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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  Amazing - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Phil Hansen - December 1 - 11:56 pm

  Car is exceptional. It is quiet, comfortable and the mileage is great. I notice that by adjusting your driving you can improve mileage. In a recent 80 mile expressway trip I averaged 27.5 mpg going just under 70 mph. In the city, I have gotten as much as an average of 35 mpg. This is nearly double the mileage of my last car, a 2002 RX 300. With gas prices now so high, I feel like I have the best of both worlds. I can keep driving an SUV and get great gas mileage as the same time. Plus the car is a dream to drive.

• 

  The best of the best - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By adam - December 1 - 11:00 pm

  This car is awesome and it handles so gently yet still very powerful and has a lot of standard features. The all wheel drive handles great in a lot of snow something that i need in the windy city and the fuel econmy is great. Lexus really did it up with the third generation GS.

• 

  Reliable Car For Many Years - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By Than Nguyen - December 1 - 2:04 pm

  Im very happy with my Lexus ES330. Ive driven it for more than 12 years with no problems whatsoever! Only regular maintenance required. Very quiet and comfortable ride.

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  Theres Nothing More I can Ask For - 2000 Lexus LS 400
  By FilBoi - November 30 - 2:00 am

  This LS400 was actually my wifes car but sometimes we swap with my GS400. Both cars were fully loaded but the best feature that I enjoy most is the Nakamichi sound system. The safety features are the best in the industry and the reability and the built quality I can say, OUTSTANDING so far. Gas mileage in the LS is much better than the GS (both has the same engine; 300 hp for the GS/290 hp for the LS) The comfort and the pampering in the LS400 is beyond comparedriven BMW7series. Personally, I like the Lexus LS400 ride better, extremely quiet,vibration free,and of course it has an excellent reliability records.

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  Awsome - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By NOS2006 - November 30 - 2:00 am

  hey. my dad has an is300 that is fully loaded and bright yellow. i love it because no matter where you go when you stop at a stop light people stare at it. awsome car, great interior and exterior design, great interior features, perfect sedan (for lexus and most other companys). best stereo i have ever heard! p.s. i heard that lexus is bringing out a new is called the is370 i believe. it is supposed to be basically the same with about 345 hp.

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  Awsome - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By nos2006 - November 30 - 2:00 am

  hey. my dad has an is300 that is fully loaded and bright yellow. i love it because no matter where you go when you stop at a stop light people stare at it. awsome car, great interior and exterior design, great interior features, perfect sedan (for lexus and most other companys). best stereo i have ever heard! p.s. i heard that lexus is bringing out a new is called the is370 i believe. it is supposed to be basically the same with about 345 hp.

• 

  Best in Class - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By Jobu - November 30 - 2:00 am

  I compared this with the BMW 325 and Audi A4 and I liked it the best. It handles at least as well as the others and it wont have the quirky electrical problems the BMW has.

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  Feel like a Princess - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By tileo - November 30 - 2:00 am

  bought my wife a brand new white RX300. She loved it. The exterior/interior design is so slick. The ride is so smooth and quiet. This SUV is the best.

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  Rx300 Yr2000 - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By Moi - November 30 - 2:00 am

  This car/SUV has excellent handling, great road stability in avoidance manoeuver (avoided a major crash at around 65 mph - thanks to the ABS). Nice pick up for a six, decent gas mileage. Interior well designed & all controls are well located. Could use a little more headroom (64"), & would like a telescopic steering wheel. A little wind noise at high speed. Excellent cabin noise reduction, where one can have speaker phone conversation without background noise. Great audio set up. Center console has four drink- holders, and enough storage to keep everyone happy. Overall a very satisfying driving experience all around, whether on long or short haul.

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  6-1/2 years old and zero repairs - 2011 Lexus RX 350
  By Matthew - November 30 - 12:26 am

  No repair of any kind ever needed since I bought this car new in 2011. Just regular maintenance. Had the same story on my previous RX350. Unbeatable reliability. Its no BMW (I have owned a couple of those) but you feel firmly in control in any highway or city situation. Wife and I are older, and we appreciate the ease of getting in and out plus the advantage of sitting higher than much of the traffic. Very comfortable ride and satisfactory all around vehicle for normal driving. Son-in-law has one just like mine, someone pulled onto the highway right in front of him with traffic at 60mph. He swerved to avoid the idiot, got bounced back and forth between an oncoming pickup and another one behind him, rolled 4 times, all 11 airbags deployed and he crawled out of the sunroof with just a sore neck. His car was squashed front and back. Automatic fuel cutoff and doorlocks. Thats pretty good safety.