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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  IS 300 - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By emanski - May 13 - 10:00 am

  what would you say to a 30k car that needs a manual prop for the hood and drives like a honda?

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  IS - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By stacio - May 13 - 10:00 am

  for those that like tacky sporty looks will definitely find this ride very appealing and nice

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  nice car - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Prefect - May 13 - 10:00 am

  good pick up, tight interior, immature design, good handling, more horse power would be nice too!

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  Civic IS - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Kasugai - May 13 - 10:00 am

  my car looks like all the Hondas with altezza tail lamps, I dont feel special any more damn

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  my IS - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By BikesEtc - May 13 - 10:00 am

  disappointing...the looks of the car grew real tired in a matter of months, shouldve gotten the Xterra

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  Japanese Copy of BMW 3 series - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By Johnby - May 2 - 10:00 am

  Should have bought the BMW, penny wise pound foolish

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  my nightmare - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By unhappy chicago sam - February 15 - 2:00 am

  this car is a lemon. I have taken it to the dealership again and again. It always seems to have another problem.

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  Never again will I buy it again. - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By MT X - February 12 - 2:00 am

  The AWD software cant decide between 1- 3 gears through 30 mph. Lindsay Lexus of Alexandria, VA couldnt get the replacement software. The power socket and the instrument panel pulled out with my phone charger. The AWD system is useless when going up icy roads even when the wheels on either side are on "DRY" pavement. The brake lights are unsafely high. It takes a long time to accelerate when merging and changing lanes. Metal strips on floor of every door step/entrance get dented easily. It is not fun to drive. Im averaging 16 mpg for the first 3500 miles.

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  Windshield Problem! Dont buy the heads up display - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Sam - January 23 - 3:21 pm

  If you want to buy the RX 350 with heads up display, I suggest you wait. I bought this car in March of 2016 and the windshield has a problem. there is a double vision where the all the lights (cars, traffic lights, street lights) are doubled. The dealer changed it once and the problem is still there. The deal says this is the was Lexus designed the windshield, which is a lie!! I contacted Lexus customer satisfaction team and they believed the dealer without even inspecting the car. I warn you from buying these cars. It has other minor problems too. Such a waist of money. Paid $61,000 thinking that its a luxury car. I think I will go back to BMW and Audi

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  This is what you get for $40,000, Really? - 2015 Lexus RX 350
  By PTusa - May 24 - 12:10 pm

  My wife wanted a fancy Lexus and so far I am very unimpressed! This RX-350 rides very rough, its like riding a buckboard, its terrible! I might as well be riding in a Toyota Corolla or a Nissan Versa. I also can tell this vehicle is going to be a nightmare for repairs. There are way to many things to go wrong, electronics, sensors, way to much for me. I would give anything to get my 2005 Toyota Highlander back - anything! Not only am I having "buyers regret", Im also irritated that I allowed my lovely wife to choose this vehicle. UPDATE - I still am paying for a POS vehicle that RIDES LIKE A BUCKBOARD!