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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  From a Mustang GT to a Family Car - 1998 Lexus LS 400
  By Ben Logan - January 15 - 5:36 am

  The car is solid as a rock. It has never once coughed or buzzed or knocked. I feel very safe driving my family around in it. Switching from a Mustang GT stick, it took a while to get used to the delay in jumping off the line. If you want power immediately, or are doing an instant merge to freeway speeds, you better be power breaking it from the get go. It has plenty of power, even more than the GT, but that half second delay can get you if you arent used to it. I am still finding cool features. It is luxury at its finest.

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  Great Hybrid - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Dave in Prescott - January 14 - 8:16 am

  This is a performance hybrid so we did not expect to get the stellar MPG people seem to expect from any hybrid (we own an 04 Prius too). Current MPG is 26 but it is still 30% better than the 2004 RX 330 we traded for it. This car is much quicker and quieter so the better MPG is a real plus. The power delivery is incredible and no more shift points!

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  Great Car - 2006 Lexus ES 330
  By Scott - January 13 - 2:03 am

  Just bought 2006 ES with navigation. This car is the smoothest, most quiet car I have ever purchased. The build quality is excellent and the fit and finish is best Ive seen. The car handles better than I thought it would and the ride is impeccable.

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  GS Ride - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By GS Ride - January 11 - 10:06 pm

  The new GS is an excellent machine... the ride is very firm, and solid and feels like a SPORT luxury car should. Still breaking in my car (less than 400 miles) so I cannot comment on the aggressive performance and handling yet, but this car has a silky smooth transmision, and good visibility. I have read about the "tight" drivers seat, but I am 62" and have no issues with getting a very comfortable driving position. Plenty of room for me. Expect a lot of smiles and looks while driving this car!

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  Helluva Car - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By J - January 11 - 1:10 pm

  Fabulous car, well designed and extremely fun to drive

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  LUXURY OVER HORSEPOWER - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By HAROLD WILSON - January 11 - 10:00 am

  I TEST DROVE THE CADILLAC CTS,ACURA TL INFINITY I35 AND THE MAZDA DIAMANTE BEFORE I PURCHASED THE ES300.THEY ALL FELT CHEAP COMPARED TO THE LEXUS.THE TL WAS FASTER BUT NOT AS QUIET OR SMOOTHER.THE INTERIOR OF THE CADILLAC LOOKED TOO PLAIN COMPARED TO THE LEX.IF I WANTED POWER,I WOULDVE PURCHASED A CORVETTE.THIS SMOOTH DRIVING CAR ATTRACTS A LOT OF ATTENTION.IN THE 30-40 THOSAND DOLLAR RANGE,THE ES300 IS THE ONLY TRUE LUXURY CAR AVAILABLE.

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  In Love with Lexus - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Loving My Lexus ! - January 9 - 1:50 pm

  I did not go wrong in purchasing a Lexus. This is the most comfortable vehicle ever purchased or test drove. It does not ride like a "truck" and hate for people to call it that. It is so comfortable to drive on long distance trips. If in need of another car, Lexus will be my first choice!

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  Great Car - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By billy bob - January 7 - 12:03 pm

  Fantastic vehicle. Owned for three years without a problem. Decent gas mileage for an SUV. Great for long drives with comfort and convenience. I would not hesitate to purchase this vehicle again.

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  Certified Pre-Owned Bargain! - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By Tyber - January 6 - 10:00 am

  Like some other reviewers, I was looking at other Lux-utes, but just wasnt ready to spend $40k to $50k+. So when I heard Lexus had 1.9% financing on their CPO inventory, I decided to check out 01s and 02s. Got a low mileage 01 RX300 2WD w/ Navigation for a rediculously low price (I think). Its awesome. Ride quality and sound levels are amazing. Build quality, fit and finish are excellent. Performance is great for an SUV, and better than many sedans. The dealership has honestly been a pleasure to work with. All in all, Im very satisfied.

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  Addicted to It - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Lexuspeed - January 6 - 10:00 am

  Just instantly fell in love with the RX330. My wife decided to replace her ML320 and not go with 03 ML350, 03 Volvo XC90, 03 Aviator, the Touareg and the MDX. Clearly another winner from the Lexus brand. For the price of this one, you get so much state-of-the- art technos. Undoubtedly another the best-in-class well thought out product from Lexus. She and I now own a Lexus.