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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  Closest thing to a motorcycle no wind - 2008 Lexus IS F
  By OD - June 20 - 8:53 am

  Very tightly built 4 door sports car. Amazing engine sound over 4000 RPM. Very strong engine performance at high RPM. Very smooth gearbox at normal driving. 1500 RPM at 60 MPH. Fun to use puddles usable even in D and amazingly effective 8 gear shifting. Extreme snappy in M. Drifts easily and naturally without special effort even with VDIM on. Hard to use navigation with Mark Levinson sounding poor compared to Bose and navigation on M45 on Infiniti. Very good seats including passenger. Rear OK, but only accommodate 4. Ride is VERY tight bordering on harsh so not for use on rough roads. 15 MPG city, 20 MPG light foot hwy.

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  Lexus RX 330 - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By jstone - June 15 - 12:10 am

  Have had too many repairs. Radiator, crankshaft pulley, noise around the air conditioner line, all had to be repaired. I thought a Lexus would run forever with no problems if properly maintained. Very disappointed in this. Visibility is somewhat limited because of design. Disappointed and thinking about looking for something else. I thought this would be a car to last me 20 years.

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  Wonderful piece of machinery - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By Richard - June 14 - 11:16 am

  Had 2004 RX 330... Have MB Mclass 350, and 1998 MB 300 Turbodiesel. The 2010 RX is put together with meticulous craftsmanship.. everything fits perfectly, not one complaint in the first 1000 miles. Shocks are a little stiff with somewhat bumpy ride on New York City streets... but on smooth highway fantastic. Nav is very sophisticated... no lag in signal pickup. Excellent Bluetooth. Disconcerting small digital clock not in direct sight, and gets lost in sunlight. Very easy fold down rear seats. Steering is precise... could not spin Bridgestones (235-60/18) on wet road... have to see traction on snow Dash clear and concise, Nav screen clear and sharp. Fog light indicator light good addition.

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  Just about the best! - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By HansMom - June 9 - 10:36 pm

  We bought this car used and have been extremely pleased. It is the perfect size, perfect height for getting in and out of, and handles beautifully in winter driving. We have had very few maintenance issues, though have put a little money into repairs. Our complaints: no shoulder strap for middle rear position, front seats dont adjust quite enough so that the seat is too flat for us, sometimes hesitant at fast accelerations... but one learns to drive it as is. Great car for nearly anyone, though you do find yourself at the gas pump fairly often! I would prefer this car as is over most newer makes and models. Visibility is better than with the newer RX 330.

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  Attention Grabber - 2014 Lexus CT 200H
  By John Sholty - June 8 - 7:29 pm

  Bought this car at end of 2014 inventory year and at True Car "Good Price" recommendation. This car is and F Sport Premium trim level but now, 6.5 months into 2016 Private party resale is a measly $24,000.00. That is almost $23,000 off our purchase price. NOT HAPPY!! Aside from that, this car is a great city car and very good road trip car. Turning radius is so good that I can almost turn around on a two lane road. Lots of room in the garage too. Acceleration is poor but adequate and we have averaged almost 43 mpg over our 27,000 miles. Not bad. Cargo space even with the back seats folded flat is not adequate for road trips but we managed two trips to Florida jammed tightly with two Shi Tzus and luggage in spite of that. Difficult. Car gets lots of compliments, most often from some kid on a skate board but just the same. I can almost wash the entire roof from one side because the car is so low but it gets lost easily in the parking lot because it can hide behind something as small as a Volkswagen Rabbit. We have learned to make sure to remember what row it is parked in. Except for anticipating taking a beating when selling or trading, we give the car a "B" mostly for good looks and economy.

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  RX 330 - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Pittsburgh George - June 7 - 3:13 am

  This is the most over rated vehicle in America. Soft ride with poor road feel, underpowered, overpriced. Seats too soft. Cargo space limited. Not worth high 40s with all the toys. Cost of operation not that cheap as oil change and tire rotation is $125 every 5000 miles.

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  Rides Like Butter - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By Masimo1 - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I love my new Lexus ES330. I am impressed with the ride, the amenitites and detail. The recomendations for improvement would make this beautiful vehicle perfect!

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  Mixed Emotions - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By gelkin - May 31 - 12:00 am

  This is my second Lexus, previously owned GS 430, but my 4th SUV. Overall a nice vehice but I do have some gripes. The driving position is not to my liking. It seems like Lexus took the undersized arm rests from the Sequoia and put them in the GX. There is literally no position I can put the armrest in and be comfortable. The ride is just OK, even with the suspension set to the softest setting its jarring around town. Constantly being in 4wd leads to some interesting noises at highway speeds over 65mph and when parking in a tight spot. Fuel economy... never seen 17mph. The barn door is a major pain when the wind blows. Id like to see a traditional "liftgate" type of door.

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  Yup, the Tranny - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By Stickday - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I came to this site today to see if I was nuts, or this tranny stinks. Lex says,"Operating as Designed". I say if not dangerous, RIDICULOUS. The additional power added this year was nice, but makes it worse. I will not ruin my wifes dream world by bashing her car to her, but I drive us around on the weekend, and it feels BROKEN until I get it to the freeway and CRUISE ... That is its charm. Thanks for confirming my aggrevations people!

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  Lexus RX 400 H - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Tony Teo - May 24 - 10:33 pm

  The fuel economy was better in the city type driving. On highways, the gas mileage was disappointing.(The regular ones were better). The engine was noisier when pushed. It is excellent on gas mileage when driven gently i suburb type driving when driven at average speed of 35 to 40 mph. The a/c was just sufficiently cool but could be better on hot days.