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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  03 SC 430 - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By RON36330 - November 24 - 2:00 am

  EXCELLENT DEALER SERVICE. CAR RECEIVED WITH NO DEFECTS OR ADJUSTMENTS REQUIRED. ALL EQUIPMENT WORKS AND NO PROBLEMS. FIT AND FININSH ARE FLAWLESS.

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  Short people want to drive it too! - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By shorty - November 24 - 2:00 am

  I love this car but, THERE IS NO WAY AROUND THE BLIND SPOT ON THE BACK RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR WHEN THE TOP IS UP. WHEN THE TOP IS DOWN THERE IS AN IMPROVEMENT BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH. before YOU BUY SIT IN CAR AND CHECK OUT THE BLIND SPOT AS SEAT DOES NOT GO UP VERY FAR. LOOK AT TOP EDGE OF CAR WITH WINDOWS AND TOP DOWN AND WHILE YOU ARE SITTING IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. AT MY HEIGHT MY LINE OF SIGHT IS JUST A FRACTION OVER THE TOP OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THIS IS THE BLIND SPOT I, AM TALKING ABOUT. NOT ACCEPTABLE.

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  Short people want to drive it too! - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By Shorty - November 24 - 2:00 am

  I love this car but, THERE IS NO WAY AROUND THE BLIND SPOT ON THE BACK RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR WHEN THE TOP IS UP. WHEN THE TOP IS DOWN THERE IS AN IMPROVEMENT BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH. before YOU BUY SIT IN CAR AND CHECK OUT THE BLIND SPOT AS SEAT DOES NOT GO UP VERY FAR. LOOK AT TOP EDGE OF CAR WITH WINDOWS AND TOP DOWN AND WHILE YOU ARE SITTING IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. AT MY HEIGHT MY LINE OF SIGHT IS JUST A FRACTION OVER THE TOP OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THIS IS THE BLIND SPOT I, AM TALKING ABOUT. NOT ACCEPTABLE.

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  03 SC 430 - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By ron36330 - November 24 - 2:00 am

  EXCELLENT DEALER SERVICE. CAR RECEIVED WITH NO DEFECTS OR ADJUSTMENTS REQUIRED. ALL EQUIPMENT WORKS AND NO PROBLEMS. FIT AND FININSH ARE FLAWLESS.

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  Beautiful, but if you have kids, no way! - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By Alexandra - November 24 - 12:50 am

  Beautiful car. Read some reviews before I leased it, from Edmunds that stated there was plenty of room for children. I have a 2 and 3 year old and well, there just isnt any room. Just wanted to clarify that online, if you have kids, and expect them to drive in this car, youre in la la land.

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  Rattle Box - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Eric - November 22 - 10:56 pm

  This Lexus has soooo many recalls for dash squeaks and rattles that its amazing it got out of engineering. Ours has been in the shop 7 times in 2 months for interior noises. The air conditioning vents rattle and click, the instrument cluster bezel squeaks, and every loaner we have gotten does the same thing. The engine is buttery smooth and very reliable, but we have to get rid of this car. My wife and I spend countless hours driving around trying to find the sources of all the plastic rattles. LOW BUILD QUALITY on the interior. Too much cheap plastic. Its too bad, we cant figure out what other car we would want more.

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  Home-Run - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By 03is - November 21 - 10:07 am

  Ready? Love the car, but since I just recently bought it, Ive had to do some work getting it up to par as the prior owner didnt take great care. However, its a Lexus, so a blind monkey could drive it into a lake and itd be better than anything on the road. A few cosmetic issues inside and out, and 90k service hadnt been done. When something breaks on this car, its costly. But if you take care of it, itll take care of you. I wish they had that mentality! That said, Its a joy to drive. Slightly heavy and a bit sluggish, but with 200+hp, you dont lack for power. Finding low-mileage units is just about impossible, and when you purchase yours, youll see why.

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  2009 LS 460 AWD!!! Best decision! - 2009 Lexus LS 460
  By jasver - November 20 - 1:42 pm

  You work hard all of your life, you deserve this car. If you are considering it, you will never regret the decision. The car handles very well, and gives you the choice on the type of suspension you prefer. It is very responsive. You will feel safe and wrapped up in this vehicle. If you are looking for screaming performance, then you may want to look elsewhere, this ride is for those who just want a comfortable "couch on wheels" feel.

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  Great , but not like the previousES300s - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By musicman2721 - November 19 - 10:00 am

  1000 miles. Has an erratic transmission shift pattern. Was present in the 2002 models as well, and was suppose to be fixed by a software change, but it isnt. It is actually dangerous. If you release your gas pedal, and press it back to where it was you get a huge thump. You also find it very hesitantif going from say 27 to 40 mph. The delay is very noticeable, dont get into an intersection, and need immediate move. First Lexus says, the fix is delayed (shelved), and now theysay end of 2003. I dont think Lexus knows how to fix this 5 speed problem. It affects power because normal gas pedal pressing doesnt allow the transmission to shift quick enough.

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  2010 RX - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By alk - November 19 - 5:30 am

  having had the chance to own the rx 07 model prior to this is giving me mixed emotions about the 2010 model. first, the interior I know has been redesigned but the quality of the materials used for the older model is better.The technology is amazingly fun to use although the bluetooth doesnt work with all phone models.