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:

• 

  My Lexus RX 400 - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Salim - April 7 - 1:36 pm

  This is my 2ed Lexus RX. I have had this vehicle for more than 5 years and I give it an over all rating of 8 on a 1-10 scale. Just a few days ago, the cruise control just quit and I am told that the stick on the steering column is broke; $400 to replace. I am on my third set of tires and I do not speed or burn rubber. Other than that the car has been very reliable and still looks almost brand new ( It is always garaged, however).

• 

  Love this Car!! - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By Holly - April 6 - 7:00 pm

  I purchased my ES 350 in late December of 2006 after driving a Chevy SUV for the past 4 years. What a difference!! I have loved every minute of driving this car! I havent experienced any of the road noise problems that I have read about on this site, but have had some issues with the transmission "missing" between 3rd and 4th gear. I spoke with the dealership about this and was told that it is a computer problem that they are aware of that will be fixed as soon as the program is made available to the dealerships. This is my first Lexus and, I must say, Im very impressed with the quality and attention to detail that went into this car - especially for the price.

• 

  Love my new lexus - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By 2006 rx400h review - April 5 - 7:46 pm

  I just traded in my 2000 RX 300 and have been waiting for 5 months. The wait was well deserved, every aspect of the 400h has improved. The gas milage Ive been experiencing has been consistent with other owners about 24 mpg in the city, I havent thouroughly tested it on the hwy. yet but expect the same results. The gas milage s actually very good given the weight and size of the 400h i wasnt disappointed because I had realistic expectations.

• 

  02 Lexus ES - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Insurance Man - April 5 - 4:00 pm

  Compared Volvo S60, Acura TL, Audi A6, Infiniti I35, Jag X-Type and Lexus ES. Selected the ES due to quiet cabin, smooth ride, comfortable seats, adequate acceleration, Lexus reliability. Dealer is extremely easy to deal with. This is my 4th Lexus - Have never had one in the shop for anything except scheduled maintenance.

• 

  Best car ever! - 2002 Lexus SC 430
  By empty nest momma. - April 5 - 11:40 am

  I had to drive this car in a massive rain storm while 18 wheelers were pulled over, this car hug the road and never once did i think it would lose control. This car is a head turner and also extremely reliable. I feel certain I can get a couple of hundred thousand miles on it like my other Lexus.

• 

  More " Purrfect." - 2010 Lexus LS 460
  By Robert - April 4 - 12:10 am

  Wrote a review a few days ago. Just further information. My loaded Sport LS listed for a little over $78,000.00. A comparable S class would be $115,00.00. A fully equipped 7 Series would be a little less. While each car has certain advantages over the other, the Lexus is an amazing bargain. The build quality, features, and comfort are as good as you can buy for any price. If you ask, the dealer will give you completely free service for 4 years as well.

• 

  Great Car! - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By raffello - April 3 - 4:36 am

  Awesome car! love how smooth it is. Great for longer trips, not as fun as my Porsche but what is?

• 

  Very Very Nice - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By Jay T. - April 2 - 2:00 am

  We were thoroughly impressed with this vehicle since first test driving one in 2000. Thought about an 04 (they are very nice,too), but the 01-03 model is just more fluid, had better takeoff, and considerably less engine noise. The interior is definitely upscale. All that wood makes you feel like youre driving around in a den. More leg room, especially in the back, than most of the other SUVs we drove. We have the blue mist with black leather,with every option except AWD and Navigation, and it is simply beautiful. This is one nice vehicle. Just what I expected from a Lexus.

• 

  Need to go back to manufactor - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By Dissapointed - April 2 - 2:00 am

  Problem with transmission program. Vehicle drive sluggesh from 0 to 20. Manufacture enhancement made problem worse. No present fix for now.

• 

  what a ride - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By dgrand - April 2 - 2:00 am

  very much the definition of luxury why pay more you dont need to upgrade from this one