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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  Saved my life - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By Carolyn - February 4 - 7:43 pm

  Over all a good vehicle Saved my life Had an accident and all personnel at scene said I should have been dead. I rolled down a 20 foot embankment and took out 25 feet of concrete fence. I broke a finger nail and have bruises and a deep laceration on my right arm. A large animal ran out in front of me at night on a rural road. Instead of hitting it I swerved.

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  SC 430 Lexus - 2007 Lexus SC 430
  By Jim Green - February 4 - 4:23 am

  Great car!I am very happy with features and quality of this car. Keep up the quality.

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  Awesome car - 2002 Lexus SC 430
  By Mike111 - February 3 - 10:00 am

  All I can say is awesome. What a fun car to drive. I have only had it a few days, but I absolutely love it! A little more room in the back seat would be the only thing I would change..

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  A Reliable SUV That Could Have Been - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By UKFan4Sure! - January 31 - 7:46 pm

  Wow! That was my first impression driving this beauty after having two Jeep Grand Cherokees before this. It is smooth and quiet with seamless acceleration that seems adequate but not stellar. Its body lines are magnificent and its interior is well appointed and very well crafted. It has 94K miles on it now and if I didnt tell you that, I could fool you into believing it had 20K. No joke. It does have some unexcusable shortcomings, though. Something you dont expect out of Toyota. I will list those below.

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  2013 moves ahead in design - 2013 Lexus RX 350
  By bob446 - January 31 - 4:55 pm

  I traded for a 2013 as I really like the exterior styling changes and the new claret mica color. It reminds me of looking through a sparkling glass of California pinot noir. The interior is still as comfortable as the 2010-2012 versions, and the cabin is still as quiet. No change to the powertrain means the same peppy performance and smooth shifting A/T.

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  Great Car but no Bike Hitch fits - 2015 Lexus CT 200H
  By jtsport - January 31 - 2:24 pm

  Ive had my 2015 Lexus CT200h Fsport for 3 months and absolutely love it. The car and dealership were great. WARNING: I was told that I could purchase a bike rack hitch (the car is too little to pull anything) so I purchased the car and now find that no where is there a bike hitch that fits it. I just want to help anyone thinking of buying this car NOT to expect to be able to use it to haul their bikes. I tried UHAUL, Lexus parts and Lexus Customer Service for U.S. Im hoping if they get enough requests theyll make the bike hitch so we can buy it!!!!

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  AWESOME!!! - 1998 Lexus GS 300
  By Cesg12290 - January 31 - 10:00 am

  This car is absolutely awesome and I will recommend this car to anyone, especially if they have a different car because when they try this car for atleast a day they will stay with it.....TRUST ME!!!!

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  Great Car - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By Julie Davis - January 31 - 10:00 am

  Rides very well.Convertable top is a joy to operate. looks and drives great

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  happiness on wheels - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By denise - January 29 - 3:50 pm

  The car handles great on highways and around town. The car is amazing its new design is so fine. This car is always causing a commotion wherever I go. The car is the best driving experience that I ever had! It is good to look at and makes you feel young, this is a happier ever after experience.

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  2001 lexusrx300 is great! - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By MarkSZ - January 29 - 10:00 am

  Awesome! This is the best car I have ever owned or driven. It beats the American competitors hand down.