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 Car - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By Jerry - June 14 - 8:16 pm

  The LS 460L sets new standards for the luxury car market. Mine replaces a European luxury car and is a huge improvement over my previous model. The panel is attractive and the controls are logical. Comfort for a king. Never have I seen such luxury. Room, room - the front seats move back far enough to accommodate the very largest drivers. Astonishing rear space for long legs. The car has superb handling and firm cornering. Quick as a cat, it handles tight, rough mountain roads effortlessly. Acceleration is astonishing for this huge sedan. Braking is equally smooth and quick. The LS 460L is a Winner!!

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  GS 300 Platinum - 2000 Lexus GS 300
  By DanO - June 14 - 3:53 am

  Drives smooth and like its on a rail. Low and wide and stable - it looks lowered, but its not. Pearl color is beautiful. Moonroof is real quiet when open, whereas the Acura RL we tested was noisy. Leather is real soft and comfy, even tho I was not a leather guy when buying. The sound system is the best I have ever heard in an uncustomized setup. WOW! My wife had to have this car, and now Im glad we got it. Trouble free, quiet, dependable, sporty and luxury.

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  Its the Best - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By Leon Jay - June 13 - 10:00 am

  The quietest running car I have ever driven. It may be the best car I have ever owned.

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  The quiet one... - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By P. Volckmann - June 11 - 11:10 pm

  This vehicle is better than my previous 2004 LX 470 in the following ways. It is more powerful, faster, more surefooted and stable in handling & driveability. The lack of transmission noise from constant downshifting makes for a very quiet ride. The seats are almost as comfortable than the LX 470 but the 400h steering wheel cover is very slippery, I would like to see an upgrade wood like in the 470.

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  Sporty drive option in NX 300h - 2015 Lexus NX 300h
  By Satya Yarramsetty - June 11 - 3:13 am

  It has very good interior design. I own NX 300h for 4 months. In fact I ordered it November and I got it during March. I had my friends bought non lexus brands. They all liked mine. Two people said..driver cabin is just like "cockpit". My niece is 7 year old and he liked it very much, and whenever he rides, he asks me to choose the drive mode in "SPORT". It is very big difference. You feel the drive is so easy with comfort and nice pick up. It is our first Lexus and first Hybrid. All of my family members are very proud of it.

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  LuvMyRX!!! - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By LuvMyRX - June 10 - 9:26 pm

  Ive had this car for 3 years now. I purchased it certified pre-owned from the dealership and I still love it. All my friends want to drive my car. No one believes me when I tell them its a 2000 vehicle. Handles great with very comfortable seats. The cargo space is great. The back seats fold down easily and the only problem is that its so roomy, it cant always take all the weight for home improvement projects!

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  A look at the Lexus 430 - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By Quirky - June 10 - 10:00 am

  Other than the low mileage even though I am a regular complainer, I was not able to find any bad to say about the Lexus 430 or Meade Lexus my dealer where I always find a cheerful, respectful, and knowledgeable person to deal with.

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  Garnet Pearl ES330 - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By Garnet - June 10 - 10:00 am

  The ride is smooth and quiet, with quality evident from the sound of the doors closing to the extensive standard features. The Black garnet pearl color is a real head turner and the real wood interior is rich looking and attractive. The new voice activation makes the navigation system easy to use. The flexibility of finding destinations and large point of interest data base are especially useful. The standard suspension is set up to be comfortable. the optional adaptive suspension is better suited to sporty driving. Power is adequate and the transmission shifts smoothly and quietly, with no hang ups between gears.

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  RX Eval - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By pburke - June 10 - 10:00 am

  Pleasant surprise from my Caddy DHS. Easy to drive. Kind of a personal vehicle.

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  Love it - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Ed - June 7 - 9:56 pm

  I have had the RX 400h for 2 years now and my wife and I love it. The power and quick acceleration when needed was a surprise. The turning radius is extremely small and steering is the best Ive ever had on any vehicle. I think the ride is exceptional and quiet. My first experience with a hybrid and it has exceeded my expectation.