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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  Pulls left - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By Sean Weiner - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle; however, it pulls left. Internal Memo received from JM Lexus also shows that it is a problem with many of the 04 ES 330s also pull to the left. It was fixed FIVE times, and still pulls.

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  A Great Car - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By Brian M - October 31 - 10:13 pm

  Absolutely a pleasure to own and drive. Quiet and comfortable. Smooth ride. More than adequate acceleration and power for Chicago tollway driving. Excellent build quality. Not a single flaw or problem. This car is not a performance "sports" car, but it is exactly what I was looking for: an affordable, great riding, entry luxury car. Fantastic service from dealership.

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  Comforting and smooth performance - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Eric Hwang - October 31 - 10:00 am

  I have been dring the Es300 for about 3 months and the car gets better and better. It is more quieter than the bmw 300 series and better performance than a volvo 60. I was suprised to see a company with a short history can make this kind of car.Im very satisfied with this machine and planning to purchase more cars from Lexus.

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  Best all around utility for road and off road. - 2013 Lexus GX 460
  By sworks1 - October 30 - 11:03 pm

  In the last 3 years I have owned the Q7 tdi, BMW X5 disel, Acura MDX 2014. I avoided the GX the last two years due to the camry fascia they put on the truck but for this year they changed it to their new F grills. I can tell you right now out of the listed SUV the lexus handles just like the BMW X5 without the stiff steering and suspension with KDSS standard. I have the premium model. The new MDX for 2014 lost the magnetic shocks that I used to love and was absolutely horrible I drove it for 2 months and traded it for a loss to get into the GX. The 2014 MDX had very bad body lean in corners the famous user interface has been butchered by Acura and was awful. GX interface is perfect.

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  Very fast - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By jim - October 30 - 1:03 am

  From previous experiences with Lexus, I didnt expect this car to be as fast and sporty, yet smooth as it is. Great ride but had to take it back to the dealer 20 mins after I left with it, because a loose flap was hitting the tire.

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  An Experience - 1999 Lexus LS 400
  By Harold - October 29 - 9:03 am

  Simply the absolute best car I have ever owned out of 15 vehicles. What more can one say except hearty congratulations to all the engineers, technicians and stylists who did the outstanding work on ths car. As someone has already so aptly said in describing this vehicle, "Cocooned tranquility".

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  Smarter Than Your Average Ride - 2008 Lexus LX 570
  By cockpitt29223 - October 28 - 11:23 pm

  Took delivery in Janurary 2008. Available color was starfire, my last LX was also white, but that is where the comparison ends. More power, great highway acceleration and smooth ride. I have only mastered about 50% of the features this ride offers,but it is fun to experiment. Gas mileage is in the 15 MPG range around town, which is better than the old model.

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  Lexus RX300 - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By LenJAllen - October 28 - 5:20 am

  I have owned several SUVs during the past 10 years. This is the most comfortable, the most stylish, and the most fun to drive. I debated between a Ford Explorer and the Lexus two years ago and ended up with the Explorer. If I had known what I was missing, I would have purchased the Lexus then. I have driven the Merecedes M series SUV and the BMW X5. The Lexus has the besr ride by far. I really love the way it handles and the way it absorbs bumps in the road. I couldnt be more pleased.

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  Love my GX 470 - 2006 Lexus GX 470
  By Scoot - October 27 - 5:36 pm

  After looking at many different SUVs - I am extremely happy with my Lexus GX 470. The car has a very smooth and comfortable ride. The build quality is fantastic - this is my first lexus and I can see why they score so well in the customer satisfaction rankings. I would recommend this car for anyone looking for a midsized SUV.

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  Expensive, but great value - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By et415 - October 27 - 3:46 pm

  I was going to buy a V8 Toyota 4Runner, thinking it was a better value than the GX, with the same engine and build quality. Then I priced a 4Runner with the options that I wanted, then I realized the price difference between the 4Runner and better equipped GX (even in base form--no options) was very small (granted, I got my GX at the end of model year). Plus the GX has great resale value, so I thought I would make up the difference at resale. After I bought the GX, I was in heaven! It is so quiet, smooth, and refined in a high seating position that I feel like Im flying through the sky in a silent glider (though I usually have the in-dash 6-CD player cranked up--the base system is great!).