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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  My first lexus - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By eugene fishman - June 22 - 1:16 pm

  I have driven this car for only a few days now, having driven a BMW for several years previously. The Lexus is not only more comfortable and quiet but seems more powerful and handles as well. My gas mileage is actually better than listed. The best car Ive ever driven.`

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  Wind noise - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By newls460owner - June 21 - 8:36 am

  Purchased a 2007 LS460L last week with 13,000 miles. Bought it online from out of town dealer. My first Lexus. Beautiful in most all aspects except for noticeable wind noise at highway speeds. For a car company with Lexus reputation, I found this disturbing. The local dealership was very aware of the problem, replaced both front windows and "reseated" the rear view mirrors. Now I hear wind noise only when I drive at 100+ mph. Seriously. (Yes, I know I shouldnt drive that fast, but how do you otherwise pass someone whos only doing 85?) In any event, the problem was solved, I am very pleased and cannot keep the smile off my face when behind the wheel of this luxurious beauty.

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  These are really great cars.. - 2006 Lexus GX 470
  By Jeremy Foster - June 20 - 3:01 pm

  Weve owned these as the Toyota Landcruiser Prado and they are awesome. A little thirsty with the 4.7Litre V8 but amazingly capable having taken one off road from Abu Dhabi in the UAE all the way to Salallah in the south of Oman.

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  Lexus GX 470 - 2006 Lexus GX 470
  By banneheim - June 19 - 10:10 am

  Just bought the car. What a machine! Great to drive, pure luxury. It is wonderful to drive around in such a great SUV and watch all the people stare and look. My wife and I are now spoiled. We can never move away from a Lexus.

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  Excellent, Excellent, Excellent car to own! - 1997 Lexus ES 300
  By vijay - June 18 - 5:22 pm

  Mine is Canadian car that I purchased in year 2006 with ODO reading at 210K. Current reading is 345K. Excellent, excellent, excellent car. I have used it over longer distances non-stop, nearly 1000 miles, as well as daily city use without any issue. The car is so smooth and reliable that I dont ever wish to leave it. Now it is my sons car and he is equally happy with it. It will stay in our family until it dies, we will not sell it. Issues and solutions till date are as follows: 1. Radio LCD display (faded); bought the part and replaced it myself (easy fix). 2. Serpentine belt changed at 215K. 3. Time belt and water pump changed at 310K. 4. Brakes, rotors and emergency brake at 315K. 5. The car trunk stopped responding to the remote or the internal button in the cabin. Sprayed WD40 through keyhole on the trunk, and in a few minutes the issue was resolved. 6. Rattling sound. Found rusty lose covers under the fuel tank and catalytic converter/exhaust pipe area. Got them removed. 7. Front shockers sound. Sprayed WD-40 at top of both shockers, sound gone. 8. Front leather seat stitch opened up while the leather was still in very good shape. Found a $17 leather patch being sold on Amazon. Applied this leather patch over the stitched area, and the seat is looking fantastic, and the ugly look of the opened stitch is gone. 9. Transmission shifting issues, which started after a transmission oil change. Put in a bottle of Lucas and continued to use the car with problems. Though the transmission will die eventually, however it recovered in about a months time, and has been running smooth ever since. This issue happened at about 230K odometer reading. 10. some sound starting to come from the rear wheels at about 340K occasionally. On my own inspection, I found that dust cover plates behind the rear disc brakes were completely rusted, rotten and hanging loose. My car mechanic removed them completely and I have no intention to put new ones back on. That sound is gone now. All the issues above were so minor, and mostly I was able to find a solution and fix it on my own. Besides above, the only other issue was that at about 280K the rear valve cover started a minor leak. I do not intend to fix it as I know mechanics will open the engine and create more issues (I will run this car as long as the engine and transmission work). The car has developed rust on both sides of the rear wheels, as well as the clear top is peeling on the front drivers side too. The paint all over the rest of the cars body still is shiny new. I had it fixed for $900 (kind of new metal on the rusted area and nearly the whole car painted except the rooftop). After few days of painting, did apply "NuFinish" coat and it is mirror shining the black paint. Great car to own, drive and maintain.

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  What an SUV should be - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By Ken - June 18 - 4:46 pm

  An older design that has held up very well. Light on certain features vs newer competition but so well executed it doesnt matter. Ive owned too many SUVs and was let down by their quality and resale value. Finally, I looked for the best 50K-60K SUV out there and worked backwards from the resale figures. What I found was a capable and incredibly reliable SUV. Stout mechanicals covered with Lexus jewelry. I have no complaints and my wish list isnt really valid... what I wish for generally wasnt allowed for in the design years ago. One thing amazes me though, the HP & torque figures are pretty lame considering the weight (235/320 & 4900+), Toyota somehow makes it feel much stronger.

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  SC430 thoughts & wishlist - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By oeo - June 18 - 10:00 am

  Overall I no-longer consider the SC430 a sports car. It is a very fine, very reliable, high quality, innovative, high value SPORTY car. It is not a sports car like a Porsche, etc.

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  Simple Pleasure - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By KiehiKen - June 18 - 10:00 am

  Purchased for daily commute of 120 miles. Comfortable, quiet, a true pleasure to sit in and drive. Love the Mark Levinson sound system and the GPS Nav system. Puts the enjoyment back in road trips.

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  Excellent! - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By opbjr - June 16 - 3:13 pm

  Lexus has designed the perfect car. It looks great, it is fast, it is well equipped and it is economical to operate! I loved it the first time I drove it and could not believe the great acceleration from a V6. I had planned to get a V8, but after driving the V6 I was sold. The cockpit is awesome and wraps you in leather with great instrumentation. The dual AC controls are nice and work mch better than my E500 that I traded in! The quality and fit of the vehicle are awesome and rival a Bently that I recently drove!

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  Great Car - 2007 Lexus RX 400H
  By Dan - June 13 - 10:56 am

  I test drove the Acura MDX and went with the Lexus, and have been extremely happy. I am getting about 25-27 mpg depending on how aggressively I drive, which is pretty good compared to other SUVs. The ride is extremely smooth and quiet, and the car has an extra kick when you need to pass up a hill, even with a full car. No real gripes at all.