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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  Nicely done - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By TJ - January 3 - 7:26 pm

  Great cruising machine, excellent power, no noise, great seats. It separates you from the road, a plus to some but not all. An overall excellent, reliable piece of work. I would buy another one in a heartbeat.

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  Great Car - 1998 Lexus ES 300
  By Juan Escalante - January 3 - 7:53 am

  The ES300 is a great car for someone like me who wanted something more than a new compact car could provide. I got that when I purchased a 98 ES300. The car runs great to this day with 75K miles and the car is 7 years old. My friends still comment on how smooth and quiet the ride is. Only problem I have had is with a brake lamp. All else is great - strong engine and great mileage - up to 25 actual mpg on roadtrips with cruise control.

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  Fantastic Car - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By NewLexusDrvr - January 3 - 6:46 am

  A fantastic car. I cant say enough for it. Makes me happy just driving even in L.A. traffic. With this car you cant go wrong. I have had nothing but pleasure with the soft ride and the power when needed. The voice activated navigation is fantastic.

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  You Cant get any better - 2005 Lexus SC 430
  By mogulteach - January 2 - 1:40 pm

  I have had many cars in my life this is one of the best if not the one. I have enjoyed it so much it makes me feel like a kid again.

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  Overall great, needs a few improvements - 2008 Lexus LS 460
  By Lexus Lover - January 2 - 1:33 am

  First off this is my fourth Lexus. The car is great as far as comfort, handling, and performance. My major complaint is the difficulty of modifying the navigation system while the auto is in motion. I understand the safety ramifications, but when you have a passenger in the front seat this should be disarmed. I was pleasantly surprised with the gas mileage...Ive actually hit 33 miles per gallon with this car, which to me is unheard of with this large of an engine (and considering how fast I drive). The navigation system is not logical. The Acura RL I recently traded in was very intuitive, this one, the driver actually has to arrange his thoughts before hitting the "talk" switch.

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  2011 ISF - 2011 Lexus IS F
  By ddsisf - January 1 - 11:59 am

  Just got one and so far it is superb. Will recommend.

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  First One - 1997 Lexus LS 400
  By Theodore - January 1 - 2:00 am

  This car is everything I expected. It has gave me 50,000 miles of trouble free driving. I wish I could find a reason to get a new one but this one is still like new @ 60,000 miles. The Japanese are hard to beat when it comes to quality.

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  The Worlds First Luxury Hybrid SUV - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Simon Sioni - December 31 - 9:20 am

  The RX 400h boasts all the advantages of a hybrid gas-electric vehicle: Emissions are extremely low, reducing your impact on the environment. And it burns about as much gas as a compact car, helping to reduce Americas dependence on foreign oil. But its fast. Stomp on the gas and the RX 400h jumps off the line significantly quicker than the regular RX 330. It can go head-to-head with a V8-powered Mercedes ML500. The RX 400h was not designed for serious off-road use. The regular RX 330 isnt exactly an off-road vehicle, either, but it handles gravel roads just fine.

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  They did it again - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By aitchbee - December 31 - 8:23 am

  I had the original 1990 LS 400 and this beats it handily for less money. Got one loaded and could not be happier. Very comfortable with plenty of power and great looks. This car is actually a real bargain.

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  2nd Owner, Coach Pkg, ....Nice SUV! - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By acarnutguy - December 31 - 5:06 am

  Purchased with 37k miles in June 2006. Nice, well built SUV with good room for 2 or 3, tight with 4 when traveling. Solid drive, wanders a bit on the highway at speeds. Very good cruiser at 75-80 mph. City gas mileage is 17-19 and highway at 75 is 21ish... should be better. Coach leather edition is a nice bonus! Lexus does a great job with fit, finish and wood trim.