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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  IIt capped off the 4 Runner - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By SilverGX - March 13 - 3:16 pm

  Have a 05 4 Runner Ltd. The GX takes that platform and tops it off. They may have the same meat but you can certainly tell the difference and to me worth the price. If a Bells and whistle person you got to give the vehicle a look. soft leather, power steering wheel, 14 speaker Audio, better overall interior. Nav system thought it was high well once have one they are neat. Nice wood accents.

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  the car for people who want their car to work - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Clifford Hersh - March 13 - 7:30 am

  I tested many crossovers. Lexus has the most comfortable seats, quietest ride. Dont get sports wheels; its not a sports car. Ride better without them. Get the seats that dont get hot in the sun; best invention ever (except antibiotics and vaccines). Get third party car play and skip any built in software. Google and Apple are better. According to my research, it is the car least likely to be in the shop during your lease.

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  Lexus Fan for Life - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By hmntafiel - March 12 - 2:23 pm

  Not only does it have an attractive body style, but it is lots of fun to drive! The handling is GREAT around those curves--smooth and very responsive. I traded in a Celica for this baby and am not sorry I did. The interior is stylish and comfortable, with a sporty-feel, and attractive instrument panel/gauges. The E-shift option comes in handy when you want to have a little more control over the gears. Gas mileage is also pretty good. Lexus has once again produced another excellent quality car. I love this car. Lexus has definitely won me over as a customer for life!

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  Drive it, youll love it - 1998 Lexus ES 300
  By RDL2AEL - March 12 - 10:00 am

  Drive it,youll love it! The quietness, the smoothness, the reliability, the 6 CDs in the glove box I would buy another one.

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  Nice car but.. - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Ole John - March 12 - 10:00 am

  Well it has a nice ride & is quiet. Nice features. It is a little under powered, but I expected that. Many have complained about instability of the transmission - but it is my understanding that the ES300 has fly-by- wire control, & have experienced "shuttering" to different degrees - from the feeling that your on a bumpy road, to a low frequeny shutter after coming down a hill & getting ready to go up another. This is a classic unstable servo system - something that the engineers should have solved long ago. BTW, the transmission isnt all that great either. Should be a lot better for a 35k car made by Toyota.

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  cool suv for females - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By shiny s varghese - March 12 - 10:00 am

  before i bought the rx 300 i drove the bmw x5 and acura mdx, they both had very bumpy ride and truck type.

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  my 1st SUV - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By jed / david - March 11 - 7:43 pm

  Great ride, good looks, good gas millage with regular gas, and plenty of room for my 3 kids.

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  2006 Lexus GS-300AWD - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By HJ Grand - March 7 - 10:50 am

  This is one outstandingly built automobile. The overall quality, fit, finish and ride are wonderful. Acceleration is certainly more than adequate, and the gas milage has been a nice surprise at about 26mpg. Handles extremely well. Everything works as it should, and not a rattle or squeak to be found. It simply does not get much better than this car!

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  BEST car Ive ever owned - 1997 Lexus ES 300
  By Lexus Guy - March 5 - 2:00 am

  I love this car, is gorgeous, springs to live whenver you touch the gas, and has the smoothest ride Ive ever experienced (compared to Audi, BMW, Merc, etc.). Ive NEVER had a problem with it reliability wise.

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  Exactly what I wanted. - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By JBusy - March 5 - 2:00 am

  Not as tight as a BMW, but thats not the kind of car I wanted. Having owned Lexus before, a few amenities are missing that I would have liked (programmed seats, arm rest) but I definitely live without and am happy. 15 months after the purchase and Im amazed how much I like the car. Definitely a cross between a sports car and a luxury car,