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 - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By txbuzzman - February 8 - 2:20 am

  Love the car, great gearbox. If you like manual transmissions and rear wheel drive this might be the car for you. Fun increases exponentially when you turn the traction control off........

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  Great GX 470 - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By Fillup Carter - February 7 - 8:53 pm

  The best SUV I have owned. Luxury and performance in one vehicle. You will not be disappointed. Compared with other luxury SUVs, the Lexus GX 470 was the one you cant forget. Its quiet and the ride is smooth.

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  Best so Far - 2000 Lexus LX 470
  By Scott - February 7 - 12:06 am

  Have owned my 2000 LX470 (90,000 miles) for almost a month. It has been the best car I have ever owned by a long shot. The ride and handling are top notch. Not quite as fast as my Denali, but very smooth. It will climb over just about anything too, but you hate to take it off road because its too good looking to take a chance on scratching it. My only complaints so far is the tiny plastic cover that covers the little window that displays the time and temperature is coming off. Also my moon roof may have a short in it as it takes several tries to get it closed. It also has more buttons in it than any other vehicle I have ever owned. Be prepared to read the owners manual.

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  2005 IS300. What a car! Sporty and luxury - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By javalencia - February 6 - 2:57 pm

  The best car Ive ever owned. A smart decision if you get one. 124k miles and runs like a champ. In the city will eat up gas a little more than it should but on the fwy is as good as my previuos 07 Corolla. Powerful, smooth, quiet and very responsive engine. Automatic transmission shifts smooth. I love the reliability, confortablity, style, interior design, re-sale price and everything about this car. Even with "kind of" high mileage havent had a single problem. Do regular maintenance and car wont let you down. Its just a blast to drive.

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  the 05 gx = the lx - cheaper - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By mitchell rowe - February 6 - 1:46 pm

  our third gx ... the 05 is stronger , tighter , quicker and more lexus like . better tires than the lx - gx has michelins , love the bluetooth , improved navigation system , levinson radio equal to the nakamici , 3rd row seat un-necessary forced extra cost option . excellent dealer for sales and service .

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  The best car Ive EVER driven - 1996 Lexus LS 400
  By Lexus fan - February 5 - 10:00 am

  I bought this as a used car with just over 30,000 miles after test driving each of the top line cars. Not only did the Lexus exceed all the others in every way, it has continued to amaze me. It has more power than I could ever use and I constantly have to check to make sure the engine is still running it is so quiet. It is the most comfortable car Ive ever driven and i never tire of driving it. I would recommend this car without reservation.

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  awesome car - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By Lnoch86 - February 5 - 10:00 am

  Its by far the best mid-price 4 door sports car on the market.

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  My test of the Lexus ES300 - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By amf1932 - February 5 - 10:00 am

  Basically Im very pleased with this car. The only thing that bother me is the new 5 speed transmission. Heres a brief example of what I mean: If I drive about 35mph and then slow down to about 5mph and than try to accelerate there is a hesitation. Its as if the transmission can not decide on what gear to go into. When it finally does theres a slight lurch forward. One other thing is a rattle that happened in the right rear. The dealer had to remove the rear door panels and do something to the insulation to correct it. There was a service bulletin about this problem. I didnt expect that on a brand new Lexus!

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  myreview - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By rmendenh - February 5 - 10:00 am

  I really love my rx300!

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  The Best - 2008 Lexus IS F
  By Ferdi - February 5 - 1:20 am

  Wanting to buy the M3, but ended up buying the blue exterior and white interior ISF. No regret, this car is super fast at the same time super comfortable. I love this sport sound when you step on the accelerator. This car is totally different from my 08 LS 460. 2 years free maintenance, free car wash forever, free detail every year, reliability plus excellent customer service what more can I ask.