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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  Lexus GX 470 - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By Lori London - August 6 - 6:43 pm

  Great ride. Many comfort levels. Perfect size for single business person. CD player is diasspointing in the performance and design.

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  Best RX Yet - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By Lexus Fan - August 4 - 11:40 am

  This is my 3rd RX, and definitely the best yet. I loved my RX300 but hated my 2008 RX350, what a disappointment it was and I am so glad to be rid of it. This car is an absolute dream to drive, and is beautiful inside and out. I dont understand all the negative reviews, totally undeserving. The ride is so smooth, and this model is 10 times quieter than my 2008. It feels much more substantial and the cabin is more luxurious. No complaints at all. I actually like the new center console it gives the interior a more wrap around feel. Who wants all those power adapters visible anyway? Im glad they are out of sight. I love this vehicle, great quality. Good job Lexus.

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  Incredible Car - 1999 Lexus LX 470
  By SDBolts - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Recently purchased this vehicle used and I absolutely Love the car. The style and condition was excellent. Extremely smooth ride-expecially with the height control. If you Love gadgets, this vehicle has it. Of course the fuel economy is going to be bad-its a V8 engine and a lot of car. Every LX 470 owner knows this prior to purchasing this car.

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  Lexus Persuit of Perfection. - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By Les Beggs - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this car for 3 years and have about 54,000 miles on it. One thing that continues to impress me is the integrity of this car. It is as solid and quiet as the day I first got it. I have not had one service issue in three years, (Lexus did ask me to bring it in so they could re-program the navigation system and upgrade it to their existing service level, they gave me a full tank of gas and sent me a check for $50.00 for my trouble). The fit & finish are the best I have ever seen. The ergomomics are outstanding, every control & feature make sense and is easy to use. This might not be a perfect car but it is the closest thing I have run across.

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  Never too late - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By Chris - August 3 - 11:03 am

  Received this beautiful little red car for my 65th birthday. I fell in love just looking at her but when I took her out for a drive... that was it. Had a Corvette when I was in my 30s and this car far surpasses it in feel, looks and fun to drive! I feel like Ive gained 20 years back. Never too late to have fun on the road.

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  IS300 - best in class - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By houstonlex - August 3 - 10:00 am

  This car has been excellent. It has terrific reliability, superb handling, plenty of power and is extremely fun to drive. The transmision is excellent and is matched well with a smooth powerful inline 6 engine

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  What a Car!!! - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By RMIKE - August 3 - 10:00 am

  Great fun. Cant believe the cars gadgets and wonderful ride.

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  Important read if shopping or analyzing reviews... - 2016 Lexus ES 350
  By Brandon - August 3 - 4:43 am

  I have a 2016 ES ultra luxury, and have had a 2008 in the past. The ES is a terrific car for real world use, it will out-handle what most will ever throw at it. Its not a car for a track..but neither really is a C class or 3 or 5 series BMW that Ive owned, and they were in no way as serene nor exciting (except when the warranty runs out, or you deal with condescending service departments). The Lexus ES is as luxurious and reliable as you can find anywhere close to its price range, has a unique feel of quality and thoughtfulness that cant be checked off on a checklist when shopping, you have to own it to notice it. Is it sporty? No. Theres not much luxurious about feeling the road unless youre on a track or rare weekend journey, and for that, you can get a real sports car. If you want a sportier edge in a sedan, the GS is very nice and still solid. When shopping for the ES, know that with it being quiet, its very noticeable which wheels and tires you get. They come with either Michelin or Bridgestone from factory, the particular Michelin they use is rated as top 3 by tirerack.com, the Bridgstone dead last. You can tell when you drive it, and from some reviews who say its not the car they expected, they always photo Bridgestones on larger rims...which you also may want to avoid. The 17" wheels for 2016 look great, but if you get ultra luxury, you have to swap out the 18". I know..an inch less, but test drive for yourself, the 17", and on a Michelin (Not Bridgestone) tire is what youd like. in 2016 they also updated suspension and added more sound deadening. Its noticeable if you drive it back to back with a prior year. Its 80% of the top of the line Lexus LS, for almost half the price. Its a hard model to ignore, unless youre trying to impress people who insist that luxury must be sporty and rough edged.

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  Great Vehicle - 2011 Lexus CT 200H
  By carfan19 - August 1 - 12:39 pm

  The more I talk to folks, the more I realize some people dont know how to manage their expectations. Having said that, if youre looking for the traditional "Plush" Lexus ride this isnt the car for you. This is a Prius wrapped up in a really nice and sporty car like Lexus package. This combo gives you a good mix of fuel economy, sporty design and great build quality. Im really searching to find negatives about this car and the only one I can come up with is the lack of HomeLink, which is tied to the navigation package. For a Lexus this should be a standard feature, regardless of package. Other than that, I absolutely love this car.

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  no title - 2004 Lexus LX 470
  By kokopeli - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Well built, quality SUV. Expensive yes, but the cost is offset by the joy of driving and the dependability. Better than any of the three Mercedes I owned. The bottom line is: would I buy another one. The answer:yes.But why would I want to part with this one?