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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  Cert. pre-owned the way to go - 2005 Lexus LS 430
  By Jay - February 11 - 11:30 am

  Just bought a used 05 LS 430 (55k miles), tremendous condition and certified through Lexus (3yr/100k bumper to bumper warranty). Wow! what a car! Previously owned a Porsche. Different types of vehicles, but the LS is an overall winner. 24- 26 mpg on the highway, tons of space, baby seat in back and front passenger can still stretch out. Quiet, powerful, smooth as silk ride. An 05 LS more reliable than most brand new vehicles. Major head turner. Would highly recommend one.

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  The Best Car Ever - 1998 Lexus LS 400
  By Midprof - February 11 - 7:30 am

  Let me begin by telling you that Ive owned many different cars...American..Never again, German...great cars but high maintanence...Japanese Lexus...the BEST ride ever...maybe doesnt handle as well as a Beemer...but reliability, Quality and plushness....this car has it all....

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  Very Nice Car! - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By Iqbaldhillon 2 - February 10 - 7:20 am

  In January I bought a brand new ES 350 and was very impressed from day one. I average 25 miles to the gallon all the time. The power is also great, the new 6-speed automatic transmission packs a punch when driving. The ride is also very smooth and comfortable, only one problem so far, which is my CD player, everything else seems to be very impressive.

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  I love my Lexus - 2009 Lexus RX 350
  By bryanjeffrey - February 9 - 10:30 am

  I have a 2009 RX350. After driving Audi and BMWs for some time, I fell in love with the RX350. It is my daily commute car, the AWD is like Velcro in the snow and ice, and compares favorably with Audis Quattro, which I still feel is probably the best AWD system there is. The RX has plenty of power (thank you again to the WI State Patrol officer for being so understanding), plenty of comfort and is ideal for long or short trips. Probably obvious, but make sure you use only synthetic oil. Mileage is good, performance is beyond solid for an SUV, it is a blast to drive, top end is very responsive and I have never lacked for acceleration when needed.

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  Absolute Best! - 1998 Lexus LS 400
  By Dennis Greene - February 5 - 5:13 pm

  This is absolutely the best car on the planet to own for the long term! I purchased mine certified for $25K two years ago and I simply love this car. I actually get about 30 MPG highway cruising about 5MPH over the limit. No mechanical problems...none. Took a hit in the rear on a snowy day on I-95 causing $8k of damage, but protected me and my family as advertised and the ABS and vehicle anti-skid worked as promised. Also, Lexus service has been excellent and not too overly expensive like my last Mercedes 560 SEL. My family and friends are surprised to learn that I paid less with a better warranty than they did for their new SUVs, and I get much better mileage to boot. Winner!

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  Lexus SC430 is awesome - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By ckearney - February 5 - 10:00 am

  After testing the BMW & Mercedes, I drove the SC430 and never looked back. Incredible feel to it and the interior luxury is unmatched.

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  LX-470 is a sweet ride - 2003 Lexus LX 470
  By Mark3101 - February 4 - 1:40 pm

  Very smooth and the 5 speed transmission is better than the old 4 speed I had in my 2000. The interior upgrades are nice as is the adaptive steering. The 2003 is also quieter than the previous models. Gas mileage is not bad, but should be better. Otherwise a great vehicle for driving in all conditions.

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  IS300 Cheaper BMW? - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By pelindaba - February 1 - 10:00 am

  I have enjoyed driving this car.....0-60 in just under 7 seconds on one occasion! Plenty of zip and it handles very well. I think it is an underated car......only drawback is most of the colors are less than appealing. I am averging 22mpg.

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  Love My GS 300 - 2002 Lexus GS 300
  By LuvLexus - February 1 - 1:30 am

  I have owned my 2002 GS 300 for 6 years. It now has 167,000 miles on it and it has been an awesome car. All I have done is had its regular oil changes, changed a belt or two and have had absolutely no issues at all with this car. I prefer driving mine over the newer Lexus loaners I have driven. My car is solid, still drives smoothly, quietly & is quite dependable. This is by far the best car I have ever driven and would definitely buy another Lexus due to its superior quality and performance.

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  Cool - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By BabyCasey - January 31 - 9:56 am

  Good investment. Its a comfortable ride if you drive a long way. Very fuel efficient. City drive is about 24 mpg & highway is about 30 mpg. Very smooth. On the bad side, the trunk space is small & headlights are low.