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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  One year and still in love - 2009 Lexus GS 450h
  By jimi - December 20 - 12:16 pm

  Awesome passing power, with or without the power setting. I prefer the sport suspension even in everyday driving because I live in an area with a lot of tight turns. Good braking system allows for quick, controlled stops. The interior is comfortable and full of amenities. The Mark Levinson sound system is worth the added cost. Everyone complains about the small trunk and so do I. But at the end of the day Im willing to sacrifice the trunk space for the performance. Its not cheap but relative to its competition, namely the BMW 550i and the MB E550, it is a bargin plus it has better reliability, overall performance numbers and mpg. New or used it is a great car to own.

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  An Old School Favorite - 2006 Lexus LS 430
  By greetrob - December 19 - 5:00 pm

  So far everything works except for the expected voice activation portion of the navigation system. I purchased this car because I wanted to spend very little time dealing with repairs and fixes. I’m expecting that nothing will require fixing and the only reason I will find myself at the dealership is to change the oil. This is a rear wheel drive car, so I hope it does well in the snow.

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  Better than Mercedes and BMW - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By LexxChik - December 19 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love this car. I sell cars and get to test drive all sorts of vehicles. This is by far the best bang for the buck.

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  great car - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By jfdoug - December 19 - 10:00 am

  this drives like a dream.. I had the rx300 and was completly happy.. the RX 330 is even better !!! great ride. nice inteirior. faster.. I like it..

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  Great All Around Vehicle - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By jgamo - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Ive always thought the RXwhatever was designed for female drivers. However, this redesigned RX from Lexus quickly dispelled that. From the clean, sweeping lines to the 18" tires, this was one sporty vehicle that both genders can appreciate. The ride was very comfortable - - - better than some luxury cars. Performance-wise, it was very agile and quick. The engine is very responsive and smooooooth! My wife and I are contemplating getting another one so we each have our own.

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  Great car! - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By classic1555 - December 16 - 1:16 pm

  This is my third lexus and by far the best. I bought the Premium Package; did not want the Ultra. The improvements are many and are substantial. The new engine/six speed transmission package is outstanding. I think it will convert any diehard manual transmission folks. I include myself in that category. What a pleasure to drive. The ratios on the transmission are suberb, especially under hard acceleration! The technology available just blows away the competition in this price niche. Rear camera;park assist; bluetooth; air pressure; and on and on. I recommend the car to everyone.

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  A joy - 1996 Lexus LS 400
  By WDavidH - December 16 - 10:00 am

  Purch new, corrected ball joints & control arm busnhings 120K . Perfect now. Best car Ive owned. Powerful quiet reliable roomy classy, what else is there.

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  SportCross - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By DaviM - December 16 - 10:00 am

  I am 66" tall though lean, so keep this in mind when I make my comments. First, the car is not a BMW, does not have anywhere near the handling (typical sloppy plowing turning characteristics). Crummy Perrelli (sp?) tires. Poor mileage. Quality issues too.

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  Q 45 killer - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By elim - December 16 - 10:00 am

  this car is the best!! i can easily beat the infiniti q45, s430 and other lux sedans hands down.

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  Great car with amazing reliability! - 1998 Lexus ES 300
  By seattlegirl - December 15 - 10:43 am

  I have owned this car for a little over a year now and am still loving it. The car had 68k miles on it when I bought it and now has 80k and runs as if it was new. The only maintenance it has needed was a new tail light bulb (the car told me it was out or else I never would have known). Its so comfy both to drive and ride in and fun to drive. I wouldnt call it sporty, but I love the comfy ride the responsive steering. considering it is a luxury car, the es300 gets great mileage. It doesnt take premium and I can get up to 26 mpg driving lots of highway. Very quiet, lots of handy features. Theres even an extra outlet plugin for an iPod in the console. The styling is classic, people love it!