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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  Very nice looking car - 2004 Lexus GS 300
  By spike - July 26 - 2:00 am

  Well built car and it turns head! Took a test drive and love it. Its like gliding on ice, very smooth.

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  02 LS 430 Ultra Lux - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By lex19703225 - July 26 - 2:00 am

  Great car! 800 miles per day is like a ride to the mall. Comfort from every angle. The seats, steering colum have many adjustments that can be easily changed for different positions for the long trips, including the climate controls.Just came back from Orlando Fla.Averaged about 24 MPG on the highway and hit speeds well above the posted speed limit. The Nav system is a must if you are not good on directions (like me ).

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  Best SUV period - 2005 Lexus LX 470
  By rcm10 - July 24 - 11:00 pm

  I first purchased an LX in 2000. Im on my 3rd and 4th ones now. These dont ever break..ever. I have gray 2005 and my wife has a black 2007. Comfortable, reliable. They are fairly expensive new, but if you can find one(and its difficult) a year old or so you will not be sorry. I live on an island in Florida and it floods often after heavy summer rains. no problem, Push the button to raise the car six inches and plow on through when you get to 20mph it lowers itself back down. In my opinion, this car looks like a perfect combination of tough and refined making it a true classic.

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  Absolutely superlative - 2001 Lexus LS 430
  By PeteL - July 24 - 10:00 am

  The LS430 Ultra proves that its possible to conceive, design, and manufacture an automobile of such profound excellence and deep quality that it changes how you look at the concept of the car. It makes all the other cars seem irredeemably crude and tacky. Its so good in every respect that it simply cannot be appreciated without living with it and touring in it. How Lexus endowed a single automobile with all of everything is beyond me. This car is simply the highest quality manufactured artifact I have ever examined.

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  great car - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By Paul K - July 21 - 10:00 am

  This sure is one of the best luxary cars out there in its price catagory, it has very smooth acceleration and the engine roar is also very nice. Got ours fully loaded, really glad we got the navigation. interior is the best part of the car, great lether and wood trims

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  Fantastic Automobile - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By Ron - July 20 - 2:43 pm

  I looked at the BMW-5, Benz, Infiniti M, Acura, Audi S4, Jaguar, etc etc... none met what I was looking for until I found the new GS 300. With the redesign of the Lexus GS 300 AWD, I finally have found a car that is a perfect blend of form and function. It feels like a luxurious sedan but doesnt look like an old 4-door family car. While some prefer the stiff ride of the BMW 5-series as several like to feel the road, I like the feeling of comfort. AWD is a huge plus as well (unlike my BMW aka "silver sled". While it does not have as much HP as the Infiniti M, it feels better put together (the M felt like a boat w/its strange wooden trim). The screen +key + bluetooth are great as well!!

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  this is a good car! - 2003 Lexus GS 300
  By Paco - July 19 - 10:00 am

  I have a gs300 with a body kit and some 21" inch rims and it looks tight!

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  this is a good car! - 2003 Lexus GS 300
  By paco - July 19 - 10:00 am

  I have a gs300 with a body kit and some 21" inch rims and it looks tight!

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  Great Car - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By Lexus_Lover - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned mine for over a year now. Now it has 78K miles and so far has been very reliable. The only things needed to be done on it were brakes, oil changes and stuff like that. It is a very confortable car and has a great sound system. It is a real eye catcher and is worth the extra dollars (it pays back in the long run).

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  SC 430 Excellence - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By arabesque - July 16 - 4:23 am

  Having owned two SC 400s the purchase of a 2005 SC 430 was a natural and welcome happening. The car is so much fun to own and drive! Exceptional quality in comfort and style, power and dependability, the Lexus SC 430 fits our needs for sport and travel. Sure, its a bit short on rear seat room and luggage space but we consider it a sports car with a strong engine and smooth ride. The safety features and treatment of options are Lexus quality through and through. We are truely satisfied with this premium automobile. Wish they still made them!