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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  Maui cruiser - 2006 Lexus SC 430
  By chrisinmaui - May 9 - 1:23 pm

  Unbelievable ride, grace and class. Run flat tires are silent even with the top down. I have never owned or driven anything like this. Looked at all other options but there is no equal for the money in elegance ride and overall feel. This car is made for running tropical moonlight nights with the top down. Top up it is not recognizable as a convertable. My only wish is gas mileage was a littee better, getting 19mpg @ 2000 on the odometer.

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  Known Defect With RX330 - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By starforce - May 7 - 2:00 am

  I read all the reports on Edmunds and Consumer Reports and was thourghly dissapointed when I bought the car to learn that it has a known defect that Lexus hasnt fixed. When stopping at red lights with the AC on the steering wheel vibrates. The Lexus service and told me that this is a known problem and they couldnt do anything at this time. What I cant believe is that nobody in this group seem to mention it.

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  Great package - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By JTW - May 6 - 3:53 pm

  The car had all the features that many cars are still lacking these days. Only issue was the run-flat tires and optional spider wheels that caused problems following pot-hole hits. Gas mileage has been great and actually improved over time. Still a great looking car with exceptional paint quality.

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  Ill never buy anything other - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By Miboyz2 - May 5 - 7:50 pm

  My first car was a brand new 1987 Toyota Tercel, I kept for 4-5 yrs and I dont recall ever getting a tune up; my second car was a 1992 manual Toyota Paseo. I got 150,000 miles and the only major maintenance done was replacing the stick shift. My boys started getting taller so I looked at trucks. The Land Cruiser was way out of my league, the 4-runner was not economical, and the RAV was about 20,000 & I believe it was only 4-cylinder then. I had experienced the reliability Toyota offered and wouldnt settle for anything else just as long as it was in my budget. I did my research on only certified ES 300 and fell in love with the price and the warranty offered.

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  Misleading Fuel Economy - 2015 Lexus RX 350
  By Mariah Bendr - May 5 - 8:52 am

  I had a 2006 RX 350 for 10 years and absolutely loved it. I wanted to purchase the Volvo SUV but my husband convinced me to stick with Lexus since we had such a great experience previously. Unfortunately this 2015 RX350 is no that great. The navigation is very annoying and takes so long to enter an address, I prefer to use the map app on my iphone so can can just say the address and off I go. I really miss my armrest... I know its something most people dont care about but I like to have an armrest where it meets my elbow. My biggest complaint is the gas economy. Its supposed to range from a minumum of 18 MPG local. It only gets 14 MPG on average!!! which is worse than the V8 Ford Explorer Limited that I had from the 90s. This is a huge gas guzzler - thank goodness the gas prices have gone down. On a positive note, I love the seats, they are very comfortable with beautiful color option of "saddle"... or brown. Its very roomy and looks great. The service from Lexus is also always top notch.

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  2011 ES350 review - 2011 Lexus ES 350
  By garsarno - May 4 - 3:26 pm

  Traded in an Ultra 2007 ES350 on new 2011 ES350. Received $1,000 loyalty rebate, factory rebate of $750, 2.9% / 60 months finance rate plus nice dealer discount and appropriate trade in value for my car. Drives smoother and quieter than my 07. Noticed more bling type trim on the interior. Miss the Mark Levinson sound system but the premium sound system is good. Has navigation system that is a lot more complicated than the 07. Like everything so far on the car as it rolls past the 100 mile mark.

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  AMAZING!!!!! - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By James - May 4 - 9:36 am

  I owned a 98 GS and just got the all new 06. Wow!! What a great car!! The smoothness and quietness and the responsiveness are incredible. I loved my old GS, but this one is light years ahead of my old one. The fuel economy is amazing too...3 0 miles per gallon!!

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  Go ahead, buy one. Dont feel guilty - 2002 Lexus GS 300
  By J. Y. - May 4 - 2:00 am

  What I liked about my Lexus GS300(Platinum edition) is that its simplicity. Every control buttons and gauge is in right place. No fancy, just simple. The car is very nimble and responsive. Although, the car can use some more horsepower but its enough for the city drive. The service is excellent and it shows why they are always ranked top in J.D Power survey. The only problem that I have with GS300 is you watch your head(I got hit numerous times and it really hurts) when you open the car trunk. Its kinda unstable when its not fully opened. Youll know what I mean when you go and open it.

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  Excellent - 2010 Lexus RX 450h
  By Marie - May 4 - 2:00 am

  I finally decided to get a new car and replace my 2005. Wanted to stay in the SUV arena, but really wanted to save on mileage. This one does it! I am averaging 30 mpg and Im not driving differently to effect the mileage. The technology is really fun -- I like the mouse and can work it effortlessly. (I was afraid it wouldnt be natural - it is.) Heads up display is cool. - - I can even see what radio station Im on. This car is not only beautiful but functional too. Im happy.

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  Outstanding Car - 2012 Lexus CT 200H
  By megaman4 - May 3 - 10:28 pm

  We had the car for over two weeks now, what a great vehicle. The gas mileage is outstanding, amazing how little it costs to fill this car up and how far you get on a full tank. Moving form a larger vehicle, it does take some time to get used to. Very responsive steering, good visibility from all angles. It really is a fun car to drive, plenty of space for the front and rear passengers.