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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  Who invented the electronic transmission - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By very angry - February 1 - 2:00 am

  Dont get me wrong, I love the look of this car and the handling. The navigation is great! But... the new electronic transmission is awful. In stop and go traffic is slams into gear actually throwing you forward in your seat. The worst is in passing situations: Ill floor it and nothing!!!, it sometimes takes a full second to respond, and its not predictable, it doesnt always do that. Lexus says they are aware of the problem, but it meets factory standards so "too bad". A waste of $48000 bucks!! its just plane dangerous to drive!!

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  Daves Luxury SUV - 2011 Lexus RX 350
  By DaveG - January 30 - 6:55 am

  This car rides better than Mercedes, BMW, and Audi SUVs. It has low noise level, and 350 hp engine gives great pick up when entering highways. Best SUV I have ever driven.

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  Street Racing - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By Witman - January 30 - 5:53 am

  This car is nice around the curves and bends in the industrial areas. It has a nice acceleration and good top speed. The E-shift provides good handling and power too. Very good design also.

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  Best of the Breed - 2002 Lexus LX 470
  By Road Runner - January 29 - 2:00 am

  Nice, macho appearence. Quite and elegant ride. good electronics and interior

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  Service - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By jrtrock - January 29 - 2:00 am

  The car is fun to drive and no major problems. The service at the dealership is excellent but very expensive. I just spent $300 for service at 12000 miles. My daughter has a Cavalier with over 60,000 miles that we havent spent $300 on with oil changes! The Chevy is a better car dollar for dollar! Also had to spend $$ for snow tires on the Lexus. The Chevy goes through anything.

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  the best dam sedan - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By chicko - January 29 - 2:00 am

  dont buy a benz or a bmw

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  Incredible Car with roof rattles - 2002 Lexus SC 430
  By Chartist10 - January 29 - 2:00 am

  This car is so fun and special to drive and everyone is looking at you. Ultimate in luxury. The car, however, suffers from roof liner rattles. The top, itself, is solid. The interior liner of the top, however, is an engineering disaster. The roof liner is a separate piece from the side liners, therefore, as they rub against each other, you get rattles. Believe me, this is a problem that needs to be addressed by Lexus. The "fit" lexus designers must have been absent when this liner was created. However, the car is so special that one can overlook this. Just play that incredible sound system at a resonable level and all will be well!

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  My opinion - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By rrrppp - January 29 - 2:00 am

  MY wife and I purchased the RX300 with the Premium Plus Package after viewing the BMW X5. The X5 had nothing on the Lexus aside from the BMW name. We are very happy with the RX300.

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  WOW - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By busseyky - January 29 - 2:00 am

  Traded a 99 RX 300 w/141000 miles. Loved it and this one even more. Little to complain about in only a few weeks of ownership. No reason to believe my experience with the 2010 will be any different than the last 10 years.

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  If youre going for safety, this is it. - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By jimnjean - January 28 - 1:13 am

  I went searching for the safest vehicle I could find. This was pretty much it. It also happens to be about the quietest, smoothest ride I found. If theres a downside, its that its so quiet driving along at freeway speed, its easy to let your mind wander. Doesnt hit 20 mpg though, and with premium fuel, expect 50-60 dollar fillups. But thats a small price to pay for one of the best vehicles on the road.