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:

• 

  ES300 a true Lexus - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By Caran - December 31 - 10:00 am

  A car with good ride, very confortable, Lexus quality is difficult to beat. If you like luxury and smooth ride, its a best car of is category. Not a sporty car, but a luxurious one. I choose the ES300 for is smoot ride and great quality construction.

• 

  Wow!! A dream to dtive!! - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By SBLocal - December 28 - 10:00 am

  I love this car!! Cant go anywheer and not get noticed. A true joy to drive and great on long road trips. Very nice design and very fast! I would recommend this car to anyone who needs luxury but has to had performance and looks. This car is a 12.5 out of 10. I wasnt even able to test drive it before I bought it, doesnt that tell you something?

• 

  reliability - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By mrvino - December 28 - 10:00 am

  a damned good car

• 

  Lighting Problem of Lexus RX330 - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Perkins - December 28 - 10:00 am

  Due to exterior lighting problems, I cannot drive my new Lexus at night. The dealer seems unable or unwilling to fix the problem. I am told that I am not the only one with this problem. As of this date, I will sale my Lexus and purchase something without this problem.

• 

  Beautiful, Excellent and Boring - 2000 Lexus LS 400
  By cecurr - December 28 - 12:26 am

  I bought preowned in 2005 with 65,000 miles on it. The car is beautiful in every way. I since put 13000 mile on it and I must confess that this is an excellent car. Not even one minor problem to date. Interior comfort and appointments are outstanding in layout and function. Seats are roomy and can be easily adjusted to you favorite comfort position. Leg room is enough for the 6+ footer in front or rear seats. Build quality is also outstanding. The cabin is not as quiet as I had hoped and heard, with noticeable road noise, especially on concrete highway surfaces. The car drives so well though, it is almost boring to drive. Heavy front-end pushes.

• 

  Just what we needed - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By KL - December 26 - 10:43 pm

  Got the RX 350 AWD new and so far has been great for what we use it for. It has been reliable with minimal issues that the dealership has taken care of. Not the most fun to drive as it is very plush and you really cant feel the road. It is just the right size for us and tows our 3500 lb boat just fine. Lately, @30k miles now, Ive noticed the mileage isnt as good as it used to be. Not exactly sure why but it gets about 16-18 mpg combined. Few years ago, it got 24/25 mpg on highway. Great vehicle, would consider another one when the time comes.

• 

  Problem not addressed - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By drives1 - December 26 - 5:40 pm

  I have one of the very first RX40hs off the line. I waited a year an a half on a waiting list to ensure I got the first one to arrive. Unfortunately, I think I have a lemon. The car pulls to one side and after a year and a half and 25,000 miles it cannot be fixed. Tires were bald at 15,000 miles, and the dealer replaced all four gratis (which was nice of them). The dealer has been good. But Lexus corporate has pretty much ignored me and does not call when they say they will, if at all. I am extremely disappointed. Lexus customer care does not care, it seems. All they do is send surveys, but it seems they never read them.

• 

  Rip Off at the dealerships - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By Lexus customer - December 24 - 2:00 am

  The Lexus GX lists for 45,900.00 on the Lexus website and on the vehicle sticker. Edmunds lists the vehicle at 45,500.00. The dealerships just received one demo car fully loaded with all the bells and whistles. However, they are telling people that they Lexus is only going to send fully loaded vehicles to the dealerships. That means, you will have to live with options you dont really want like the $1,200 LexusLink. The service is free for one year and then you can either cancel the service or use it. You will however, be out of $1,200 because that is the cost of the unit. I think Ill go back to the Acura MDX where I do have some options.

• 

  Great handling car!! - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By mweb - December 24 - 2:00 am

  With 29,000 miles on in 10 months, this is very reliable, drives like a sports car, & gets 22 mpg. Routine maint.is kind of high, but cust. ser. is the best around. Front seats are great, but the back is best left to children. The trunk is decent, but then I didnt buy this car for its cargo capacity. I got it cause its fast, handles great & looks awesome. I wish I had spent the extra few grand and bought a new 2002 with a 5-speed. I recommend this to anyone looking for a sports sedan that handles, is fast, gets good fuel mileage, & wont be in the shop all the time like a BMW.

• 

  Underrated! - 1999 Lexus ES 300
  By Giuseppe - December 24 - 2:00 am

  This car is amazing. OK, so it looks a little like the Camry, but it is very distinct in providing itself a unique personality. The ride is quiet and the acceleration is silky smooth. The Coach Edition is the one I bought and I really enjoy the fact that the leather is perforated, you dont sweat as much in the summer.