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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  Fun car to drive - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By drivininaz - March 24 - 10:00 am

  The car is very fun to drive. It takes corners well with little to no sway. E shift is fun but cumbersome to use on a regular basis. The gauges take a little time to get used to - The speedometer is hard to read around the 5s. The MPG guage is very distracting since it bounces all over the place telling you the instant MPG - not helpful over the long haul. Looked at the TL and G35 as well as the ES300 they drove like a larger family car which wasnt what I was looking for at this time. Inifinty dealership went old school w/me with the hard sale. Lexus dealership was the easiest car purchase I have made to date.

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  Reliable Lux Vehicle - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By Toan Tran - March 15 - 1:23 pm

  Bought Vehicle with 84k miles on it. Regular oil change from Lexus, 93 Octane gas when filling up. Car drives very smooth. Vehicle has a lot of power and fuel economy is very good for this big vehicle. The driver seat is very comfy. Problems with the car, the subwoofer is rattling when there is bass, windshield makes high pitch noise above 75mph, my front left door actuator door lock does not lock anymore. I have to lock it manually. Vehicle has the Modern Package.

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  Great Improvement/High Price - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By lexusxthree - March 3 - 10:00 am

  We previouly owned a 2000 & 2001 RX300. The overall handling and ride is a leap forward. Comfort has also improved to where it is comparable to Mercedes Benz. Because we purchased the vehicle within a month of it release, we were not able to get it optioned exactly the way we wanted. Our only regret is that it doesnt have the Mark Levinson system. The standard system does not sound as good as the one in our previous RX300. The Navigation system is great and the Back-up camera is to die for. This should be a required safety feature on all SUVs and Minivans. Overall we are very pleased with the new RX330.

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  Happy With the RX - 1999 Lexus RX 300
  By Alexis Owner - February 24 - 10:00 am

  We purchased it for my wife with 30K Miles and have thouroughly enjoyed it. I recently had an exhaust manifold leak fixed and I had the rear bushings replaced a little while ago. No maj problems and we enjoy driving it in bad weather as the visibility through the winshield is great. Pohanka service dept and salesman Terry have been great.

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  I need your feedback! - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By niceandfunny9 - February 20 - 2:00 am

  Purchased new..right off the truck..foolish move..didnt test drive it..find that transmission does not shift properly. Hesitates/holds back from first through second gear. The rest of the package is awesome. Only 1,000 miles on it and Lexus says the car is fine??????? Would love to hear back from other owners about transmission shifting concerns

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  Impressive Sport Sedan from Lexus! - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By dave1122 - February 17 - 10:00 am

  After owning a BMW 323i and having to stay in that same price range, i decided not to go for the 325i and pay an extra 3000 for a 14 hp improvement over the 323. I test drove the lexus and fell in love with it. Very comfortable, handles great, engine is nice (would have like a few more horses), but overall, an EXCELLENT sport sedan for the price. Oh, and did I mention, it is sooo fun to drive.

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  ROUGH RIDE - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By LARRY HAND - February 15 - 10:00 am

  CAR RIDES VERY ROUGH IN AS LITTLE AS 12000 MILES WITH THE RUN FLAT TIRES. ALSO PRODUCES A DARTING AND JOLTING FELLING FROM VERY SMALL ROAD BUMPS. BEST TO DRIVE A USED ONE WITH ABOUT 10000 MILES ON THE TIRES BEFOR YOU PURCHASE, YOU MAY DECIDE AGINST IT. ALSO THE RUN FLATS ARE ABOUT $500 EACH AND NEED TO BE RELACED AT ABOUT EVERY 20000 MILES IF YOU CAN TAKE THE RIDE THAT LONG.

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  A 40K+ Car Shouldnt Rattle - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Stan - February 11 - 9:23 am

  I started out loving this car. Excellent highway passing capability, spectacular emergency handling (saved my life on one occasion) and superior comfort. BUT little things mean a lot. After about 8000 miles a rattle developed under the dash. Soon it sounded as if the entire dash was shifting after a moderate bump. Still not resolved to my satisfaction. Ive since learned that this is a problem endemic to early production units. Lexus should do better.

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  A Disappointing Update - 2008 Lexus LS 460
  By Rick S - updated - February 9 - 12:00 pm

  Now that I have had this car for 2 1/2 years, I thought I would add an updated review. This is our 4th Lexus and I am disappointed in the overall quality of the car. Aside from the recall, I have had a number of mostly minor quality- related issues since my last review, including an issue with paint chips on the front of the car and a blown out speaker in my expensive Levinson stereo. If I had to do it over again knowing what I know now, I would not purchase this car. I expected uncompromising quality in a car I could drive for 10 years like my last 2 (less expense) Lexus vehicles. Now I worry about expensive repairs down the road. I am thinking seriously about getting rid of the car.

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  love it but the grill has to go! - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Bman - February 6 - 8:55 pm

  This is my second RX as I loved my 2008. O love 90% of the 2016, its the front grill that will take me some time to get used too. it doesnt fit with the rest of the car, it looks like they stuck it on and made this huge ugly grill. Other than that I love the reat f the car, The sides and the rear look awesome. the rise is smooth and comfortable. The only other drawback is the radio controls, seems to be too complicated for doing easy functions. Hopefully Lexus will weed out these small issues and and have the best car on the market as they are close.