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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  First sports sedan - 2008 Lexus IS F
  By malujerry - March 18 - 2:06 am

  This car is great. I was leaning towards the M3, but the huge price difference and reliability, along with a test drive, made me choose the ISF. I would not have gone with another car within the same class.

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  If a dream, I dont want to wake up! - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By RedHead - March 17 - 10:00 am

  This is my second LS sedan, having leased one in 1999. After checking the market closely, the LS430 is tops in most all areas. MBs new E500 is close second, but for open interstate roads and in town routine driving, this is really a dream.

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  Hard to describe - 2000 Lexus LX 470
  By ktiger - March 17 - 10:00 am

  We just purchased this beauty (gold) from a dealer in Houston, TX. After driving the LX470, the Escalade (what a joke for $58,000), the Navigator, & the Sequoia we decided to drive to Houston (best prices/live in Louisiana)to purchase the certified LX470 (only 36,000 miles). This SUV is everything we hoped it would be. We traded in our 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee which we drove to Houston and that made the experience driving home a dream. None of the other vehicles could match the LX470 smooth ride and comfortable seating. I cant believe we waited so long to purchase one.

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  IS 300 - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By jgoodyear - March 17 - 10:00 am

  I have owend this car for 10 months, and has been a great car. The I6 is very smooth. Nice power is based on the Toyota Supra 2JZ-GE motor. The 5sp Manual has nice concise shifts. Feels solid. The Manual is almost .5 of a second faster than the Auto, It also has a stiffer suspension.

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  Great Car! - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By PJS - March 17 - 10:00 am

  This is the best car I ever bought. It provides a higher level of comfort than most of its competitors for a fraction of the price.This an extremely refined car

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  Happyissimo - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Slope - March 17 - 10:00 am

  Totally satisfied. Drives like a car. Totally practical.

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  Great Car, Love it! - 2000 Lexus GS 300
  By Great Car - March 16 - 4:50 pm

  I bought this car used with 85k last month, great for a 10 year old car. It is truly a wonderful car. I immediately changed oil, front rotors, front pads, rear pads and rear rotors(all were original). I have put about 3k miles in about month. This car rides like its brand new. This is definitely a keeper. If you can a find one with good miles, you cant go wrong. I checked all the review sights prior to buying. No one believes its 10 years old when I tell them. It looks and rides great.

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  Great SUV...Very Satisfied - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By RXDRIVER0509 - March 16 - 4:16 pm

  I bought my RX330 about 3 1/2 months ago. Pearl White with Beige leather. Overall I am very satisfied with the RX. I think the exterior is very attractive...clean and not over the top. The interior is also very nice. The leather has held up well. The seats are long haul comfortable. The power tilt steering wheel is a nice touch. The power rear door has also come in very handy. I get a respectable 23 mpg city/28 mpg highway. The transmission is very smooth, but I feel the engine is a little underpowered. Mine has the 18" chrome wheel pkg, which seems to ride well. The dual DVDs are nice, but not something I needed. No issues with anything, and the Lexus dealer has been top notch.

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  Best car I will EVER own - 2005 Lexus LS 430
  By Emil - March 10 - 1:06 pm

  Absolutely remarkable, so full of features and quality, in the snow it is no problem at all.

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  Great SUV - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By Steve - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV. Drives like a car and performs like a SUV. Very dependable and fun to drive. Having a few problems, fuel coils, windshield washer motor, wiring harness, less than 80k.