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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  Absolutely Great Car - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By atlanta - May 30 - 2:23 pm

  This car has not given me one single problem. I do have it maintained according to schedule and it has been the best vehicle I have ever owned.

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  Lexus 400H - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By bonnie - May 30 - 1:46 pm

  Fun to drive, very comfortable, quality throughout, my experience with Toyota products has been excellent. The 400 H has great pickup and I do not notice any engine noise? It is very quiet.

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  Rockin RX - 2015 Lexus RX 450h
  By Ginger - May 30 - 11:03 am

  Mostly I love the car. Had an ES350 before. No problems with previous car and sold at 90,000 + miles. Miss my 6 changer CD player and the new ones only have 1 CD player and miss the little drawer on left of steering wheel that they replaced with another cup holder. I think Lexus is a great car. I only put 4 tires and a battery on my first one and everything was fine at my 90,000 mile check up. Find I sometimes bump my head

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  2003 Lexus GX-470 - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By Daver - May 27 - 10:00 am

  My new Lexus GX-470 is an amazing automobile to drive and own. It was purchased 1 month ago. I have driven a Lincoln Nav. for the past 4 years as well as a complete test, or comparison of the new Aviator. Although it is not fair to compare the GX-470 to a Nav., I found that in my complete comparison with the Aviator, among other SUVs, driving the Lexus, in all modes, was like riding on air, not to mention the silence inside while in operation. It is extremely difficult to tell if the GXs motor is engaged, as there is no residual noise whatsoever. Although it is an SUV, it rides more like a luxury car. It is an amazing driving experience.

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  Excellent Car - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By DMiller - May 27 - 10:00 am

  This is the best car I ever own. Ultra reliable. Lexus dealership is much better than BMWs, honest and warm but classy. A Japanese supercar.

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  great vehicle - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Dale Mayhall - May 27 - 10:00 am

  Traded 2002 RX300 for 2004 RX330 and the difference is amazing. New engine and transmission well matched and high speed passing does not take forever. Well done

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  Love this car - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By bosco - May 26 - 11:56 pm

  Bought this car with 29,000 miles on it. Love the styling inside and out. Seats are very comfortable with high quality leather. Dash and instruments have a great design and cool orange color at night. Also love the 6-disc in-dash CD changer. Low profile tires look awesome, but the stock tires rode rough, so I switched to similar tires with lower speed rating which ride much smoother. I get compliments on this car all the time. Other than oil, tires, and brakes have had absolutely no issues. I did get a disc stuck in the changer - think I jammed it in there, my fault - but the dealer replaced the whole unit under warranty in 2 days. Engine rocks, especially around 3-4k RPM.

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  Worth every penny. - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Lemnkr8 - May 26 - 11:43 am

  IS 300 has great looks and great performance and with the five-speed transmission is is every reason I needed to never purchase the low quality , poorly conceived product offered by the "Big 3" automakers. Every detail has been addressed by Lexus engineers to make a high quality product that is fun to drive and easy to maintain. This car is worth every dollar you pay for it.

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  Best car ever - 2000 Lexus GS 300
  By rpin - May 26 - 10:40 am

  Im writing this to help all that are looking to purchase this car, I have a gs with 183.000 miles and still feels like a car with at least 70.000, this car has never giving me problems is extremely reliable and possibly the best car I have ever own, fun to drive, and with the aftermarket suspension that I put on it, it feels more sporty than ever.

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  Pebble Beach - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By Roy Young - May 26 - 5:46 am

  I love the ride , even with the run flat tires . It is a lot of fun to drive , the power , the smoothness on good roads , the looks . It will be a hard car to trade in when the time comes.