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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  Davids RX 330 Review - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By David Jaffe - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I love this car because the beautiful extirior and luxurious interior designs. The Lexus RX 330 has the best comfort and sport and utility of any car Ive seen. It puts the L in LUV for luxury or Lexus.

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  Great tweener SUV - 2016 Lexus NX 200t
  By Happy with NX - December 17 - 9:29 am

  Was looking for an SUV bigger than an Audi Q3 or Mercedes GLA but not too big. Was looking at an Audi Q5, but since a new model is coming out soon, wanted to find a more current model. Happened to look at this Lexus. Im a boomer and havent been too keen on the nose of the most current Lexus models, but on the NX, its not too big and in black or grey its not so in your face. We decided to take it for a test drive and we were so impressed by the comfort and ride. Acceleration is good. Not the best in the segment, but good enough for getting on and off of highways and passing. Unless you have a need to race, this turbo 4 is more than adequate. The car ride is solid, like a bigger SUV but handling is good like a smaller SUV. I like that the steering is not overpowered and there is some road feel to it. The front seat is amazing. Its like getting a hug every time you get inside. Lexus makes getting in and out easy by automatically moving the seat back and steering wheel up when you exit the car and returning them to position when you buckle your belt or start the car. Rear seat legroom is excellent. Some complain about the AC controls being up high, but I find this position makes it easy to locate the buttons by not having to look down on the console. The touch pad gets a lot of complaints, but really, once you get things set up, you dont need it a whole lot. I use voice commands for navigation and phone calls. Radio presets make it easy to use the up and down buttons on the steering wheel to change channels. Storage is a bit on the smaller side with the rear seats up due to the angle of the rear hatch door. I actually like this because it makes it easier to open the rear hatch in a smaller garage space. I bought my high school daughter an old ML320 which has an upright hatch. Her SUV is 10 inches shorter, but she cannot open her hatch with the garage door shut because it swings out so far. In fact, I traded spaces with her so that we can both open out hatches with the garage door shut. All said, Im really happy the the NX. Its exactly what I wanted - an SUV that rides more like a car than a truck, has decent acceleration, fits in my garage.

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  GS300 SportDesign - 2003 Lexus GS 300
  By Craig - December 15 - 3:36 pm

  Traded in a 95 LS400 which had 173000 miles and still going strong. The GS300 car handles as good as my 91 corvette without the harsh ride. It is firmer than the LS400 but not harsh. The inline 6 cylinder is smooth as silk. Took a long trip and got 26.5 MPG; in 5th gear at 70mph it is turning 2800 RPM,which seems high for overdrive (compared to 2200RPM on the LS400). This car is an excellent blend of performance and luxury. The brakes are much more responsive than I am used to, but really prefer that. You must drive one of these, very impressive!

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  Happy Husband - 2008 Lexus RX 350
  By Marke - December 14 - 12:53 pm

  This is what my wife wanted and it has exceeded her expectations. From my perspective, the RX 350 is boring but dependable and it holds its value. Only one issue, the leather seats are not well made and your clothing colors may darken the seats. The dealer claims " the seats are so soft, thats why they are absorbing the color". That is "bunk". We have a bamboo Pearl exterior with tan leather - clothing fabric should not be absorbed into the seats--be careful. Nothing compares to my LS,but my wife loves the car. And its all about her.

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  Lexus GX 470 - 2007 Lexus GX 470
  By Thedon3 - December 13 - 8:53 pm

  This is my 2nd GX. This SUV gives the driver great command of the road, with all the bells and whistles. The GX drives very smooth, brakes are great as well as all the safety features.

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  Only car I am keeping after paying it off. - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By ty1753 - December 13 - 7:47 am

  I have had several makes and models of other automobiles but my GS300 is the one I have loved the most. I get 30-34 miles per gallon on the road which is awesome. Since the gas prices have gone up Ive used regular gas for the last year with absolutely no maintenance problems. This is the first year that I did a beautiful red/cayenne color. I have always done a beige or white/neutral color. It does turn heads and is a people pleaser creating a lot of comments. I have had an accident with a deer and only the grille was damaged. It never affected the engine. I feel extremely safe in this car.

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  Great all around suv. - 2015 Lexus RX 350
  By Randy Surendra - December 12 - 10:42 am

  This is a great all around mid sized suv. Its very comfortable. visibility is great all around. parking sensors provides extra aid in parking in tight spots. There is more than sufficient amount of space for 4 adults. The cargo area is large. Gas mileage is reasonable for its class. Power is also reasonable for its class. Snow and ice handling is excellent even with all season tires. Very comfortable and relaxing on long trips. Drove it to Las Vegas last summer, it proved to be an excellent long trip suv. With 8500 miles driven, has not been to the dealer for any type of repairs or adjustments. Excellent fit and finish.

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  Magic Carpet Ride....Yes - 2008 Lexus LS 460
  By Tom - December 12 - 4:33 am

  This is my 5th Lexus 400 series. The 08 is far and away the best of the best. Very smoothe ride like all my Lexus have been. But, this one is the most quiet of them all.

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  Bay Area Commuter - 2010 Lexus RX 450h
  By Michael - December 11 - 9:53 am

  Commute 160 miles a day and make on average 27.5 mpg hanging with traffic, 29 mpg set on 65, and and 33 mpg on the 101 from San Jose to L.A. north or south. 2 others in my car pool sleep to and from work, all pay $10 each so virtually no gas bill...one has had back surgery and claims seat is the most supportive comfortable seat he has ever sat in...fantastic sound with the model just below Mark Levinson...usually keep the radio off and marvel at how quiet and relaxing the drive is. Power when you need it...stays in electric only babying the gas up to 45 mpg...26mpg in and around Carmel, Gilroy, Tahoe.

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  Luxury and 4WD Performance! - 2006 Lexus GX 470
  By Rockiedave - December 9 - 6:43 pm

  We purchased our GX 470 a couple of months ago. We were initially impressed with the luxurious interior and strong, powerful engine. However, after 2 large snowstorms here in Colorado, I must admit that I am wowed by the performance in the snow. Keeping in mind that our first snow was over 24", we were temporarily stuck on our street. However, I threw the SUV into low range 4WD and off we went! It made my wife feel so comfortable about being able to effortlessly move through almost any situation. The height- adjustable suspension also came in handy during the storms as well. Throw in the Lexus reliability and youve got a real winner with the GX 470!