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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  Best of the Best - 2003 Lexus LX 470
  By sayahhhhhhhhhhhh - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Best SUV in the market

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  Hot Godsend - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By Editor - May 20 - 10:00 am

  This car not only turns heads, it keeps your head assured that itll always be reliable with a furious performance.

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  Love This Lexus - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By aronsons - May 20 - 10:00 am

  The RX330 has a wonderful ride, handles well on the highway and it stop and go traffic. I have made several trips to Binghamton and Boston from my home in Westchester,NY. One long trips average 25+miles per gallon. My RX330 has Navigation and the rear camera. My last car had navigation but, this one is even better. The camera is helpful too. The interior is beautifully appointed and controls are well located. The rear seats can be adjusted foward and backward as well as upright and varing positions of incline. I have had my 5000mile service and Ray Catena in Larchmont was terrific. I am truly delighted.

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  3rd LS - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By Tom - May 20 - 6:13 am

  This is my 3rd LS (previously had a 98 and 01). This is my favorite LS. It is quick, smooth and powerful. The Mark Levinson sound system is amazing.

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  Sweet wheels - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By Pearl - May 19 - 6:26 pm

  Great car: elegant and refined styling, super amenities combined with real road muscle, fast off the start power, great gear shift ratios, excellent handling. The Bluetooth-enabled hands-free phone could be improved (wont load your telephone book) and the rear view mirrors that tip down during backup are just plain annoying. Other than that, absolutely no complaints - very happy with the quality.

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  The Best Lux_SUV... If you dont compare - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By Bill91367 - May 19 - 12:33 pm

  One of the main reason for the purchase of this car was the handling; Its really drives like a car thats been raised by about 8 inches off the ground. Wind noise is excessive at freeway speeds for a luxury car.

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  Fits my style like a glove - 2010 Lexus ES 350
  By george - May 18 - 7:33 pm

  I dont drive for the thrill of it so a couch on wheels feel is what I wanted and got. I dont want to feel or hear the road, and this car does that perfectly. Its such a great car, but my only regret is that it should have its own unique exterior look. The Lexus dealership experience is like going to first class from coach class.

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  Smooth ride, But.... - 2015 Lexus RX 350
  By E. Dec - May 16 - 6:04 am

  This is my first luxury car. Its fun to drive & handles well. There are however a few disappointments... 1. Remote start turns engine off upon entering the car, even if you have the key with you. This seems like a time & fuel waste. 2. You can start the car, leave the key at home and drive as much and as far as you want to. While doing so, you will see the warning message "No key detected" on the instrument panel. I would prefer the car keep running with remote start as long as I have the key with me than having the ability to drive an already running car without a key. Very counterintuitive.... 3. No backup camera gridlines. I envy my friends who paid much less for cars that have the camera grid. 4. Radio operations and presets. Its not easy to operate.

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  My fifth Lexus, fourth LS - 2005 Lexus LS 430
  By pjbigley - May 14 - 9:00 pm

  This is my fifth Lexus. Have had a 2 1991 LSs, a 1998 LS, 2004 GS430 (mistake), and my present 2005 LS 430. The GS was too small for me (should have learned on the first 3 LSs, and I am soooo happy to be back in the seat of an LS. All it took was to sit in the drivers seat, have the seats wrap around you, the dash light up, and all of the phenomenal features at your fingertips. From the radar cruise, to the LED appointments everywhere at night, to the folding mirrors, and to have a backup camera in a sedan is a dream. I have not driven any other since 1996, and never will. As long as I can afford it, it will always be a Lexus LS.

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  Touring Package Option - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By tricky73 - May 14 - 9:00 am

  It would be more helpful if posters identify their specific model; my take is there is a noticeable difference between SWB, LWB, and the Touring Package. I am very apprehensive at the moment re reliability; I had a rather simple electrical problem which seemed to baffle service personnel. The Parking Assist accessory borders on fraud by Lexus as it relates to the owner; it is complicated, flakey, and poorly supported with useful instructional material. All 460L models I have seen have this option, and when even my dealership couldnt get it to work reliably, they advised "just dont use it."