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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  Great vehicle - 2000 Lexus ES 300
  By MRamsey - August 30 - 7:13 pm

  We bought a 2000 model that had only 55000 miles and looked new. It has been a great vehicle, great ride, great handling, and I feel safe sending my 21 year old daughter to school in it.

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  Love it. - 2011 Lexus RX 350
  By Sohi - August 30 - 10:00 am

  I just picked Lexus RX 350 touring package 2 weeks ago and I am loving it. Fun to drive, the navigation, the back up camera and the interior is awesome.

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  IM MARRIED TO LEXUS FOREVER!! - 2001 Lexus LS 430
  By leemz179 - August 29 - 1:09 am

  I bought this car after my 1999 LS got totaled. I also had a 93 LS, 98 GS, and 93 ES before. All great and reliable cars, with the ES being the least reliable if that even makes sense. I was in love with the 99, really loved that car, but after picking this one up in New Jersey at Lawrenceville Lexus, its just all around greatness. Purchased in December at 112k, it is now at 120k. Besides the 120k I just did, all Ive changed was the front brakes, rotors. Very comfortable, economical(20-24 MPG HWY/CITY combined), fast when you need it to, and hugs the road pretty well. The only quirk I have is the Mark Levinson speakers. The front speakers have blown, and I replaced sub with Polk Audio

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  EXtra Special NX 200t F-Sport AWD - 2016 Lexus NX 200t
  By A. Wilson - August 28 - 8:49 pm

  Ive wanted an SUV for some time now and the Lexus NX 200t is just what I wanted! Its sporty look and luxury upgrades are icing on the cake. Ive read many reviews that say they dont like that the seats because they arent real leather. Prior to this I owned a Lexus ES 350 with leather seats and I dont even notice that the leather seats were any better than the NXs. In addition the light gray leather seats on the ES350 started to look worn and cracked over time. Ive only had this vehicle for about five days so Im still getting use to it but so far I love everything about it. I like setting up higher than a sedan but not so high like a Land Cruiser. Im very happy with my choice. I knew I was going to buy another Lexus and thought I wanted the RX350 but compared to the NX it seemed too big and less agile. If my opinion changes Ill post but so far Im in love!!!! Also, the technology is out of this world but be prepared to have to study the manuals and play with all the bells and whistles to figure out how to take advantage of all the extras.

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  SC 430 - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By jesslvaudio - August 27 - 11:43 pm

  What can be said, other than the fact that I test drove the rest, and bought the best. Lexus quality cannot be surpassed.

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  Have luxury and save gas at as well - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Jay - August 27 - 9:10 am

  I have had my RX 400h for nearly 3 weeks and I have fallen completely in love with it. I have driven just over 1,000 miles and I am still on the original tank of gas I got when I drove it away. The operation is seamless. What fun to be able to drive in luxury and save gas at the same time.

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  Poor Gas Mileage - 2008 Lexus RX 400H
  By Luke - August 26 - 5:33 am

  We like the SV, but we expected more MPG than 22. The car drives nice and handles nice and of course Toyota quality is everywhere. Just hate the gas mileage for the price we paid.

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  First 2004 SC430 in Seattle - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By mike70m - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Met and exceeded all expectations.

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  First experience with a SUV - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By nsj - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Great SUV, smooth ride and easy manueverability like a car. Dash functions are easy to use. My wife loves it too. Comfortable for even two adults in the rear with an infant car seat in the center. Would definitely recommend it for someone looking to upgrade from a car.

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  Suprised - terrible GPS and bluetooth - 2009 Lexus ES 350
  By Sanford - August 25 - 8:20 am

  I have never owned a Lexus before. I was impressed by the test drive and buying experience. However, since owning the car for a while the integrated GPS is disaster and the blue tooth phone system does not work well either. I think it has to do with the microphone placement. I also own a Ford explorer (which has its own issues) but the GPS and bluetooth phone features just plain work better. I dont think I will buy another Lexus. I expected to pay more and have an issue free car but that is not the case.