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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  Even more impressive in the snow - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Snow monster - September 29 - 7:40 pm

  We have owned our RX330 for about 6 months and have only good things to say. It is the smoothest driving suv we have ever seen. The navigation is great and is user friendly. It looks amazing and we are always getting compliments. It also has the BEST gas mileage of any suv with its amount of power. 21/25.This is the best vehicle i have ever driven in the snow. Coming from a Jeep, the Lexus didnt even slide once. We would see larger suvs sliding around in front of us, as the Lexus drove perfect

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  My latest Lexus - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By MikeW - September 29 - 5:06 pm

  Bought my first Lexus in 1989 - LS400. Have bought or leased 9 since then. The ride of this RX350 parallels my first ride experience of the original LS400 - quiet, safe, in command, plenty of power. I am still learning everyday the new features. Clunky GPS of my 2005 RX vastly improved in this model. Transmission provides great power on the hilly roads where I live. Safety features give me a feeling of confidence every time I get behind the wheel. Everything I hoped for in my latest Lexus has been delivered.

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  Wife loves it, but I think its over rated.... - 2013 Lexus ES 300h
  By chad_shephard - September 28 - 8:12 am

  first, want to thank all the reviews. My wife has waited for the updated ES350h for a while now. Overall, a good car, but I dont think the value is there. Hopefully with the yen dropping so much lately, the future buyer will reap the benefit. We wanted base model but went with premium pkg. Very difficult to get with with base model. On quick note: We have 2 major dealers in Atlanta area. The dealers were very cocky. Not very customer focus.

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  2 months and counting - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By Jimmy - September 28 - 8:00 am

  This is now my 3rd Lexus. Prior vehicles were the ES and IS 300s. The GS is by far the most refined of the trio. Before purchasing the GS I test drove both the IS 250 AWD and the ES 350 and although I was impressed with both cars, once I got into and began driving the GS it was then easy to decide this was the car I wanted.

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  RX 300 - quite a package! - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By Rocky Mountain Man - September 28 - 4:30 am

  This car is great. I had to replace my Maxima because it handled poorly in the snow. Cant wait for the first snowstorm! We had lots of luck with Toyotas over the last 9 years with excellent reliability, and low maintenance. This car handles well, though you can certainly tell its not a performance car with its heft. The 3 liter V6 is adequate and I have actually been getting 22 to nearly 26 mpg for an AWD car, which is amazing! It rides very nicely, and handles bumps well. Its a great cruiser on the highway, or great on rutted dirt roads. We had it on some pretty rough roads and it was great. I hope the Lexus reliability that I found during my research is as good as our 4Runner.

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  The RX 330 "has no clothes!" - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By "..has no clothes!" - September 27 - 8:16 am

  Seats do not compare to our Porsche or SAAB. Tilt function is simply inflation of seats leading edge. Arm rest way too short to be useful. Major fatigue on long trips, never really get adjusted. Lines of sight to check for vehicles in prep for lane change are awful. Again, comparison is to SAAB and Porsche. Throttle response delay is shameful and dangerous. Toyota excuses it as computer seeking correct response -- lame. No road feel. Wind noise and engine noise unacceptable for Lexus -- had an LS 430 that was whisper quiet. It was great in all respects -- this 330 is not great in any respect -- below average in many. Sorry we bought it within a month of purchase date.

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  Car is okay - 2015 Lexus RX 350
  By CLH - September 26 - 4:26 pm

  I had an Audi Q5 which was tight, peppy, and had the driving experience of a German engineered car. The Lexus is a completely different driving experience. Im not sure yet if I like it or not. I did love the Audi!

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  its a keeper - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By D. White - September 26 - 10:00 am

  The car handles well! It has excellent visibility all the way around the entire car while driving it. The cars in my past experienceS, after I have own them for a while I would be interested in another kind of car but not this one.

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  best - 2004 Lexus LX 470
  By lx470 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  best car in texas

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  5 Stars - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Trinity - September 26 - 10:00 am

  We test drove a number of vehicles including the Acura MDX and Volvo X70 and nothing compared to the RX330. From sleek exterior styling, updated dashboard, ride comfort, etc. - this vehicle certainly lives up to the standards set by Lexus.