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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  HS250 Blinker low sound - 2010 Lexus HS 250H
  By jackieauclair - May 3 - 12:10 pm

  Have had the car for three days and am annoyed that the blinker has hardly any sound. Is this true of other owners? Dealer has said it cant be made louder, yet in our other non hybrid Lexus, it is quite loud. We love the Lexus line and this is our third Lexus. Car does need more storage, but well manage.

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  Excellent SUV - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Brad007 - May 2 - 10:00 pm

  Overall, a great value for a luxury SUV. Excellent styling with generally a smooth ride. Very good acceleration for a midsize SUV. Very comfortable for long road trips. The 3d row of seats comes in handy. We also liked the Acura MDX but preferred the luxury feel of the Lexus.

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  Dream Car - 2006 Lexus SC 430
  By Harry55 - May 1 - 6:36 pm

  Super vehicle. Amazingly quiet even with top down. Acceleration and braking are great, as billed in the literature. A real lux sport coupe on winding roads. A fantastic ride.

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  Attention getting car brings happiness - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By Dimples - May 1 - 2:00 am

  For my 25th wedding anniversary present, my husband asked me if I would like the cute little Lexus as a present. It has been a total joy of a car! Everyone wants to see it, and see the inside, even though it is almost two years old. It has saddle-brown leather inside (a darker color than I have seen any where else), and dark brown tortoise colored wood covering the radio and map area. Still to this day, I get extra attention and waves everywhere I go, while driving around the Pensacola, Florida area. It is smooth handeling, and fun to drive at the same time.

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  One of the best cars on the road - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By engfant - April 29 - 11:33 pm

  Everything about this car is 5 Star quality. Never have a problem with 65K miles. You cannot get a better small sedan than this car. The end.

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  Lexus 400h - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By allan seck - April 29 - 5:03 pm

  Great vehicle. All of the comfort and performance of a gas powered SUV with better mileage and extremely low emissions. May be a bit hard to justify extra price tag but vehicle is great.

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  Not quite worth the money. - 2002 Lexus LX 470
  By Joshua - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Its far to large. No reason for it to be made. Horrible fuel mielage. Not great looking. High price for not such a great vehicle. Horrible engine.... Much to slow, no power at all.

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  Best Luxury Today - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By meekey - April 29 - 10:00 am

  The Lexus LS 430 is hands down the greatest luxury sedan of the year. It surpasses BMW and Mercedes by a huge margin. The interior ergonomics are simple to operate and the enigne rides like silk, even though you can never hear the engine or feel its accleration. The Lexus LS 430 is such a great car. If you are looking for quality, style, comfort, and an overall great car, the Lexus LS 430 is the car for you!

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  Great car but beware... - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Becky K. - April 29 - 10:00 am

  This is our second Lexus. Love the exterior design and interior design as well. Really sharp car. Has all the bells and whistles anyone could need. Somewhat sluggish though on pickup. There is definitely a computer problem with the transmission. Seems to have trouble - at times - deciding what gear it needs to be in. Lexus is aware of problem with the 2002 ES300, but has not been able to come up with a solution as yet.

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  ES2010: Very good so far - 2010 Lexus ES 350
  By KN - April 29 - 6:33 am

  After I owned the vehicle for 5 months, it has 24.5 miles/gl for both city and highway which is very good for 270+hp vehicle. I dont know why people complained about it. I bought this vehicle for #1 safety priority. I hate when drivers follow me too closely when I drove Honda. Now, I can see people keep some distance behind me. I hope the Lexus symbol gives them a second thoughts. My 3 yrs daughter walks freely in the back compare to IS too tight. I gave up fun to drive for safety vehicle. I guess I am too young to drive this vehicle.