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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  Nice Ride - 2015 Lexus ES 350
  By sfs - July 31 - 3:56 am

  Would prefer a DIGITAL clock - clock is hard to see. Center console is a bit crowded & not useful - no space for sunglasses. Overhead interior lighting is cheap looking - "spot" lights would look more refined. Does not have blind-spot monitor - really wanted that. Just, a glorified TOYOTA

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  LS and more - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By lexx2 - July 30 - 10:26 am

  The LS 430 was a step up from my ES 300. The features are abundant, yet fade away fairly quickly. The car is quiet and extremely comfortable. The front seat gives the feeling of driving a smaller car, but the rear seat passengers have all the room anyone could want. I enjoy the nav system and the Mark Levinson stereo is fantastic. Suprisingly, the car handles extremely well in the snow and slop of a Cleveland winter. The VSC and "snow" button do make a difference in the handling and performance. The gas mileage is something I should have paid a bit more attention to. I get about 17 - 19 in the city and 24 on the highway. My twin engine boat came a close 2nd in fuel burn!

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  Dependable, But Front Panel Rattle Issue - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By Geenz - July 27 - 12:03 pm

  While my Lexus 2006 GS 300 AWD is very reliable, I do have an issue with it. The radio console and front dashboard panel on occasion will have rattling issues. Extremely annoying when the rattle starts. I cant understand why Lexus would put in a radio console that has multiple plastic part assembly in the radio panel, and poor padding in the front dashboard panel. Very poor radio/console design. They missed this in there quality control. Ive brought my car in to the dealer twice, theyve resolved most rattles in the front dashboard panel area, but not the radio console front panel. For a higher end luxury car, this is unacceptable.

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  Nice car overall - 2010 Lexus HS 250H
  By gblakeley - July 26 - 9:53 am

  Went to buy a Prius, wife said no way would not drive an egg. Weve had the car for about 9 months, bought used (demo) with 18k miles. Have about 28k miles. Very nice car, but the into gas miles are not close to want Lexus states. On flat surface drive it might get 30 to 31 miles. With slight hills in area around 25 mpg. On the freeway at 60-62 mph will get over 40 mpg!! But bought the car mainly for in town driving. Wife does not like to drive because she cant see front end because of the way the hood is shaped :]. I have no problem. Seats a a little narrow for those of us over 230 lbs.

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  a "sure thing" / "safe bet" - 2003 Lexus GS 300
  By jersey owner - July 21 - 2:00 am

  I found that the car tends to get really boring really quickly. The steering feel is isolated from the road, and acceleration is VERY poor at low speeds. After about 30mph though, the car has some decent pickup. There is alot of lightweight material in the dash, the moonroof cover is loose and rattles at high speeds. There is alot more wind noise on the highway than i would have expected. For a blah 6 cylander engine, fuel economy on this car is pretty disappointing. Especially for a Toyota product. Lastly, with the standard issue tires, this car is utterly useless in the rain. Im going to replace them soon.

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  This is a Great Car - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By Carol McMillan - July 21 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car when it first came out. Felt like a rock star riding around in it for the first three months. Everyone wanted to see it. They loved seeing how the hard top retracted in 39 seconds. I have no complaints. I still have the run flat tires. Its a slightly bumpy ride but no more than my old Porsche & it gives me more trunk space. Its a sports car thats completely reliable -- a miracle in our time. Its fast enough. Love the sound system and the navigation system. If I get a new car it will probably be a newer version of the SC430

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  Lexus is Quality - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Grover6 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Purchased this SUV mainly for travel comfort and storage capacity. Definitely very comfortable for traveling. For the first time a 12-hour drive was enjoyable. Both drivers and front passenger seats can be positioned so anyone can find the right adjustment for comfort. The rear seating can be folded down easily for extra space. Only wish we had included the navigation and heated front seat options.

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  almost great - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By ronhawk62 - July 20 - 10:00 am

  My ES300 has been a joy most of the time. It is very quite and drives and handles well.The transmission seems to be on another wave length, always about a second or two of indecision and then shifting down with a bit of roughness that doesnt fit this or any car in the 21st century.Other than the transmission thecar has exceded my expectations.

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  Best car - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By berticus23 - July 13 - 10:00 am

  Its no M3, but thats only because it doesnt have the horsepower. My father likes it better than his 3-series. In its defense, however, I dont drive it on a racetrack, so when do I ever need 300+ HP?

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  Best Luxury Car Value - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By Scott - July 9 - 3:16 pm

  Doing my homework paid off. I wanted the best luxury vehicle for the money and I found it with the LS 430. Smooth, powerful, quiet and comfortable are all great words to describe this car. Sitting at a stop light, you wont know the engine is running. At 70+ mph, the LS 430 glides down the highway. For my money, there is no option. Lexus clearly makes the best full size luxury sedan.