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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  My daughter loved this car!! - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By slooper3 - October 14 - 3:07 pm

  We bought this car from a auction for my daughter and it has been a wonderful car for her. She loves this car and I told her recently to change the oil in it and she took it to get changed. It started to run bad ever since. Since we changed the oil more problems have developed. Now it is sitting in the yard :( Wonderful car!!

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  WHAT A SUV SHOULD BE - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By juliandryan - October 12 - 10:00 am

  Researched SUVs for months before deciding to purchase the GX 470. This SUV fills a void in the market for larger SUVs priced below $60K. Outstanding to drive with extremely comfortable ride. Overall, overly pleased with purchase, would highly recommend test driving.

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  mY sc430! - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By Stevenb - October 12 - 10:00 am

  Great Car! Cant beat the looks and the gizmos. Real power and performance to boot in a well thought out and executed vehicle. Great value compared to more expensive SL 500 (had one earlier on too!)

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  best Lexus ever - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By guman - October 12 - 10:00 am

  after 3 911s an sc400 and an ls400 - this care is the very best. The retractable hard top makes it the best of both worlds. Fit and finish are perfect. Adequate space with top up. The engine is smooth with power plus - handling sweetly.

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  The car drives like a dream. - 2006 Lexus LS 430
  By Mary Ann Timmins - October 12 - 7:36 am

  My last car was a Lexus LS 400.Car was 11 years old and ran perfectly. Will not own anything else. It is a quiet, comfortable and very reliable car. The car is almost maintenance free as long as you take it in for its checkups. The seats and interior are of the best quality and extremely comfortable. The sensors or parking guides are a big asset. The headlights shine 180, you are able to see the side streets at night to make a turn. You will have one of the smoothest rides you have ever had. Holds the road beautifully. The car drives itself. Will never own anything else.

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  Great Car - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By Cliff - October 10 - 12:40 am

  This is a fine car. The only negative is the hesitation when accelerating from stop. However, while it bothers my wife, it does not bother me since I always gently accelerate and there is no hesitation. I would highly recommend the car but be sure and test drive it before buying to see if the hestitation annoys you.

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  Extraordinary Hybrid - 2014 Lexus ES 300h
  By rzca - October 9 - 10:14 am

  We traded our RX 450 h, which we loved, for a bit better fuel mileage - boy did we get it. Driving home from the dealer, all highway, the car averaged 39 MPG at speeds between 65 and 75. It was smooth, eerily quiet and handled extremely well. If you dont drive it like a race car and accelerate smoothly and hold your speeds nicely, you WILL get the mileage claimed. Others who complain about the mileage do NOT drive that way - we have owned five hybrids and that IS always the case. The complainers never drive the way the car was designed. We also love the lengthened body - it provides a great deal of leg room in the back - our taller, larger passengers love it!

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  Exciting new car - 2010 Lexus HS 250H
  By djadmd - October 9 - 8:33 am

  Just got this car and love it. The technology is unbelievable. Drives great, lots of power for a hybrid. I moved from a BMW to Lexus, so much more for the money. Look forward to driving it for many years to come.

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  Awesome car - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By LLV2 - October 8 - 4:00 am

  Just bought this car a several days ago and am loving every minute of it. The engine and ride are silky smooth. Interior is well-designed. Mine is the tungsten pearl (silver) with light silver interior. Exterior much improved over the old ES 330. This car is built for a younger audience unlike its predecessor. One more thing, the acceleration is superb. This ES 350 beat out the BMW 325i by .1 second from 0-60.

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  The best car i ever had - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By hugo - October 6 - 7:23 pm

  This car is the best I got it from a good friend of my, at first I was worry but now I have had this car for at least 3 years and the only thing I have ever done is oil change and nothing else this car is the best car ever. The best purchase ever.