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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  I like It - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By Vel - October 17 - 2:00 am

  Nice styling. Comfy ride. Good handling. Plenty of safety features, luxerious. Also good fuel efficiency for an SUV. Great value. Can be had for less then invoice with the new RX 330s out.

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  A class of its own - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By denver driver - October 15 - 4:23 am

  Bought ES 350 after driving much of the competition. I drove this one last and quickly realized the car was ar superior to the others. It it truly luxuriuos. The leather is so soft and comfortable. The interior is high quality, with the exception of a few cheap plastic items, such as the coin & sunglass holders, etc. Drive & steering is very smooth - the other cars I test drove werent even close. An unbelievable amount of options on this car and technology out of this world. Sports-car like power, but corners fast poorly. Quiet drive under 55. Smooth styling. Nav. well worth the money. I love cars have owned many nice ones. This is my favorite yet.

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  Initial impression - 2010 Lexus RX 450h
  By Burt10 - October 14 - 11:16 pm

  Very impressed with the RX450h. Excellent comfort and fun to drive. Takes a while to get familiar with all the capability but basic operation is easy and intuitive. Very good dealer service.

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  My daughter loved this car!! - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By slooper3 - October 14 - 3:07 pm

  We bought this car from a auction for my daughter and it has been a wonderful car for her. She loves this car and I told her recently to change the oil in it and she took it to get changed. It started to run bad ever since. Since we changed the oil more problems have developed. Now it is sitting in the yard :( Wonderful car!!

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  WHAT A SUV SHOULD BE - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By juliandryan - October 12 - 10:00 am

  Researched SUVs for months before deciding to purchase the GX 470. This SUV fills a void in the market for larger SUVs priced below $60K. Outstanding to drive with extremely comfortable ride. Overall, overly pleased with purchase, would highly recommend test driving.

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  A Boring Convertible - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By mickeyalso - October 12 - 10:00 am

  For a performance convertible this has to be the most boring for the dollar. Our Volvo S60R T5 is more fun, and a better value. It pales in comparison to the Z06 for a performance vehicle.

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  mY sc430! - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By Stevenb - October 12 - 10:00 am

  Great Car! Cant beat the looks and the gizmos. Real power and performance to boot in a well thought out and executed vehicle. Great value compared to more expensive SL 500 (had one earlier on too!)

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  best Lexus ever - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By guman - October 12 - 10:00 am

  after 3 911s an sc400 and an ls400 - this care is the very best. The retractable hard top makes it the best of both worlds. Fit and finish are perfect. Adequate space with top up. The engine is smooth with power plus - handling sweetly.

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  Dont bother - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By JamesB - October 12 - 10:00 am

  Lively vehicle with somewhat noisy motor. Comfort slightly snug for a large fellow. The acceleration doesnt seem too good. Good features for upper version cuv. Not very reliable, already have trouble with throttle.

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  The car drives like a dream. - 2006 Lexus LS 430
  By Mary Ann Timmins - October 12 - 7:36 am

  My last car was a Lexus LS 400.Car was 11 years old and ran perfectly. Will not own anything else. It is a quiet, comfortable and very reliable car. The car is almost maintenance free as long as you take it in for its checkups. The seats and interior are of the best quality and extremely comfortable. The sensors or parking guides are a big asset. The headlights shine 180, you are able to see the side streets at night to make a turn. You will have one of the smoothest rides you have ever had. Holds the road beautifully. The car drives itself. Will never own anything else.