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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  CPO 2008 RX350 AWD - 2008 Lexus RX 350
  By NYCVS - September 1 - 6:30 pm

  Bought my CPO 2008 RX350 just a few weeks ago, already put 700+ miles on it. Ride is butter smooth, especially helpful over horrible NYC roads... Fuel economy is excellent for an AWD SUV (got 30MPG highway only and 21- 22MPG driving 50/50). Interior is quiet, stylish and attractive. HID headlights are so much brighter than regular halogens I have on my 2004 GX470! Paid $29K with 3yr/100K bumber- to-bumber warranty for a vehicle with only 31K miles and driving and looking like brand-new. Another great product Lexus, and its what keeps me coming back.

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  So Far So Good - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By Bronco - August 31 - 7:53 pm

  I play for a professional sports team in Denver and got my hands on a new LS 460 this month. I have really enjoyed the features and the comfortable interior of this car. It is very roomy and comfortable. It has a smooth and responsive powertrain. It is very comfortable and the hands free parking feature is very cool. Ive been getting some looks in it... it is definitely a head turner and looks great on 20s.

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  MFG Lexus Review - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By MFG - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle. Very quite ride. Beautiful and smooth ride. Has unbelievable power when accelerating. Voice activation of accesories are awesome. Turning radius is unbelievable.

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  Great Ride - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By eckfay - August 30 - 10:00 am

  This is an excellent vehicle...more on- road than off-road...very comfortable...handles well...little pricey, but worth it...excellent interior features...all in all..fabulous

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  Company Jet - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Lil4x - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Amazing silence, outstanding handling and reasonable fuel economy for an SUV, plus incredible tactile luxury make the 330 the perfect long-distance tourer. We hated to turn our RX 300 in this spring, but the RX 330 is as big a step up in luxury from the 300 as the 300 was from my previous loaded Suburbans. A smooth, effortless inhaler of interstates, we call it the company jet. Itll do until the Gulfstream arrives.

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  Same old stuff but worse - 2014 Lexus LX 570
  By zeus2012 - August 30 - 6:49 am

  I owned a 2011 LX 570 and enjoyed it, it drove great and I never had any problems with the SUV. I purchased a 2014 LX 570, 3 months ago and have been surprised & disappointed. The electronics system sucks. The navigation is not up to date, there are 36 presets on the radio sound system, but I am not able to label them. So I have 36 numbers. It is a danger looking for a particular station. The weather map looks like a five year old with a magic marker. The Lexus Enform App never works. $93K and I have a 1990 Ford Escort electronics package.

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  New owner - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By sandy - August 30 - 4:06 am

  I have had my 2010 Lexus 350 for 2 days now. So far, Im very happy. Have driven during the day, rain and night so far and each experience is really good. The way this vehicle is build is quality. So far Im in love Hopefully it will be reliable for the long term

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  Superb car - 2009 Lexus LS 460
  By TxDoc - August 28 - 7:13 pm

  This is an amazing car. I test drove all the Germans and others and this is by far the best. I think this is one of the best cars ever made to date. You will wizz by cars you think must be going 20 mph while in reality they are going 70 mph - all while sipping your coffee in a luxurious setting while listening to amazing music. It has turned my daily commute into a delightful experience that I look forward to daily. I feel fortunate everyday to own this car and plan on enjoying it for a long time. I got the chrome wheels and it adds a nice look to the black car exterior. The car looks very stylish, not dull at all.

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  No drawbacks - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Robin - August 28 - 12:06 pm

  I love this car. The only difference between the hybrid and a regular vehicle is that sometimes the quiet operation is unnerving. It takes some getting used to. Now I find when I drive someone else car, Im surprised when the engine kicks in immediately when I start it. That does not happen with my hybrid. The engine starts only when it needs to.

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  LS 460 - 2009 Lexus LS 460
  By Driver - August 26 - 5:00 pm

  Everyone who sees the car remarks about the fit & finish. Everything fits together perfectly and works perfectly. While the exterior may share some styling with the Lexus ES, you know you’re driving a top-of-the-line car once you are inside. In contrast to many European rivals, all the controls and buttons are easy to understand. Many of these have adjustable features which can be set by the owner or the dealer (like how long the interior lights stay on after you shut the door.). Actual mileage is 22 MPG, overall.