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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  Why buy any other car? - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By Hat Trick - January 11 - 2:00 am

  This is our second LS, and is more powerful, quiet, thrifty, and nimble than the 1995 model.

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  An automobile worth considering - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By CA-Allen - January 11 - 2:00 am

  After owning a few of its European competitors, switching to the LS430 is the best choice yet I have made. Excellent reliability, extrememly quiet motor and surpringly good overall fuel economy even with a V8 engine (average 23 mpg). A trouble-free car makes the overall ownership a breeze. Its luxury supportive seating makes everyday long commute rather comfortable.

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  Im disappointed - 1998 Lexus ES 300
  By Mark N - January 11 - 2:00 am

  I had reservations regarding this ES300 for me. Not enough performance and nose heavy. Changed to 215/60/15 Pilots which helped the nose heavy ride. Now at 48k, the transmission needed to be replaced. Bad enough at 48k. Lexus of Austin installed a rebuilt under the 100k warranty. Guess how I feel now. Looking a at Maxima GLE or Accura RL. Should have bought the 528 BMW in the first place.

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  whatacar - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By stevel - January 11 - 2:00 am

  Very comfortable to be in and to drive. The engine however needs a little more pep--but this car matches a lot of suvs costing $10,000 more

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  CT 200h Lexus 2012 - 2012 Lexus CT 200H
  By ld14 - January 10 - 4:48 pm

  I just bought this car a couple weeks ago. The mileage is amazing; I am getting about 44-45 MPG, better than I expected. The car drives nicely and hugs the road tightly, so that i feel in good control. It is sporty and fun, and looks like a technologically advanced car inside. The use of space is very good. The only thing better would be the same car in a larger version.

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  Love my car - 2014 Lexus RX 350
  By barbararaa1 - January 10 - 3:09 pm

  I leased my 2014 Lexus RX 350 last October, so its been almost one year. Has all bells and whistles. I really love my car. Very quite ride, comfortable seats. Back seat passengers are pleased with all the leg room. Car feels very safe. The worst part of my Lexus experience was dealing with Lexus of Sacramento. But I have found other Lexus dealers much more professional for which I am very thankful.

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  IS-Furious - 2008 Lexus IS F
  By BC - January 8 - 8:56 am

  The most powerful vehicle ever produced by Toyota/Lexus and it has hit its targets dead on. It is 2nd to the Mercedes C63 on a straight away. It is 2nd to the BMW M3 on a full track. It beats the Audi RS4 on both straight away and full track. It has the best rating on gas consumption (as well as no gas guzzler tax). More importantly, it is the most reliable and has the highest build quality out of all its competitors. The 2008 Lexus IS-F is the overall best performer in its class. I myself own a Starfire Pearl IS-F down in Houston, TX. I am a 100% satisfied customer. :)

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  Meets Expectations - generally... - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By Mojo - January 7 - 7:36 pm

  The ES300 has been a very high quality and reliable automobile requiring very few repairs above and beyond the required scheduled maintenance. This vehicle gets decent gas mileage and generally averages about 21-23 mpg, and also has a very quiet and comfortable ride. However, I would be remiss if I didnt mention that this specific model has a slight hesitation in acceleration that the dealership was unable to correct. The automobile also has a fairly fragile paint job that scratches easily and is susceptible to rock chips. Reading the center console displays of radio/CD and heating/AC settings can be difficult when wearing polarized sunglasses.

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  Beware - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Mrbmom - January 6 - 6:46 am

  This car has a terrible blind spot , making it very dangerous to back out of parking lots and other road situations. No amount of luxury can compensate for this flaw. Also, it is inconvenient for me to be able to open the trunk only with a key, since I usually have my hands full with packages and the key is buried in my purse.

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  Great SUV - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By Dean Norberg - January 6 - 12:36 am

  THe more we drive it, the better we love it! Exellent quality inside and out!