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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  The oldies are goodies - 1999 Lexus ES 300
  By hawaiitom - January 9 - 12:40 am

  Weve had this car for over ten years and use it as our second car for my wife to drive once or twice a week. Id buy a new es-300 in a minute, except the newer ones are an inch too long and have poor rear-quarter vision. Lexus is due out with a redesign of the es-300 in 2012. Hopefully, itll be better than the current model -- none of the redesigns look as good as our 1999. If you can find one, get it. Edmunds says dealer retail is under 6k -- good luck finding one so cheap!

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  Second RX - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By dave22750 - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Had a 2000 RX300 for 10 years and 180,000 miles and decided we needed a new one. Have had the 2010 RS now for a month. Excellent vehicle. I dont know why all the negative reviews. Quality seems great. Solid driving feel. Smooth, quiet, and comfortable. I enjoy playing tunes on my iphone through the bluetooth and like not having to mess with keys in the ignition. My wife misses the room between the seats on the floor and the sunglass holder above. The available space given under the console is not that convenient. If the reliability of the new one is as good as the old one, I will be happy.

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  Easily turned into a road warrior - 2016 Lexus RC 350
  By Dave - January 7 - 7:15 pm

  I love the sophistication of the standard RC350 F-Sport but it lacked performance to match its looks. No one wants their 60k sport coupe to get blown away by a souped up Golf R-type great car that it is, so I turned to the aftermarket and with a growing owner base performance options are out there now and for less than 3 grand I have an RC350 F-Sport faster than its big brother the RF-f. Its still quite and smooth riding when I want it be but a real beast when I let it loose. I love driving this car just for the sake of driving it...even more than my classic 911. Strong recommendation

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  Easily turned into a road warrior - 2016 Lexus RC 350
  By Dave - January 7 - 7:15 pm

  I love the sophistication of the standard RC350 F-Sport but it lacked performance to match its looks. No one wants their 60k sport coupe to get blown away by a souped up Golf R-type great car that it is, so I turned to the aftermarket and with a growing owner base performance options are out there now and for less than 3 grand I have an RC350 F-Sport faster than its big brother the RF-f. Its still quite and smooth riding when I want it be but a real beast when I let it loose. I love driving this car just for the sake of driving it...even more than my classic 911. Strong recommendation

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  Love this SUV - 2006 Lexus GX 470
  By Car lover! - January 7 - 7:43 am

  We just traded in our H2 for this great SUV. This is our first Lexus and we love it. Roomy, great interior and exterior looks ,the GX470 v8 has amazing power. Its got a great turning radius and such a smooth drive. Love the woodgrain steering wheel too, just wish it were heated! It seriously drives like a car.

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  Very nice! - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By Alvaro - January 7 - 3:06 am

  This is quite possibly the best car in its class. We looked at the Mercedes E350 and the BMW 325i and the Lexus just blew them away. This feels a lot more luxurious and roomy than those other sedans, and its got great power. The updated navigation system is very and clean crisp to look at, not to mention that its a touch-screen system, so its a lot more intuitive to work with. The stereo controls are all nicely laid out on the steering wheel, just like they were on my old Mercedes E320, so thats a big plus. It comes with all the luxury features youd expect from higher end cars, like auto lights, auto windshield wipers, cooled and heated seats, compass, cd changer, rear camera, memory seats, bluetooth, etc. And its so roomy in the back seat and trunk! This car rocks!

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  sc funmobile - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By lennyar - January 4 - 2:00 am

  my second sc430. turns heads everywhere. not a winter car in michigan. loads of fun in good weather with top down. sound system second to none

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  QUALITY & SMOOTHNESS TO THE 10TH POWER - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By NATHANIEL DAVIS - January 4 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my LS430 since April 04 and during this time Ive continually thanked myself for selecting this particular vehicle. Its clear to me that the Lexus (Toyota) manufactures spent a great deal of time focusing on quality in this model. I must applaud their attempt. The have DONE IT!!!

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  lexus 430ls, the best - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By mikels430 - January 4 - 2:00 am

  best car for the money. very reliable, great service. I will never buy another Mercedes again

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  Quality Built - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Bob747 - January 4 - 2:00 am

  Quiet as a vault Build like a tank Quick for a vechile that is 5000lbs Rides just a nice as the LX, save $10,000 Lose 4" in the back 2" w more head room then most, commanding view of the road! blows away x5, mdx, Aviator,xc90, and the rest. No SUV is perfect, but this one comes close!