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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  DONT BUY A 2005 MODEL - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By Tamra Parks - January 22 - 7:00 am

  I have the same issues as others with the transmission and it drives me crazy. I complained at the 5,000 mile checkup and the dealership told me, "We know about this common complaint, but you will get used to it." In other words, too bad. My car has 63,000 miles and I have not gotten used to it. So I will never buy another Lexus because of it. This is my second one. Also, the cup holder is so flimsy that it broke and they want $380 to fix it. The quality is equivalent to what you would find in a $10,000 car.

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  Poetry in Motion - 2008 Lexus LS 460
  By aproforyou - January 21 - 9:26 am

  This is my third Lexus. Ive owned a 1996 Lexus coupe, a 2001 LS 430, and now a Lexus LS 460. I believe the 460 is both smooth and powerful. I like the wind tunnel design and the 8 speed transmission. I also drive a 2006 Corvette coupe. This car accelerates with a rush, and the controls are where they were on the LS 430. I like the changes to the navigation system, the bluetooth phone and the hard disk on which to record my music.

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  Talk to People in Ivory Tower - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Audrey Fallowes - January 21 - 4:23 am

  RX 330 is bought by women. Why did they have to make it higher than the 300? Cant hear directional signals when on (safety hazard.) Blind spots on both sides right & left rear. Gas filler hole too high. Map pocket redesigned to be useless. Cant open remote hatchback when car is locked--need 2 hands to silde back trunk cover (has latches). Guidance sys- seeing reverse usless-needs beeper system-300 guid/sys much easer to work. Climate control/blower to powerful at lowest setting/have to look constantly at screen to change settings/remote starter when on-cant unlock car doors.

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  Inferior seating material - 2012 Lexus ES 350
  By Craig Mack - January 20 - 10:14 am

  On a 500 mile road trip you will notice how Lexus cut corners. The pleather armrest irritated my elbow so bad that on the way back from Miami I had to buy a hand towel to cover armrest to keep elbow from hurting. Never had this issue on road trips in my Mercedes or Jaguar!

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  Very good SUV - 2010 Lexus GX 460
  By smgebg - January 19 - 1:33 pm

  Purchased this SUV a few weeks ago. We probably are still breaking in the engine but currently the gas mileage is 13mpg. Outstanding interior and exterior quality. Feels sort of "trucky" with the engine growling to accelerate and reach speed, as well as the ride (bouncy).

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  Blind spots - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By NYC Suburb Driver - January 18 - 8:16 am

  I love everything about this car, except the design of the back creates large blind spots when looking back and to the side. This is confounded by the drivers headrest further visually blocking the small windows between the back and sides of the car. This creates pretty thick spots where you cant easily see what is behind you and to the side.

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  Only for the young at heart - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By Anghang - January 18 - 2:00 am

  The handling on this car is so impressive. I guarantee you a smooth quiet ride even with a 17-inch alloy wheel. I love the interiors! ... no hard wood, nice aluminum pedals, chronograph-style instrumentations and 6-disc CD auto-changer with 8 speakers and 240W power. And the exterior design ... perfect. The first of its kind having white (smoked) lights on both front and rear. Plus the headlamps is high-intensity. Did I mention the fog lamps and the homelink tranceiver and the 8-way adjustable seats in front with 2 driver memory? Guess what, all of those things ... standard! So forget what the oldies like ... This car is for the young at heart.

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  Tight & Good - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By smcfly - January 18 - 2:00 am

  Great driving experience. Feels like youre a pilot locked in for flight - seats, instrumentation, position all put the driver in position to command the car. Intuitive steering and acceleration. Limited slip differential is a must have option.

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  Lexus GX470 - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Rudyard Kipling - January 18 - 2:00 am

  We were coming out of a 2000 BMW 528i, which our family outgrew, so it is quite a change switching to a SUV. Overall it is a solid, comfortable vehicle with a pretty good ride, especially considering its 4-runner roots. Easy to manuever and excellent off-line torque. The interior is a very high quality and finish. It meets our space requirements with all the amenties and while not a 5-series ride or handling, it is comfortable.

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  So Happy! - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Ellie1960 - January 18 - 2:00 am

  Today I brought home my new RX330 and could not be happier! Prior to my purchase, I did a lot of research and compared it to the other SUVs in its class. All arrows pointed to the Lexus. However, the deal maker was the consumer ratings and comments. Ive heard nothing but great things about this SUV. After test driving, I was able to see it for myself. It looks as great as it drives. Not to mention... I feel pretty special in it!