexus or Toyota product again. Lexus marketed this vehicle as including advanced technology. In reality it is anything but. In my opinion attempting to use many to the technology features while driving, makes this car unsafe to drive. In retrospect I should have invoked the California Lemon Law.

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  Drone noise, vibration, buzzing - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Robert - February 8 - 5:31 pm

  If anyone is sensitive to noise, vibration, buzzing feel, then look elsewhere!! I suggest anyone to test drive this car long enough to feel everything that I mentioned befores you decide buy this Lexus, I am very disappointed, frustrated that I had not done so..only trusting Lexus quality. The service department has no clue to how to address this issue, so they are only denying that there is this issue. I can only say that all this noise and vibration is driving me crazy everyday!!!

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  WORST LEXUS EVER - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By goodgimp - February 4 - 12:03 am

  This GX is my second and last Lexus. Shakes like a Model T at 60 mph. Brakes stop the car with a loud and shaking "KLUNK" at the end of the stop. Nav system is woefully out of date. All the dealer can tell me is "Lexus is aware of your problems but doesnt have a fix at this time." Bad answer. . .

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  Lexus Lemon Car - 2010 Lexus RX 450h
  By kimfrazier - January 31 - 10:02 am

  I bought the 2010 RX 450h after having a 2002 GS 300 that served me greatly for 7 years. However, the RX stranded me in the middle of a busy intersection after 1 month and 2000 miles. This car has given me nothing but problems since I bought it and it has been in the shop 20 days of the 50 days that I have owned it. Lexus does not build the quality cars it used to. I would not recommend buying this car. You will regret it!

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  WHATS A CAR WITHOUT SERVICE? - 2004 Lexus LX 470
  By Kim B - January 4 - 10:23 pm

  Bought 470 May 04.By end of May went on first road trip and discovered door leaked and created an obnoxious squealing sound while traveling at high speed.Lexus dealership tried to fix twice then gave up and sent us to LEXUS USA.We have not gotten any support from them at all.They havent addressed the problem. Its unbelievable how badly they have treated us. Our door still screams when we travel which is every other week. They have our 70K they win.Please dont buy Lexus.

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  Transmission went at 78000 - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By inetd - November 11 - 9:16 pm

  Transmission went at 78000. Warranty is 70k/7yrs, and Lexus sticks to those numbers. This is a low-end basic Toyota transmission that Lexus loaded up with weight and gadgets. We know lots of people that have had 2x transmissions by 100k miles, some with 3x transmissions. Its the cars weak point for sure. Engine has had class action lawsuit for sludge/failure. Dealers still deny theres a problem - theyre told to be quiet about it. Transmission class action is next. 2WD reliability is poor, 4WD reliability is abysmal

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  Slow in show - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By johoba - November 9 - 10:00 am

  I bought this baby and loved it. Now Im think on trading it in for Acura MX. I found the acceleration slowing down. Its getting sluggish and the pedal is getting stiffer.

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  Dull car - 1999 Lexus ES 300
  By Ken Collins - May 21 - 9:00 am

  The cars electrical a continual problem. Lexus dealership and other mechanics cannot extinguish VSC, check engine, and flashing seat belt lights. Drivers seating for shorter person, at six feet dtall my legs are cramped. Hit head at times when entering drivers side. Semi-quiet, seats are comfortable. Styling is cookie cutter blah. Does not feel like an upscale car. Would not buy another one.