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 car! - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By classic1555 - December 16 - 1:16 pm

  This is my third lexus and by far the best. I bought the Premium Package; did not want the Ultra. The improvements are many and are substantial. The new engine/six speed transmission package is outstanding. I think it will convert any diehard manual transmission folks. I include myself in that category. What a pleasure to drive. The ratios on the transmission are suberb, especially under hard acceleration! The technology available just blows away the competition in this price niche. Rear camera;park assist; bluetooth; air pressure; and on and on. I recommend the car to everyone.

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  A joy - 1996 Lexus LS 400
  By WDavidH - December 16 - 10:00 am

  Purch new, corrected ball joints & control arm busnhings 120K . Perfect now. Best car Ive owned. Powerful quiet reliable roomy classy, what else is there.

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  Q 45 killer - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By elim - December 16 - 10:00 am

  this car is the best!! i can easily beat the infiniti q45, s430 and other lux sedans hands down.

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  Great car with amazing reliability! - 1998 Lexus ES 300
  By seattlegirl - December 15 - 10:43 am

  I have owned this car for a little over a year now and am still loving it. The car had 68k miles on it when I bought it and now has 80k and runs as if it was new. The only maintenance it has needed was a new tail light bulb (the car told me it was out or else I never would have known). Its so comfy both to drive and ride in and fun to drive. I wouldnt call it sporty, but I love the comfy ride the responsive steering. considering it is a luxury car, the es300 gets great mileage. It doesnt take premium and I can get up to 26 mpg driving lots of highway. Very quiet, lots of handy features. Theres even an extra outlet plugin for an iPod in the console. The styling is classic, people love it!

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  Great suv to own - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By Susan - December 14 - 2:33 pm

  Very comfortable ride, steering is very user friendly, hugs the road.

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  Love this car! - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By Lindsay Lexus - December 13 - 10:00 am

  I am an absolute Lexus convert - there is nothing more fun than driving this car. Living in teh city, I didnt was a mid-size car; I preferred to have something more compact, but I wanted a sporty sedan with a luxury feel and thats exactly what I got. Its stylish and peppy, but has luxury components.

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  awesome - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By mammodoc - December 13 - 10:00 am

  awesome car. great compromise between family car and sexy sports car.

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  Affordable Performance and Style - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By fob2000 - December 12 - 4:00 pm

  I am extremely happy w/ my IS300 This car has the soul of a tiger. The handling is outstanding, and performance is great, but the styling is what I really love. Granted, the styling is "not your fathers Lexus", but it is very nice indeed. For thousands of dollars less than its main competitors, you get alot of bang for your buck. This, of course, is not a perfect car. The gas mileage is less than average (expect about 18-20 mpg), and the trunk space is extremely lacking.

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  Simply Amazing - 1996 Lexus LS 400
  By Fayyaz - December 10 - 2:00 am

  This car is simply amazing. It has very good power, handles well (although lots of body roll), brakes quite well, and is very enjoyable to drive. It is extremely reliable, and has a classic design. The 4.0L V8 engine is super smooth, as is the 4-spd. auto tranny. The car is extremely quiet, but produces a nice sound when under WOT.

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  Lexus LS 430 2005 Model Type - 2006 Lexus LS 430
  By John McLean - December 9 - 7:03 am

  The legendary LS 430 is hard to beat, especially when you factor in the price. With advanced robotic manufacturing methods second to none, incredible durability and reliability the LS 430 just goes on and on. You as the owner just make sure it gets an oil change every 5000 miles and use 93 octane gas. Keep the tire pressures at 35 psi all round. This is a sedan with the highest quality, very good performance and a thoroughbred to boot. A lot of misguided people say this car is a big Avalon. This is a myth, nothing could be further from the truth. Take the engine - this engine is a racing engine cut down from the F1 V12 to a V8 whereas the Avalon comes up to a V6 from the V4 Camry!!!