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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  Move over MB 500S - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By dr. ted - July 29 - 10:00 am

  Traded in a 2000 M/B 500S. This car is far superior in construction, engineering, performance and is also "fun to drive." I cant imagine that I did not make the switch before! Finally, every trip to the dealership is met with courtesy and a caring that was never there with the Mercedes dealers. Lexus is happy that you came in; Mercedes always had the attitude that "you should be glad we are here to help you!"

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  Wind tunnel.... - 2000 Lexus ES 300
  By DKM - July 29 - 10:00 am

  The frameless windows seemed like a good idea at the time! The trade for the "sleek" look is a high-pitched hum coming through the window. Service manager says its standard; funny they didnt tell me BEFORE I bought the car. He even had all the window seals replaced, to no avail. This car is super, reliable, and fun to drive; and with the extended warranty, the service Lexus offers can not be beat. But, I wouldnt buy one of these pre-2002 ES 300s again as the wind- noise may just put me over the edge.

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  Nice but not great! - 2000 Lexus ES 300
  By strofferazo - July 29 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a certified pre-owned 2000 with 33000 miles one month ago. This is my first "luxury" car after always having sports cars. Its a great car, but not without flaws...in my opinion, there is more wind noise than there should be in a car of this caliber (mostly noticeable on the highway or over 55 mph). The only other thing I dislike is the radio/speaker system - "Lexus Premium Sound" is pretty poor. VERY weak bass no matter how you adjust it. If you have an opportunity to get the upgraded Mark Levinson stereo, Id try it. I was also surprised I cant quite reach 30mpg, even on conservative all- highway trips.

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  MY LEASE IS UP IM GONNA CRY - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By PETERPAL49 - July 29 - 10:00 am

  IVE HAD MY RX FOR 3 YEARS NOW AND IT HAS BEEN BY FAR THE BEST VEHICLE IVE EVER HAD. HAD MANY COMPLIMENTS ON THE VEHICLE EVEN FROM TEENAGERS. SITTING IN THE RX IS LIKE BEING IN YOUR LIVING ROOM, GAS MILEAGE IS NOT BAD FOR ITS SIZE, AVERAGING 22MPG. EVERYTHING WORKS PERFECTLY. AND VERY QUIET AT 70MPH.

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  Just Awesome - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By firsttimeLEXUS - July 29 - 10:00 am

  Just love everything in it.This is my first lexus product to own and am 100 % satisfied w/ everything, it delivers the whole package that I needed in an SUV. Just made right-not overdone.

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  Lexus could really do better but didnt - 2008 Lexus ES 350
  By ChuckHall - July 28 - 4:06 pm

  If you love the feel of the road then you will love this series of Lexus because due to the stiff suspension you will feel every bump in the road. If you are broad in the beam get a different car. When I drove the car I had to shift my position numerous times to feel comfortable - the seat is not wide enough for a larger than average person. There is a wind noise on both sides of the windshield that should never be heard from a car in this price range - and owners of the same style Camry have reported the same noise as well but Toyota/Lexus report that this is normal. If you are long waisted (short legged) get a different car - it is impossible to adjust the height for comfort.

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  The Tires And Rims Are The Worst! - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By MERIK R. AARON - July 27 - 5:10 pm

  The car is definitely fun to drive. When the top is down, it turns heads. The hard top goes up and down like a charm. The reliability of the transmission and engine is superb. But, the tires are the absolute worst! The rims are soft metal and dent, scratch, and disfigure at every curb. One pothole and your stomach ties into knots because you know that the sensor will sound and you will need to spend between $250-$425 for one, yes ONE tire. Everyone I meet loves the car and hates the tires. Sure, you can put regular tires on the car, but where do you put the spare?? My friend just turned his in because of the tires. One curb, one pothole and I reach into my wallet.

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  Cudahy1 - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Michael Eade - July 26 - 10:31 pm

  Super smooth ride. Luxury at its best.

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  Feeling of Disappointment. - 2011 Lexus RX 350
  By barcelonafcfan - July 24 - 8:58 am

  Having some experience with Toyota (used to work for the company), Im pretty familiar with their technology and at the same time must say that Im disapointed. Me and my wife bouhgt the car fully loaded with the tow package and after 1300 miles the transmission went out, wow that was a shock to me. Please dont get me wrong, I still think it is a great car but for over $40K I expect a lot more. Of course it doesnt happen every day with Lexus products but when it does happen to you Im sure all of us would have doubts. The drive is OK, but if you are for more sporty style of driving go with the German car, mainly Audi Q5 which I drove and it blew me away, its handling and resposivness.

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  Love my Lexus! - 2000 Lexus GS 300
  By missy - July 23 - 4:03 pm

  I purchased my car used in June of 2009 with about 123k miles. The previous owner already changed the timing belt and water pump. The dealer gave me an old change and new front brakes. I had to replace the contacts on the starter (about $85 including labor), flushed the transmission, new spark plugs & replaced some engine seals. I didnt do all this work at once though. I expected to do a little maintenance since it was a used car.