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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  The GPS - 2012 Lexus RX 450h
  By willdublin - October 19 - 11:15 pm

  I Rate my Car Excellent in every respect except one . You are not informed whether your destination is approaching on the right or left when you input an address using a Home Computer(eDestination)or you use the Destination Assist feature. This is not only annoying but could be dangerous for obvious reasons.

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  I love my Lexus! - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By luv my lexus - October 19 - 3:30 am

  I bought this car used and have had no problems with it at all. I take my RX 300 in regularly for oil changes and thats about it. I currently have 78k on the car now and hope to drive it for another 100 thousand miles or more! I would recommend this car used over many other brand new makes and models. Although my vehicle is almost 7 years old now, I trust its reliability 100%.

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  Nice Car - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By Ben V - October 19 - 2:00 am

  Excellent car - smooth ride and great pick up and go! This car has style and comfort at a great price. Many options that do not come with a BMW and 10k less.

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  Thrilling !!! - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By Ticket King - October 19 - 2:00 am

  This is the most exciting car that I have ever owned. The cars performance is outstanding. I get compliments where ever I go, especially from young people. I had test driven the BMW 3 series first. Believe me there is no comparison. The BMWs interior is very uncomfortable. The quality of the leather is very rough and hard, and the seats are like sitting on a wooden bench. It doesnt ride as smooth as the IS,nor does it handle as well. I am 53 yrs. old and driving this car makes me feel like 23! ok 33! I guess you can say its like a LARGER form of Viagra.

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  Im in heaven!!! - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By Lexie - October 19 - 2:00 am

  Having purchased my 04 Lexus just over a week now, I think Ive found the perfect vehicle. The interior noise is very quiet, the motor is so quiet I cant always tell when its running, the speakers are outstanding, and all the bells and whistles are almost all automatic and run on their own (windshild wipers, cruise, Navigation Sys., lights, etc.)

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  A Disappointing RX 330 - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Paul in Dallas - October 19 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle as some unusual annoyances for such a luxury brand as Lexus. 1. the central console area very strange. I cannot even find a good place to put my cell phone. 2. The brake pedal makes this bouncing sound, if you release it too quickly. 3. the sun visor is not tight enough when it is dropped down on the driver side window. It would swing over and hit my head sometimes. 4. The biggest annoyance so far is the moonroof. It will make a constant low volume squeaking/twisting noise while the vehicle is moving. The only way muffle the noise is to shut the moonroof interior panel.

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  RX 350 - 2008 Lexus RX 350
  By Toby - October 18 - 1:36 pm

  I owned an RX 330 and traded it for a MB. I traded the MB two months later for the RX 350. It is true, you do not know what you have until its gone. This should be enough said but Ill go on. The RX 350 is the perfect car. The XM/nav/rear camera, etc., work in concert and flawlessly; very easy to operate. Engine power is very adequate with pick up when you need it. Love, love, love this car.

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  Fantastic car, but ... - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By JimB - October 18 - 8:13 am

  Just purchased this car as a replacement for our Honda Odyssey, which we thought was way too large for our family of 4. Fantastic build quality, fantastic engine, nice and high quality interior. The price for the nav is high, but it includes a lot of other goodies such as the HID lights, which are worth the extra expense. The price can exceed $45K quickly, but the RX 350 is one of the better deals out there. Great car for general use, but probably too small for an extended cross-country trip - the trunk and general passenger area are just too small.

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  Could be Better - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Dan from NY - October 18 - 3:06 am

  This is a reliable, quiet vehicle that get fairly good mpg for an suv, but it is not a drivers car. Driver ergonomics and handling characteristics are disappointing. The drivers seat is not deep enough and does not have good thigh support; the pedals could be more vertical - I get tired after extended driving. The steering is too light and is easily influenced by every undulation on the road. The transmission refuses to downshift, especially when youre at 2200-2400 rpm and need to pass or merge. The engine revs up, but the tranny refuses to kick in - Ive had to manually downshift to 3rd gear many times - wost tranny Ive had. The verdict: I think Lexus designed this for my wife.

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  sweetness - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By jonny blaze - October 17 - 10:00 am

  when i test drove this machine,it was a drivers and passengers "car of zen." it had top notch luxary and optional featues which included back seat back massage. sitting in the back seat of this machine made me feel like a king and drving it made me feel like the king of the road.