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 - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By Kingsly - July 19 - 10:00 am

  This car is da bomb. It drives and handles like an F1 and could still hold luxury. AMAZING

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  Leuxs kills the S class ! - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By Ramachandran Ramnath - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Bought this after my 2000 S 500 was totalle din a freak flood from heavy rains. Felt stupid within a week that I plunked 20k more for a less competent S 500. Double the fun, One third the price. Better everything than the Benz. Ok the Benz has 1 inch of extra leg room. I am any day willing to sacrifice 1 inch and putting 25000 in the bank and having a better riding, quieter and flawless car than showing th 3 pointed star and coughing up 25k more. rattle( yes the benz rattles far more than the LS 430) Lexus, u finally nailed Benz in their own game.

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  The Best Of 2007 - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By Ron Dixon - July 17 - 11:53 am

  This is my second LS and it is by far the very best. The newly designed body is most striking and the interior is beautiful. The 19 speaker sound system is concert quality and the Park assist feature is truely unique. It is without a doubt the finest car I have ever driven. I cant imagine what the next generation of Lexus will bring, however, Im already looking forward to it. As usual, Lexus has outdone itself again!!

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  Feedback on LS460 - 2009 Lexus LS 460
  By Ranganatha Hemmige - July 16 - 10:40 am

  The LS460 is a superb automobile that cruises beautifully on the road. The ride is very smooth, quite, and the powerful V8 engine just cruises without any drag or hesitation. A feature that is worthy to mention are its safety attributes. We happen to live in Chicago whereby we get our driving challenges due to bad weather. Last week, we were driving in the evening during hazardous driving conditions caused by heavy down pours of rain in certain sections of the driving path, and freezing rain in other parts. The car leveraged the all wheel drive feature, and the handling was just superb.

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  Thats All There Is...No Need For More! - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By JPHB - July 14 - 5:43 pm

  Every advertised benefit, attribute, and quality indicator was present. The LS 430 lives up to its reputation in every respect.

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  This car will not disappoint - 2011 Lexus CT 200H
  By lesha2 - July 14 - 2:45 am

  I love this car. It is a win win all the way. Had to get used to a smaller car as I previously owned an SUV. Got over it pretty fast. Feels very luxurious. Its quiet. It has enough power and is definitely cute.

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  All is good, but GPS sucks. - 2011 Lexus ES 350
  By igorv - July 14 - 1:09 am

  I love this car, this is my second, and will go with it again. One thing I truly despise, which even has been a source of embarrassment for me (in front of my girlfriend with Droid) is Lexus GPS. It is so unreliable, I just gave up on it entirely and now rely on Google Droid Navigation. Which raises a question of why I paid extra 5K or so for Navigation package. Huge, huge embarrassment for Lexus. And touch screen works worse than anything I have experienced ever. You will end up having to press and hold each key in alphabet to enter an address.

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  Lexus: My Dream Machine - 1999 Lexus LS 400
  By sargeusmc57 - July 13 - 8:13 am

  Ive salivating for a Lexus lo these many years, and at last I own one. Used, albeit, but mine you bet. It is a treat just to look at this car. And to sit in it and drive it is a great treat for an auto enthusiast. I have driven just about everything in the American cars, and they can not compare in the slightest with this Lexus LS400. As for performance, it is exceptional - - 0 to 60 as fast as a Corvette. Quick enough for me at age 69. I just love to drive, wash, and polish this car. The look and feel of it are outstanding. On the road it is getting a tad over 25 mpg. I never came near that with any of my Detroit v8s - not one of them. Try one of these used as I did; its great!

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  Love My New GX470 - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By anne - July 12 - 3:10 pm

  I bought my GX470 a month ago, and it meets all my expectations. I have owned 4 other Lexus, all sedans, but I like this model best of all. Plenty of space for my 3 grandchildren, a great entertainment center, and a nice smooth ride all add to our enjoyment. Also, excellent visibility and lots of power under the hood!

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  01 GS300 Fla car - 2001 Lexus GS 300
  By Boca Drew - July 12 - 10:00 am

  After 3 years and 50K,this was the first vehicle (after 10 others) that I have never had one major problem/complaint After owning Audis (3), all had major and multiple problems, 2 Mitsus both had problems, My new 03 Acccccura TL-S, 3 problems already. But this thing is built bullet-proof. owever, I really miss feeling the road when I drive, No this is not a euro ride, it is true Japanese MUSH. But not the finish of a Merc/BMW or even Audi. The outside metal-tin like a corolla. So If you really want a great comfy reliable mushy car get this. I will say for the last 3 years all I want is to feel the road again....