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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  2006 GX 470 - 2006 Lexus GX 470
  By Mark - September 7 - 10:46 pm

  I moved from GM to Lexus for reliability reasons and have no regrets. I will probably never buy an American made vehicle again. I did have an issue with the driveshaft but the dealer installed a new one for free since the vehicle was still under warranty. This vehicle would be perfect if it had about another 2 feet added to the rear cargo area (similar to the Suburban or Yukon XL). The power delivered from the 4.7 is superb. Interior styling and finish is nothing less than what you would expect from Lexus. For the price, look real hard at this vehicle if youre in the market for this size of vehicle. Im not sure if any other automaker can top this one! Looking forward to moving up to a LX.

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  Bought 2000 GS in 2010! - 2000 Lexus GS 300
  By boinz - September 7 - 8:30 pm

  I have never bought a 10 year old car before. But it was roomy for my 63" frame and 275 lbs! I found a 1 owner Car Fax certified model with 94,000 miles. Beside routine maintenance, I had work down on memory front seat and upper and lower control arms in the front. I have not regretted buying it.

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  1995 LS 400 - 1995 Lexus LS 400
  By Motoboarder69 - September 6 - 2:00 am

  We purchased this vehicle from our car lot in Eugene Oregon in 1997. Since then all we have replaced on it was tires, spark plugs, battery, antenna, and the wipers. All are normal things that wear out on cars. I love this car, I just got my permit about 2 months ago, and almost all of my driving time since then has been in the vehicle, the other time was spent in our brand new 2003 F-250. This car handles great, it accelerates excellently, and is very roomy. It the most dependable car we have ever owned and we have owned A LOT of cars. I hope that in March when I turn 16 I will get this car or a Toyota Tacoma.

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  Drives like a BMW - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By pixmation - September 6 - 2:00 am

  It was the test drive won me over. Totally surprised by the feel and how the car handles.

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  High Point of My Day - 2001 Lexus LS 430
  By Attorney - September 6 - 2:00 am

  This is the best car I have ever driven. The car handles extremely well in city or high speed driving. The only problem that I have experienced is premature tire wear. The tires are bald at 15,000 miles.

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  Long time owner - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By nyjeff - September 6 - 12:17 am

  Bought the car new in 03, 1st car Ive ever put on 100K + miles. The car has been great - limited repairs (brakes); fun to drive, sporty; very practical, folded down split rear and front seat to carry home 8 lumber. Mostly commuting, but also long trips. Ride a bit harsh on seamed or rough roads.

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  Transmission Problems - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By UMOX - September 5 - 7:53 pm

  More luxury, less driving fun than my 92 ES300. Major problems with the new 5 speed electronic transmission. Downshift from 5th into 3rd for passing when aggressive shift is needed delays and rpm builds for a second before lower gear engages. This has been of serious concern at times when immediate response was necessary. Lexus says they are aware of the problem. But no fix available yet.The car has sufficient power and pick up for other driving situations.

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  LIKE BUDDUH - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By jdgmusic - September 5 - 8:23 am

  I purchased my 07 ES 350 after totaling my Cadillac STS. This is a near-perfect balance of comfort, QUIET ride, economy, performance, amenities, and quality!!

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  Just a beautiful automobile. - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By MrChiSox - September 5 - 5:28 am

  About 15 years ago I worked for a contracting company that was building the new service department at a local Lexus dealership in my area and I fell in love with the RX 330. I cant afford to buy a brand new car so I spent a year searching for a used RX 350 that had fully maintenance history documented and found mine with service done every 5,000 at the same dealership. Ive owned mine now for just under one year and find that its superb in every aspect; interior is luxurious and features enough electronic gadgetry to satisfy, its really comfortable to drive, gas mileage is decent and it has plenty of get up and go for a guy of my age who is not interested in trying to set land speed records. Its attractive styling is what made me fall in love with it and mine came with a brand new set of Michelin tires on it which give it a very smooth, comfortable, quiet ride. Ive heard from many RX owners over the years that I can expect reliability in abundance well into the 200,000+ mile range if its well taken care of and I do my best to pamper mine. This is my dream automobile and I am very much pleased with my purchase.

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  Very Good Overall - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By ttb - September 4 - 1:13 am

  This is my first SUV and Lexus. The ride is comfortable with good visibility both front and back. Gas mileage has been spot on. With over 1300 miles 65-70% highway getting 21.2 mpg overall. Very comfortable seats (Im 63"). Layout of controls are good and easy to use for me. Received a UBS and power plug extension from dealer which eliminates problems I read about access. Not as high performance as BMW X5 (X5 handles better) but that is not what I was looking for out this vehicle. RX has plenty of power. RX zero problems and quality seems very good so far. Cant say the same for the X5. This vehicle is designed for a pleasant ride.