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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  Wifes car - 1998 Lexus LS 400
  By ronjenkinsdc - December 7 - 1:16 pm

  Great car. purchased used in 2003 with 120K and has been the best car I have owned.

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  First Time Lexus Owner - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By Liza - December 7 - 12:50 pm

  I love the car already. It has surpassed my expectations. My husband and I drove from Las Vegas to San Diego and we were getting 25-29 mpg. Very comfortable and quiet.

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  Reliable and good looking! - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By lexusman - December 7 - 10:00 am

  We previosly owned a BMW X5. The RX 330 runs much more car like at has a less bumpy ride. The X5 was very hard to turn, but the Lexus is an easy car to drive and get used to.It is also a Lexus and very dependable.Has great gas mileage for an suv, and you still have the 3.3 liter engine. IT also has way more trunk space then both the X5 and the Mercedes M-class.

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  Best car I have ever owned! - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By talktomatt - December 3 - 12:03 pm

  This is my 6th Lexus automobile and BY FAR the nicest and best riding I have ever had! I own 4 cars including a Mercedes, but this car has them all beat by a mile or two! It is very quiet and smooth with lots of power and I love all the little goodies it has such as showing me the tire pressures, even for the spare, by pushing a button! The GPS is MUCH improved and the ride is just wonderful!

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  Needs new stereo, otherwise fantastic.. - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By cpa3 - December 3 - 4:40 am

  This is our fourth Lexus and second RX. Great ride and you sit nice and high. Very luxurious.

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  A Good Car RX330 - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Tom - December 1 - 11:23 am

  The car is very quiet and very comfortable and smooth riding. For a tall person the head room is minimal. Overall it is a comfortable well built car.

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  Excellent Car - 1997 Lexus ES 300
  By HR6895 - November 30 - 5:53 pm

  Bought at 62K, drove 8K since then. Runs solid, comfortable, reliable.

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  TRULY AWESOME - 2003 Lexus GS 300
  By Eagle50271 - November 29 - 10:00 am

  This is by far the best car that i have ever purchased. I looked at every car in the class and this gave me the most bang for my buck out of them all!

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  Beats Mercedes - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By johndhenry - November 29 - 10:00 am

  Overall Review: This is the best car Ive owned...and currently I own two Mercedes (E3204Matic Wagon & C280). The car has an anvil like feel and the engine power never seems to end. The high- end quality of the interior and its overall fit and finish are much superior to Mercedes...which seems to have gone down hill in the past several years (lots of ill fitting plastic and visits to the mechanic). Also, my 11 month and 3 year olds car seats fit in the back seat quite well for weekend drives to the Beach.

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  One Sweet Ride - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By SexySC - November 29 - 10:00 am

  Dollar for dollar, simply the best hardtop convertible in the world. A fast, smooth,ultra-luxurious and comfortable convertible with cool distinctive retro-futuristic styling and an awesome sound system. Build quality and luxurious ambience is superb - superior to cars that cost tens of thousands more