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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  rx330 - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By dale schafer - September 18 - 10:00 am

  Dealer has been above and beyond on everything.

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  Flying low - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By peterpal - September 17 - 1:36 pm

  Just purchased my new Rx350 and Im glad i did! Its smooth and quiet goes over bumps like butter. I considered other Lux brands Like BMW and Cadillac, no comparison between them. Not that the other ones were "Bad" I just prefer the ride and the quiet of the Lexus. Its like being at 40,000 feet in a jet, smooth!

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  Worth every cent - 2005 Lexus LX 470
  By ashar afzal - September 17 - 12:46 am

  Have been enjoying evrey single day. Ride is very smooth and stable especially at turns.

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  Wish we had two 330s - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By Jerry - September 15 - 11:16 pm

  We had planned to buy the Avalon, and had been researching it long before it ever reached the dealership. The same day we drove the Avalon we also drove the ES 330, and our minds were made up. The Avalon is an excellent car with a better engine, but when fit, finish, materials quality, etc. are taken into account, the decision for us was easy -- the Lexus won, hands down. In addition to the car itself, you inherit a vastly different sales and service experience. We were worried about the reported transmission issues, but we learned from the Edmunds discussion boards that using a variable driving style during the learning phase was the key to good performance. It worked for us.

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  Excellent - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By Ruth Mc CARTHY - September 15 - 5:13 pm

  Fun to drive and comfort on a trip. Get thumbs up on style and just a good looking car and I love my car.

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  Just love it - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By tstrauss4 - September 15 - 3:06 pm

  It handles and rides so well. Just great on highway. Around town still great. Like safety features and quiet and smooth ride. Like the low tire feature. Former car 94 ES 300. Nuf said.

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  Love the Hybrid - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Buckeye - September 15 - 2:23 pm

  Bought our Lexus 400h in Sep 05 and extremely happy with it. The fuel economy is not what was advertised... but that is to be expected. But overall we are pleased with the gas mileage. Getting better than advertised highway but lower than advertized city. Love the looks, comfort and quality of the RX400h.

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  Another Hit From Lexus - 2012 Lexus CT 200H
  By mike995134 - September 15 - 5:37 am

  WOW-WOW-WOW ... what an amazing car!!! Its not at all sluggish as has been written by some. Of course it doesnt do 0-60 in 4 seconds ... but we have not had any problems merging onto the freeway or climbing up hills. The Normal Mode is fine for this, but for a little extra oomph, just kick it over to Sport Mode and this thing moves. The ergonomics are great. We traded an Infiniti EX35 for the CT, so it is a tad smaller ... but no worries, we can still carry people, our pets and haul other stuff as needed without any problems. And of course, we absolutely love the fuel economy too. 42+ mpg is the norm for our combined city-freeway driving thus far. How awesome is that!!!

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  Dream Machine - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By wolverine11 - September 15 - 2:00 am

  Simply luxurious all around. Solid as a tank. A true pleasure to drive. We cannot believe how smooth the ride is. Handled Canadian snow blizzard with ease. Its difficult to imagine a better overall package.

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  The definition of how a car should be - 1995 Lexus LS 400
  By BrianV - September 15 - 2:00 am

  WOW is all I can say. I thought the looks were dull at first but in honesty theyre great. The car looks elegant and strong when on the road. The interior is uncomparable. Seats are excellent, stereo (standard Lexus stereo) is incredible, guages are neat, etc. Mechanically the car is awesome, with 100K all that has been changed was the antenna and front shocks. Car is smooth and powerful (I was surpsied with its speed), and it loves to cruise on the fwy with ease. Gas mileage is incredible because this V8 needs no effort to keep the car rolling. It gets better mileage then some 4 bangers because you never need to give it much pedal action.