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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  Like flying a magic carpet - 2008 Lexus ES 350
  By magic carpet - November 9 - 3:30 pm

  Have had many vehicles over the years. Never knew that driving could be this enjoyable. Mine is Ultra Premium with 4500 miles. Levinson sound is great. Call it my magic carpet. Black with tan interior sends a chill up my back every time I enter it. Doors close like luxury coach. Could use more aggressive exterior styling. Wish it was AWD but without the floor lump as on GS model. Hope the suspension feels this good in years to come. Slight delay in acceleration when punching gas pedal takes getting used to. But at 55 Im in it for comfort not racing.

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  Impressed so far - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By kfrost - November 9 - 2:00 am

  The person who claimed it is a clone of a BMW and they should have gotten one dont know where you are coming from. If anybody is comparing its performance hp wise its between the 325 and 330. Handling and precision of steering in my opinion equals either one of BMWs and then at 7k less than the 325 theres not really a comparison unless you donating an extra 7k. Also, the people giving 1s after the first day, I dont care what the product when you produce thousands of something with thousands of parts there are going to be problems from time to time. I hope you get taken care of and repost with the service you recieved during this time.

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  Lexus....baby! - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By Altezza - November 9 - 2:00 am

  Great car, and as you can see by the fake lexus owners (probably own a bmw) ratings, the is300 scares them because the handling of this japanese import is near their bimmers quality. Handling is great, those who hate it are just jealous =P

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  The BEST Car Ownership Experience - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By Tech Exec - November 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought another ES 300 after testing many competitive models priced less than $40,000. My first Lexus was flawless and was best in class when I bought it in 1997. The 2003 model delivers performance and quality that define luxury for me. I dreamed of owning a Mercedes; when I could finally afford one, Lexus was the better car. Life is too short to settle for second or third best. Lexus of New Orleans treated me very well, I recommend them without hesitation(honest and fair).

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  Riding in Style - 2006 Lexus RX 330
  By Audreys Lexus - November 7 - 3:43 am

  My Lexus RX330 AWD is everything I wanted in a luxury vehicle. The ride is very comfortable and the interior is roomy, stylish, and appealing. The auto AC is great and I also light the Xenon lights. Definitely worth the money....

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  MY 4th Lexus SUV and the best ever. - 2016 Lexus RX 450h
  By salim Akrabawi MD - November 6 - 4:50 pm

  I bought my first Lexus RX in 2000 and traded it in on a 2006 Lexus RX 400h in May 2005. I drove it till November 2015 when I traded it in on a 2016 gray Lexus RX 350 which was a great vehicle. But it was gray and driving a gray vehicle in gray Indiana was too much. So I traded it in on a red 2016 Lexus RX 450h in early January 2016. The h is definitely more refined and, although I am not an expert, I feel that the CVT transmission is much superior to the 8 speed in the 350. I really do not have any complaints about the 2016 Rx 450h. It is extremely quiet, responsive and safe. The drivers assist technology is superb. And the color is uplifting.

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  GX 470 - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By SBallot - November 4 - 5:13 am

  The 2004 GX 470 is a great vehicle. The handling is great. It is extremely comfortable and you can adjust the ride to make the suspension stiff or much softer for that touring feel. Our GX 470 gets an average of 18+ MPG. It is currently 4 years old and I change the oil every 5000 miles. There has been exactly 0.00 dollars in repair cost. Thats right ZERO. This vehicle is worth every penny I paid for it. It is a Lexus so you have to pay a premium for high quality.

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  I absolutely love my 07 LX470 - 2007 Lexus LX 470
  By Mom of Two - November 4 - 4:43 am

  Ive been wanting to get a Lexus SUV for quite some time. I waited until I was able to find the right price. I also wanted to get the older body type instead of the new 570s, which look a bit odd to me. I absolutely love this car! It has great handling, smooth ride, and a beautiful interior. It came fully loaded and you cant ask for anything more. The only downside is of course the gas mileage. But why would you buy an SUV without knowing that you would be paying a lot for gas. Anyhow, weve taken it to various off road terrains and it handles nice. I would highly recommend this car to any family!

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  Buy it! - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By lawdawg - November 4 - 2:00 am

  What a great car! Add to that the low price, and this car cant be beat.

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  Rolling Luxury - 2002 Lexus SC 430
  By dpb - November 4 - 2:00 am

  This has been an outstanding automobile. The car is fun to drive, comfortable, and has plenty of power. The sound system: incredible! I get more postive comments about this car than I did with the Corvette C-5 I had owned.