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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  Best of the Bunch - 2010 Lexus ES 350
  By gam - November 17 - 4:50 am

  I had looked and test drove many cars before buying my Lexus. It is so comfortable in the drivers seat that I wish I can bring it into my TV room. The ride is quiet; one can hardly heard the road sounds. Performance is outstanding and the structure itself seems very secure. I was looking uppermost for safety, quality and performance and received all three. My only disappointments are that the trunk design and inside compartments in my previous car, 2004 Toyota Solara were superior. Outside of that, I love my Lexus and I have received many compliments on the color, Cashmere Satin.

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  Lexus IS 300 or is it a Toyota? - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By jeffb - November 15 - 9:50 pm

  This car is a total let down. It has no interior room or space for anything. The back seat is a joke if anyone up front is near 6ft. The trim inside is cheap. Not at all what I expected from a "Lexus" - I really feel this car is a Toyota with a face-lift. You even feel the bumps of the road and you can hear the outside. I would not buy this car again.

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  solid car, but should have done research - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By hogan1 - November 15 - 10:00 am

  The car has been good by all acounts except the transmission. It hesitates, slips into 4th and has a "jerk" to it at low speeds. I have had it in the shop on 3 different occasions and have been told the dealer can do no more. There are several customers with the same problem as I found out when I went to the NHTSA web site. This is a software problem with this car and the RX330, please do more investigating than I did.

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  RX 330 - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Chito Jacinto - November 14 - 4:43 pm

  Exellent suv, ride like a luxury car, very quiet ride cant hear any wind draft even at high speed. Has an easy handling,responsive to turns.

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  GS300 AWD - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By Kitzler - November 13 - 6:06 pm

  The car can be personalized to a tee, however, this is not very easy to do. What I did not like is that when the outside temperature is cold, the transmission takes forever to reach top gear; the manual states it does so on purpose, but I dont like it. Also, while the car is powerful, it has a tendency not to downshift on hills, and thus loses some speed. Of course, stepping on the pedal remedies all that, but to me, it indicates the cars final gear ratio is too high. The gas mileage is unbelievable, but actually a couple of miles less per gallon than indicated on the trip computer. Inside it is a marvel of simplicity and access. Auto Windshield wipers are too fast for me.

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  All Around Quality - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By Impressed owner - November 13 - 5:56 pm

  I purchased this car used, 6 model years old and 69,000 miles. It is very comfortable to drive on extended trips, smooth, quiet, soft leather seats, and a high quality sound system. It has soft and smooth handling, as its designed as a luxury sedan, not a sports sedan. My only problems have been a pair of new catalytic converters(warranty) and after replacing a rear window, the automatic switch is off so I need to manually stop it on the way up. I will definitely look at Lexus when my wifes Avalon needs replacing someday. This one will stay in the family for the rest of its lifespan.

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  Excellent, comfortable car - 1999 Lexus LS 400
  By micahberry - November 11 - 5:25 pm

  Excels on the interstate, where it absorbs pavement irregularities superbly. It is a comfortable traveling car for my family. This is not a back road burner – the LS400 features a lot of body roll, which is to be expected as part of the design. You will be hard pressed to find a more comfortable long-range cruising car. I purchased this car with 113k miles. As of this writing, it has 140k. I have had to replace the starter, which I have learned through owner’s forums is a wearable item. In addition, rubber suspension bushings on the car should be replaced to keep the incredible Lexus ride. Thankfully, they don’t need to be replaced but once every 10 years or so!

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  Lexus ? - 2005 Lexus LS 430
  By M Van - November 10 - 10:00 am

  Nice car in general but has a hesitation when accelerating!

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  the best suv - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By yoyoyo123fo - November 10 - 10:00 am

  you get what you pay for in this car. i just got this car on the 17th and i have never made a better decision. the voice command on the navigation is so much easier to use than other cars along with the navigation screen. the space to see behind you in reverse is limited but that isnt a problem if you got the rearview camera. the standard all wheel drive works like a charm and you couldnt ask for more standard features in any other cars. it even comes with the hill climbing systems and the height leveling system. the back door is very unique. i dont find the 3rd row seat very bad at all, after all, it has air conditioning. best car i ever had with bmw 5 series

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  great vehicle - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By jim oneill - November 10 - 10:00 am

  This is the third RX that we have owned and the best so far. These vehicles are trouble free and feel like luxury cars. Lexus has combined great style and handling in a comfortable cabin with plenty of room. Cant imagine them improving this one but they probably will.