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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  Poor Gas Mileage - 2007 Lexus RX 400H
  By David - May 20 - 5:50 am

  We purchased this vehicle solely for the gas mileage that was claimed on the sticker and what the dealer said it would actually get. We were very disappointed when it got 35-40% less then what they claimed. Around the city the best we were able to achieve was 19.6 mpg when the sticker and dealer claimed it would get 31 mpg or better. We even had a factory rep from Lexus drive the car and he could not get it over 20 mpg. This car is terrible! Lexus would not stand behind it and told us that there was nothing they would do. We lost 13k selling it back to the dealer.

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  Nice to Look at - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By Ric - May 19 - 5:23 pm

  Overall it is pretty much what I expected from Lexus, except the finicky transmission. It is quiet and despite what the competition thinks of its looks it gets plenty of second looks; its black with darkened windows and the spoked rims. It is often mistaken for the much more expensive LS by the uninformed including my boss and co-workers who ask "are we paying you too much?” and "how did you afford that". If only the transmission would settle on a gear and not want to jolt my bad back when in stop-and-go traffic or even the slightest incline I would give it a strong 9. Had to have a new transmission put in at 5000 miles, new transmission only slightly better.

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  Great car, great luxury and a nice drive - 2003 Lexus GS 300
  By ak - May 19 - 10:00 am

  Great car! Nice mix of luxury and a sporty ride..... Great service

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  Great car, great luxury and a nice drive - 2003 Lexus GS 300
  By AK - May 19 - 10:00 am

  Great car! Nice mix of luxury and a sporty ride..... Great service

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  AWSOME!!! - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By Doug23 - May 19 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive,stylish with a touch of class.Include dependability....life long Toyota fan.

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  Superb mid-size luxury SUV - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By Larry - May 19 - 3:20 am

  Ive got about 1,000 miles on a Lexus RX 350 AWD. We were looking for a 5- passenger SUV. We looked at Volvo, Mercedes, BMW as well. Lexus had the best combination of space, easy to drive, power and luxury for us. We owned 2 Toyotas before - Sienna and Avalon - and thought both were great.

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  love it - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By EUGENETILLEY - May 17 - 11:06 pm

  I love the gas mileage, the look and the feel.If I bought it again, I wouldnt pay extra for the powerful sound system. It is not needed. The top feature is the quiet ride when it runs on electric power with the gasoline motor not running. The great fuel mileage is just a plus!!! Go Lexus! Eugene Tilley

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  Love it compared to competition. - 2013 Lexus ES 350
  By brucemeister - May 16 - 11:17 pm

  I have had my ES350 for just over a month and love it. I spent about 6 months research, test-driving and pricing some competitors. See below: - BMW328i: This was the best ride of all of them and fun to drive. BUT the AWD feels stiffer and the steering is less responsive than the RWD, similarly equipped to the ES comes over $50K, post-warranty reliability suspect, premium fuel only. Annoying stop/start engine. - Audi A4: Great quality but feels stiff to drive and cramped in the back. A little small. - C300: Great handling and style, but TOO SMALL and cramped - even for the driver, expensive repairs, premium fuel only. Annoying stop/start engine. Acura TL: OK but not luxury.

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  awesome vehicle!!!!!!! - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By bharati anand - May 16 - 8:26 pm

  I love the way the RX330 drives...it actually glides...its that smooth. I also like the premium sound system and the navigation system.

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  QUALITY ABOVE ALL OTHERS - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By BEVERLY BENJAMIN - May 15 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS MY 8TH LEXUS.....THAT SHOULD SPEAK FOR ITSELF. I HAVED JUST ABOUT EVERY CAR THEY MAKE......THIS TRULY THE ONE TO STAY WITH.