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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  Gotten better but still needs tweeking - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By paintballer1 - December 1 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle drives very nice. The rear glass is a litle more slanted than my previous RX300 which makes it difficult for my dogs to be comfortable. Overall the vehicle can fill my peoples needs.

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  Great car, great features - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By All 7s - December 1 - 10:00 am

  Have had the car for 1 week. Love it! Great features and technology. Interior design and materials are first rate. Car rides quietly and smoothly with one exception: Occassionally, the transmission will hold its gear longer than it should and then gently "lunge" into the next gear. This doesnt happen often, but given the near-perfection of the rest of the vehicle, it is noticeable. Bottom-line: Im glad I chose the RX!

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  Practical and fun to drive - 2009 Lexus RX 350
  By Beng - December 1 - 3:03 am

  After deciding between Accura MDX and RX 350, really feel that we made the right decision on the RX 350. The sporty style and comfortable ride is really impressive. Plenty of power to get you in and out of traffic (or into trouble). Gas mileage was really impressive on the highway (26 to 28 mph) on a trip to San Antonio to Fort Worth. In town 18 to 21 mph so far. Had a little trouble with window squeak when we first got it, but this was corrected at dealer. Very happy with the vehicle and the dealership.

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  Nice and luxurious - 2017 Lexus RX 450h
  By Nate Mohan - December 1 - 3:00 am

  When Lexus redesigned the RX last year, I was a little disappointed that they deviated from the traditional rounded shape to a more aggressive styling. But, the style grew on me and now I think that its actually a better look. The redesigned interior dash design is definitely much better than before. There is quite a bit of learning curve to get familiar with the technology. The manuals are poorly designed and printed and online information is far from helpful. The navigation system is quite limited and the voice command system is unpredictable. I do enjoy driving this car very much because of the nice and quite ride. I bought the hybrid which gets around 28 mpg which is very nice even though premium gasoline is required. Couple of annoying things while driving are the fairly loud hum when braking (due to regenerative brake system) and the slight hesitation when starting from a traffic stop (due to switching from hybrid to gas).

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  RX 330 - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Marc and Carolyn - November 30 - 8:36 pm

  This is the second RX we have had. Previously we had the 2001 and were so happy with it that we traded it in for the 2004 model. We have had no significant mechanical problems with the car to date. Would highly recommend the RX - fun to drive and nice to look at.

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  Falling behind - 2011 Lexus ES 350
  By aadez - November 29 - 5:45 pm

  My biggest disappointment is the Avrg 18.9 MPG in totally flat streets and highways in South Florida. Not even close to the sticker 27 mpg. The center arm rest is difficult to slide open. The phone and ipod connections are inconveniently inside the center console. The side mirrors automatically point to the ground in reverse making it impossible for one to see approaching cars or obstacles on both sides other than those on the ground. Hardly any space to hide or place objects. This is my 4th and last ES350. Have not owned one in 5 years and seems Im driving the same old Lexus with new inconveniences added. Mats are thinner and do not match the carpet color. Incomplete under dash carpet.

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  Wonderful Car - 2005 Lexus LS 430
  By Mike - November 28 - 11:26 pm

  I have owned most luxury brands, and this is by far the best car I have owned (I got the Modern Luxury package with SmartAccess). I tested the others, but the Lexus was simply in a different league. Ride quality is extraordinary-- both smooth and quiet. The interior is exceptionally well crafted. If you cannot get comfortable in the LS 430s seats, you simply cannot get comfortable in any car. Performance is better than I expected. The LS 430 does not have quite as many technological gadgets as the Acura or Infiniti, but it certainly has enough.

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  Love my GS 300 - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By Kathay - November 27 - 4:13 pm

  This is my fifth Lexus and by far the best of the best. Comfortable luxury with a sports car feel. I would recommend it to anyone.

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  Its True, the BEST Sedan Made - 1999 Lexus LS 400
  By MrPino - November 27 - 10:33 am

  Ive owned over 50 cars in my old age and the 99 LS400 is one of the best. I also have a LS430 but find myself driving the LS400 the most. These cars are powerful, quiet, extremely relaxing to drive and get very good gas mileage. With proper maintenance, the LS400 will go 400,000 miles without a problem. Ive owned 21 different Lexus cars and still consider the 1998-2000 year models to be the best.

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  Best Car Ever! - 1997 Lexus ES 300
  By packagemaster - November 27 - 6:12 am

  I bought a 97 in spring of 06, with 150k miles already on it. I travel 110 miles per day, and I wanted a reliable comfortable, but cheap ride. Because of the miles, I got mine cheap. Fast forward, 2011. Now the car has 330k miles, and let me tell you, this car has been rock solid. This is list of everything I did for the car. (from my log book) 1 set of tires. 2 batteries. 8 sets of wiper blades. Oil change every 6-8k miles. (thats right) 4 air filters. 2 windshields. (rocks fly in Interstate) Front and rear Struts. 2 sets of brake pads for front, 1 set in back, 1 set of front rotors. 6 Headlight bulbs.. Im looking forward to the next 180k miles. I know this car will make it.