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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  Greatest - 2002 Lexus LX 470
  By george tomai - November 25 - 1:26 pm

  Best SUV out there if $$ are no object

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  Honest car owner feedback - 2013 Lexus ES 300h
  By hp51200372 - November 24 - 4:31 pm

  Excellent car with quiet, comfortable ride. Great fuel mpg at the cost of sacrificing performance with 4 cylinder 156 HP engine. Loud engine noise accelerating even in sport mode. Expensive 46k car for 4 cylinder CVT hybrid engine. Not worth the money. Lexus ES350 v6/268 HP is highly recommended which cost 3k less then ES300H.

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  The Camry is just as nice - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By dienberg - November 24 - 10:00 am

  The leather, wood, and soft materials are gorgeous. I especially like the alluminum skuff plates and the intricate interior lighting at night. The exterior fit and finish is perfect, unlike my mothers 2002 Camry. Both cars, however, have had their fair share of rattles and squeaks. Ill admit that there are definitely transmission shudders, but my 99 Solara exhibited the same characteristics. Whatever reviewer claims the noise levels are too high is nuts. If you dont need the extra warranty, the FANCY interior, or the extra soundproofing, save and get a LE V6 Camry. Overall, a solid best buy in the class.

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  Longed for the ES300 for three years - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By New ES300 Owner - November 24 - 10:00 am

  Overall, I love the car. Its a luxury car so I cant complain too much that it doesnt take off from a red light the way I would like. But after getting started, it really moves. I was warned that the Lexus could be a little noisy, but to me its not unbearable.

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  FUN, FUN, FUN - 2010 Lexus HS 250H
  By parpay - November 23 - 9:16 pm

  Had it for 4 days and already have 300 miles on it. Very comfortable, fun to drive and darn it that mouse is fun too! Got a great deal $1250 under invoice. I drive 500 miles per week so comfort is important. Very happy with my decision.

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  Great SUV; soccer mom car - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By gw9 - November 22 - 1:33 pm

  Having owned Lexus before I knew this would be a very reliable car. Gas & go. Maintain per mfg recommendations and it will last forever. What it is for: In town errands; carrying clean cargo like groceries and such; long road trips; ski trips; car pools. What its not for: Work truck; off roading; hauling heavy trailers; hauling construction supplies or plant material. Its a soccer mom car. Reliable, elegant, comfy. Zero excitement but what SUV is?

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  Nice car - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By charlyn - November 20 - 8:30 pm

  This car does not have a very good shock absorber system. It is very rough on the road, but it gets about 26mpg, which is better than I expected on highway driving at fast speeds. The car has a lot of power.

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  Ugly Front End - 2016 Lexus RX 450h
  By Henry - November 20 - 5:12 am

  Horrible looking front end. Looks like Lexus Engineers don’t know how to finish this side of the vehicle, so they add big chip looking plastic mash. For everything else I give 5 stars.

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  No buyers remorse here! More than meets the eye. - 2016 Lexus NX 200t
  By LA - November 19 - 7:38 pm

  Excellent choice for the AARP crowd. Advanced structure safety design. Engineers used advanced construction processes. Attention to the little things and attention to detail is self evident like stop and Hold braking at stop lights... Designers tailored comfort for 50 Plus.... im amazed at the "Exceptional seat comfort" ! Advanced melded frame blocks noise transmission! Suspension provides deep muted kicks producing a remarkable ride! Superb fit and finish inside the cabin. Remarkable smooth "intelligent" modern transmission and an Engine that produces excellent numbers at low RPMs.. Its a ride you can drive great distance and still feel good at the end of the day! Hard to judge only by the numbers alone but rather "OF" the whole concept ! Very quiet so use the cruise control isolation makes it hard to feel just how fast your going. No buyers remorse here. Not a drivers car but rather "luxury" transportation. Arrive alive and in great shape! So for value comfort resale and reliability this "IS" a compact SUV to consider.

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  "Gentlemans Dream Car" - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By gdl - November 18 - 10:00 am

  My tltle for the review comes from what the ticket taker at the ferry told me as I was driving home with it. I bought the car because it was a 4 passenger with a hard top. Lexus was the only car that fit that criteria 4seats-hardtop{not a rag top}. It wasnt until after I bought that I realized all the things that made it a "dream car" the interior comfort in just sitting in it, the stereo,tilting rear view mirrors when the car is put in reverse, quit motor, powerful motor, quiet interior as you travel with the top down at 60+ mph, GPS,and you cant averlook the comments you get about the car