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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  Great New Car - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By Kanda - August 24 - 1:36 pm

  Just put the first 1,000 miles on the car. Really love it! Still figuring out all the bells and whistles.

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  LOVE IT ON PURPOSE - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By uraboob - August 24 - 10:00 am

  Love this car because of racey styling,Not in spite of it! Superb Toyota reliability and quality Tight and quick. I smile every time I wind up that smooth inline 6.

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  IS300 SportCross Experience - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Habu55 - August 24 - 10:00 am

  After 6 months I have been pleased with the purchase. Ride quality is very good, seats comfortable and supportive, transmission smooth and easy to use in the Sportshift mode. I like the Ecsaine fabric because it warms up quickly and keeps me from sliding in the seat. The car is quiet, the sound system very good and the 6 disc changer in the dash is handy. I average 22 to 23 mpg on premium fuel in town driving). I have yet to observe highway mileage. The interior space is well designed for hauling cargo when necessary. The car remains tight and rattle free as I approach 4k miles.

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  A Perfect Car - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By lexuslady329 - August 23 - 8:20 pm

  My ES 330 is the best car Ive ever owned. Its incredibly spacious and comfortable, and stylish. The wood trim is the best Ive ever seen, I can drive for 10 hours without getting at all uncomfortable, and theres plenty of room to stretch out on long trips. The engine has plenty of power and gets very, very good gas mileage. The ride is super smooth and quiet, even on the freeway. I do all the maintenance and I havent had a single problem with it. I leased a 2002 ES 300 for 2 years and loved it so much that I traded it in and bought this new one. I would highly recommend ES 330s to anyone; Lexus has truly succeeded in its "passionate pursuit of perfection".

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  Great Value for Luxury - 2009 Lexus ES 350
  By David - August 23 - 7:16 pm

  Just got a 09 ES 350, with premium plus package and extras at invoice. Great value compared to G37, Maxima SV, Genesis and CTS. Ride is very comfortable, obviously not sporty, but its also not "Buickesse" either, unlike some reviews have stated. The engine is very smooth and really moves this vehicle in manual shift.

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  Excellent Vehicle - 2005 Lexus LS 430
  By GP - August 22 - 9:20 pm

  No reliability issues - except a driver side door lock problem which the dealer covered with good will warranty. A very quiet and a very soft ride. Everything works very smoothly. ML sound system is awesome! Fit and finish is top notch. A/C cools the car very well for the front and rear seat passengers. Mileage is amazingly good for a V8. I get about 18-19 in the city and 26-28 in hwy.

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  Would be a return customer - 2008 Lexus ES 350
  By cielosf - August 21 - 5:07 pm

  This car rides like your on a cloud. Not a canyon carver, thats what my Corvette is for. If you want a super reliable, comfortable ride, you cant do better than an ES 350 Lexus

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  We liked the car so much we bought two. - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Charlie B - August 20 - 7:12 pm

  My wife has red and I have beige. Love them both. These are our fourth and fifth Lexus we have owned. We tend to keep our cars a long time. These are probably the best cars we have owned. We have had them for four months as of mid-August, 2016. This is in spite of the weird grill, which is an obstacle to overcome. At least the 350 is not as bad as the F Sport, with the really hideous grill. Looks like a monster going down the road with its mouth open and teeth missing.

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  Better than expected - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By docet - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Just had the car for over a week, but cant believe the silent smoooth ride. A class act

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  perfect choice - 2002 Lexus SC 430
  By traumadoc - August 18 - 10:00 am

  I compared many cars and came to the conclusion not only was it a geat buy for the price but that it needed very little if any upgrades or customizing everything came standard and out of all the dealerships I visited ( some which I walked away from even though they had my car there due to rudeness and unwillingness to bend on the cost) Tustin was profesional courtious and a down right pleasure to purchase from both the sales manager (Mike) and my salesman(Eddie)went out of there way to make me happy including driving to palm springs himself to pick up my car so I could have it sooner