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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  Underrated - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By Bones - February 23 - 4:20 pm

  Very classy car. Interior is wonderful. Car has every option plus many extras. The sound system is one of the best I have ever heard. Engine is crisp and sharp. This is more for cruising than rip roaring performance. Storage is big enough for golf clubs with top down (perfect) Convertible top is a work of art. Looks like hardtop then wham its open air. Take a test ride before you buy something else.

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  Exciting Car - 2010 Lexus HS 250H
  By Wilma Whitaker - February 22 - 12:10 am

  My first new car was a 1959 Chevy. What a ride in the last 50 years to a Lexus Hybrid. Can you imagine a 72 year old woman with a spoiler? I have never had a car I was this excited about. It is a dream to drive and handles easily. I am excited about saving fuel costs since I went from a 2005 Lexus 330 using premium fuel to this gem. I, too, miss the cubby storage and trunk area in had in my 330, but I have pared down on what I carry, and that is a good thing. I would highly recommend this car to anyone!!!

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  Hard to find a better car - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By GX470_Owner - February 21 - 2:00 am

  Its not quite perfect, but its close. Youll like the ride and handling. Turning radius is much smaller than the RX300. For my taste, too many buttons to push since they use the navigation display for HVAC and Radio. Touch panel for everything is too distracting and inefficient. The back door swings WIDE. I believe the hinge is on the right side for parking lot use, but on the wrong side when street parking. Its tough to find a good place to mount the hand free telephone equipment so that its easy to use yet not block other controls. Headlights work especially well when travelling down dark country roads. High beams really have a long throw.

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  sams car - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By samm - February 21 - 2:00 am

  The Lexus GX is a fabulous SUV. The ride is exceedingly smooth and comfortable. The interior is beautifully designed. Everything, including a lot of cup holders, are where one would want things placed on the interior. The side opening back door is heaven sent for easy access to the cargo area. No more struggling to lift up heavy doors. The third row of seats are incredibly smooth and easy to put up and down. This is a great family car while treating the driver to a lot more driving fun than most SUVs will ever offer. And the new dark blue color that the GX is offered in, is a real head turner!

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  Superb overall car - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By JJS - February 20 - 7:26 am

  Pluses: Great acceleration (noticeably quicker than my old RX 300). Superb FM sound (with the optional Marc Levinson system). Powered rear lift gate is very handy. Minuses: So-so fuel economy; again its better than my old Lexus, but this in NOT the car you want if youre looking for exceptional mileage. Im getting about 24 MPG, but I drive with a lead foot. Overall, a superb car. (Based on 3 months and about 3000 miles).

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  In good taste. - 2015 Lexus RX 350
  By JAMES IRELAND JR - February 20 - 2:55 am

  You get what you pay for. This is a luxury vehicle that is worthy of its reputation.

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  1995 LS 400 (UCF20 chassis) - 1995 Lexus LS 400
  By BC - February 19 - 7:33 pm

  This is one of the best engineered and built cars on the road. I have 250,000 trouble free miles on my LS 400 with original engine/tranny. The engine and tranny combo are a true "match made in heaven" - both are stunningly quiet and smooth almost to the point of being nonexistent. Accelerating conservatively in the city returns 20mpg and expect north of 26mpg on the freeway. Testing the 4.0 frequently returns 16+ mpg. The reason I scored the LS so low in the comfort level is because of the seat design and lack of head and legroom, but I am 64. Overall, I give my LS 400 an A- rating. I definitely plan on buying another. Excellent work Lexus!!!

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  Absolute Perfection - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By buckeye30 - February 19 - 6:38 pm

  After I paid of the student loans, I wanted to treat myself with something very special. Though some people called me an old man for choosing LS-430, I didnt care, and WOW. I am mean WOW. This car exceeds all my high engineering expectations, and redefines the definitions of luxury, reliability, fit & finish, and high quality. I dont even know where to start from, but all I can say I am very lucky to be owner of such a magnificent car. It is truly an engineering masterpiece. It takes awhile to understand what a special car it is, and after driving it for some time, you forget how special it is until you drive other cars, or people compliment you.

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  My First car... - 2000 Lexus ES 300
  By alexbob - February 19 - 5:31 am

  I was going to match my parents on a car for my birthday and my options were an 06 GP, 01 Maxima, and an ES300 Platinum Series. I could not be happier to go with the Lexus, this car is amazing. I got a 35% tint for all my windows and everywhere I go I get compliments on how great the car looks. No wonder Toyota has the reputation it does. Cabin is whisper quiet, great sound system, ride is smooth, and interior just feels cozy. My only complaint is that the garage door opener does not work with newer garage remotes (new ones use an alternating code while the remote in the Lexus is made for a single code).

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  Great expectations - 2017 Lexus ES 350
  By shubert - February 18 - 9:51 pm

  just bought the car. Great deal. Great technology. Expecting great performance over the coming years. Three time Lexus owner.