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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  Joyride! - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By LexCess - July 8 - 11:33 pm

  This is an awesome car. It is so much fun to drive that I volunteer to go grocery shopping. We wanted to get the RWD, but got the AWD because we wanted a specific color that is not easily available. The slight drop in the fuel efficiency bothers me, but I forget all about it when I start the car.

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  Lovin my Lexus - 2016 Lexus NX 200t
  By WBurr - July 8 - 11:10 pm

  Just purchased vehicle and so far love it. Quiet ride and fun to drive. Im really enjoying it.

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  Luxury Yes - SUV Yes - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By Paul J. - July 8 - 10:38 pm

  I’m a Lexus fan and this is my 3rd. First SUV. Getting into the SUV market wasn’t easy for me. I loved my GS 350 and it had low mileage. The one and only reason to go to a SUV was so I could see around the one in front of me. Congested freeways in Southern California requires one to see brake lights several cars ahead in traffic. Ever been in a freeway which turns into a parking lot? It happens here. Anyway the majority of vehicles on the road are SUV’s it seams. So I got one simply to have a better view of the road ahead. Here is the review. 1) this is a luxury vehicle with a soft, quiet comfortable ride. If you live on or frequently windy roads, do you want a soft ride? For my tast it is too soft. 2) acceleration is OK but nothing like my GS 350. Since both the GS and RX have 3.5 liter engines I expected similar acceleration. Disappointing that isn’t the case. On the other hand driving slower and being more patient isn’t a bad thing but I miss the fun factor. 3) braking? No problems but I do believe my sedan was more responsive and would stop in a shorter distance. That is a feeling since no actual comparison was made. I may have been happier with the Lexus RX 350 Sport model as I was accustomed to a sportier vehicle.

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  Nice upgrade from previous model. - 2016 Lexus LX 570
  By Steve - July 8 - 11:57 am

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  Like The Lex - 1996 Lexus LS 400
  By zman1996 - July 8 - 10:00 am

  We got this car in 1995. Nothing went wrong until about 80000 miles when a belt simply wore out. It has been a great car. I love its power and the ride is like driving on air. My whole family is jealous of it.

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  Best of the Best - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By pH - July 8 - 12:10 am

  This is a great truck. Love the ride, handling, comfort and looks. Im 62", so I had no problems to fit inside, unlike 4runner or VW Touareg. Highly recommend this vehicle. Much better than Mercedes and BMW. NAV system in not as good as other competitors and voice activated commands doesnt work as it suppose to. Because of the cabin noise from AC or heater it doesnt recognize commands. Overall Im happy with the purchase. There are, of course, a lot of things for improvement, majority of which I listed in the Improvements section. I also would like to see front connectors on the radio to be able to hook up the iPOD/MP3 player.

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  Great ride; cheap paint - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Texmom - July 7 - 7:43 pm

  Im at 68000 miles on my RX 400h and have been very happy with the cars overall drive. It has NEVER broken down or needed repairs. The interior finishes (especially the silver/aluminum finishes) scratch VERY easily, as does the exterior paint. Ive replaced the tires twice - you have to get the kind that are rated for the extra weight of the car. I love the Nav system, and the one button push to close the rear door.

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  2008 IS F Review - 2008 Lexus IS F
  By LexusISF_Rocks - July 7 - 10:06 am

  I had a 2005 Corvette with the Z51 package, and I loved the torque. However, I had it for 3 years, and I needed a change. Test drove a 2008 BMW M3 with the new 4.0, and it was a dog. I was very disappointed, as I really wanted to get it. It is not designed for folks that like torque. The Lexus has more torque and is much more fun to drive, especially when the 2nd intake opens up, and you can hear it, very nice. It sounded nicer than my Corvette ever did. The fit and finish are 1st class. The 8-speed Direct Shift automatic is a blast. The brakes are Brembos, and are top- notch. Handling matches the Corvette. Road and Track states that it beats the Corvette in a number of areas. Awesome!!

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  Excellent car! Perfect choice for me. - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By waynem - July 7 - 8:13 am

  I recently purchased a certified used 06 hybrid (the first my local dealership had), and I have to say I absolutely love this car! I had been keeping an eye out for a used one. I am really happy with everything so far, especially the mileage. Since mine has been already "broken in", I am averaging 28-29 mpg, granted I do a lot of street driving, so that helps. Everything I loved about my previous RX is here and many things have been improved, so I dont have any real complaints. The only thing that could be improved further is the nav system, in my opinion. Id highly recommend this car.

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  Best vehicle ever owned - 2000 Lexus LX 470
  By regreigg - July 3 - 10:00 am

  Bought this vehicle one year ago with 72000 miles on it. Now has 81000 miles. Wonderful trip ride. Great capacity to carry stuff. All around great vehicles. Drove through 12 inches of snow with it last winter. Goes anywhere. Dealers have great service. Only issue with it is CD changer died. $600 to replace. Oh well, even Lexus isnt perfect!