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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  Navigation flaws - 2009 Lexus RX 350
  By Josh - January 21 - 7:33 pm

  We bought a fully loaded 09 RX 350 FWD with the Mark Levinson sound system and navigation/bluetooth system. The biggest disappointment has been these integrated system. Most of the buttons on the touchscreen are greyed out while moving, so that no destination or telephone no. can be entered using the screen. Not even by the passenger - who could safely interact with the system. The voice activated system is awful, taking forever to navigate simple prompts. Similarly, while moving, the radio will not display text info about the playing song using the full screen. You can, however, watch the info slowly scroll by five letters at a time on the little radio screen (risking life and limb).

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  Navigation problem - 2012 Lexus LS 460
  By larryhur - December 18 - 9:07 am

  Very disappointed at the nav system on my new 2012 Lexus LS460. On several occasions, the system gets confused only blocks away from final destination. The red dot Indication on the map at any intersection is off by about 0.1 mile, very confusing to users. Wont allow you to input address while vehicle is moving for safety concerns, but thats stupid, what if I have a passenger trying to put in a new address while I am driving? Unnecessary constraints! Nav is slow to respond, typing address must be done VERY slowly. I already need a update to the Nav, where is it, Lexus?

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  disappointment - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By baronzon - December 11 - 2:00 am

  Interior vibrates if the car hits a bump on the road, arm rest is to high,which couses disaliantment of vertabreas and pain in the neck, it also very firm and narrow, which can cause ulnar nerve injuary. Safer not to use. Second safe braking pedal positoned in the left lower coner can cause injury to the ankle in case of accident, impossible to rlax left leg under it, hits the fron serfice of lower extrimity. Climate control when put in "Auto" blows wind into the face. If you change settings you will cancell "auto".

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  Overpriced - Not as advertised - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By Jim B - December 7 - 5:12 am

  Excellent ride but technology definitely lags other cars. HUD is totally USELESS and a joke at best. Speed limit is displayed randomly with no logic and makes no sense. It is always on the Navigation display in the center of the dash but only on the HUD less than 10% of the time at best. Where is the logic in that? When I took it back to the dealer, they said it was designed that way to reduce the clutter on the HUD and only show up occasionally as a reminder. Are you serious? When I look for it, it is because I want or need to know speed limit where I’m driving. So now I have to look at the navigation screen in the center of the console and take my eyes off the road. This is a 2018 car and the navigation database is June 2016 almost 2 years old. That is hilarious to me. To spend that much money on a navigation system and then turn around and have to go buy an update Which is 1 year old is insane. Save your money, and use your smart phone with Google Maps which is a better mapping system, more accurate, with latest data, and a better display. The PCS system does not even come remotely close to providing sufficient warning and application of the brakes to keep from hitting someone or something. There is no way you would want to be in front of a car and test the system. And in fact Lexus demonstration videos do not show any test of the system with actual people or vehicles in front of the car but a dummy is used instead. Good thing. I have ridden in a 2016 Infiniti QX60 that provides excellent warning and application of brakes. The 2018 Lexus is no comparison and the system will not adequately or safely perform. The rear hatchback will supposedly open with just a wave of your hand over the L symbol. It didn’t work when they demonstrated car to me, so they had maintenance department disconnect the battery for 30 seconds and reconnected and it worked. When I went to pick the car up for delivery it did not work again. So they repeated the same battery disconnect. It worked before leaving the dealership but the following day it would not work again. I called the dealer and he said I had two options, that I could bring the car back into the dealership, or I could disconnect the battery myself and leave it disconnected for 30 seconds and then reconnect and it will start working again. Seriously? So I just bought a 60+ thousand dollar car and I am going to be disconnecting the battery to reset this system for another 24 hours. The logic for the electronic controls for the navigation system is not user-friendly at all. When you want to do something very simple you struggle through the menu items to find the screen that holds the selection you need to make and often times have to either pull out the manual or search online and find out how to get to the screen that you want to make the selection you need. There is absolutely no logic to that system. My daughters 2016 Infiniti QX 60 which is two years older has a much better and more logical menu system. When I purchased this lecture so I thought I was buying a better car but I was sadly mistaken. I fully intend to sell this car and replace it with a QX 60 for at least $10,000 less.

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  Class-action suit needed - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By M. Marcotte - December 6 - 10:00 am

  Our ES330 is our second Lexus. But the transmission in the ES330 is rougher than a stick shift. It lurches, pauses, hammer-upshifts, and hunts for gears. These shifting patterns could produce unsafe conditions and loss of control on slippery roads. Lexus needs to fix! But they deny the problem. I was told by Meade Lexus service that the 2003 transmission software correction helped, but that the softwear update for the 2004 actualls makes conditions worse. Anyone interested in a class- action suit can have some of my $ and time to pursue.

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  Over-Hyped - 2015 Lexus ES 350
  By carreragt3 - November 8 - 1:54 pm

  My wealthy Uncle just traded in his couple-year-old ES for the top-line 2015 ES, which I shuttle him around in. I have a BMW 5-series, so I understand I am not in the ESs target demographic. But seriously, when I drive the ES, I am reminded just how poorly front-drive platforms perform. They push, yank, and protest. They are positively poor driving cars, but probably not unlike most FWDs. Luxury-wise, the interiors are ok; ok materials, fair design, not a fan of ANY touchscreen, but definitively targeted at old people. There is not a touch of passion to this car, nor of austerity. I suppose, like Cadillacs of a few years ago, this car is made for people who have "given up."

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  bumpy ride on my new LS, drives like a boat, bad gas milage. - 2011 Lexus LS 460
  By xexus - October 30 - 8:54 am

  I purchased my new 2011 from the showroom, a big splurge and excited about having a top car! When we left that night for home,the car felt like it was getting a flat tire! This continued after 4 visits back to the dealer. Finally, I was told it was the tires (they replaced all 4) and that my car will have a bumpy ride every time I get in it for the first couple of miles and then some!! That is what I expect with a $75,000 car! A car that feels like I an getting a flat when I drive to the store. I have begun to hate this car and the dealer for not solving this problem, but making excuses. I will never buy a Lexus again and plan to trade this in for a car that feels good to drive.

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  I liked my 2000 Lexus better - 2006 Lexus LX 470
  By Henry Ferrino - October 22 - 11:50 am

  After only three weeks and almost 4000 miles, Ive developed a love/hate relationship with the vehicle. Lexus has seen fit to "refine" the ride of the vehicle by using Dunlop tires instead of the Michelins we all loved. This has created more body roll in turns than I find acceptable. Stiffer sidewalls were better. In an effort to keep us safe, Many functions are disabled while the car is in motion, such as Navigation System input. Also, when locking or unlocking you are subjected to that insidious "beep" that not even the dealer can eliminate. I think that Lexus has forgotten its off-road roots and has created a not so special vehicle-for-the-money. Id rather have an older model.

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  Mistake - 2008 Lexus ES 350
  By brb - October 19 - 8:36 am

  I purchased my first new Lexus ES350 looking for a quieter more comfortable ride. I was shocked that the injectors were so loud we thought we had a diesel engine. It is worse when it is cold. I guess that is why they had it in the showroom when we tried it out. I returned to dealer and they said "Thats the way it is". Anti-locking brakes shook the car (ABS). I had to have the rotors turned on this new car. Wind noise in the front windows, tires out of balance and they roared. Wind noise repaired (I think). Cup holders too small. Not enough interior storage. (They did give me a Lexus ball cap.) Would I own another Lexus? Never!

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  Look at a RAV4 or CPO RX350 - 2016 Lexus NX 200t
  By AlabamaAnchor - October 2 - 11:48 am

  The NX200t is a fine vehicle...but I dont think you quite get optimal bang for bucks. Make no mistake, this isnt as posh as the RX...not by a long shot. A few exposed bolts in the lower console, cheap looking trim, and an extremely complex nav system are a few drawbacks. Cargo space is so-so. My advice? Either buy a loaded out RAV4 (they share the same platform) or get a two year old RX350. I kept mine 16 months and traded for a GS350 (and took a bloodbath) but the GS feels like a luxury car.