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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  GX is great - 2016 Lexus GX 460
  By Dave - June 12 - 3:41 am

  This is our third GX. Our 04 GX 470 had almost 200k miles. Its cooling pipe went bust on the freeway, by the time we pulled to the next exit it over heated. It ran another 6 months afterwards before we sold it to CarMax. We bought the new 15 GX and it was totaled a month later after being rear ended by a careless driver. The frame buckled and the rear bumper had the guys front end imprinted on it. I was able to walk away with only a stiff neck.. the other driver had a fractured jaw, broken arm and leg and ribs. The GX saved my live. We bought our third GX a few weeks later. This is a heavy traditional SUV, the acceleration is measured and "stately". Fuel economy is in the high teens, not bad for this type of vehicle. Handling is good if you get used to the truckiness. On the freeway, it is stable and quiet. Its not the quickest, but it does get to 80 to 90 mph before you know it. The only complains I have is the poor placement of the two USB ports in the center console. When plugged in, the sliding hatch cover have to be open. And there are no power ports for the 2nd row. It got a little irritation having to charge the Kids ipads on long trips. The Lexus roof rack cross bars are nice looking, however, they sit too close to the roof making tying down cargo a bit difficult. also you need a Torx key to move them. I liked the old GXs roof rack, with plenty of tie in points to strap your cargo.

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  A+ Ride and Comfort--Mediocre in Snow - 1998 Lexus GS 300
  By Love my Lexus - June 11 - 2:00 am

  Simply a fantastic car in almost every way. One issue of concern is driving in the snow. Gadgets galor to assist driver such as traction control, antilock breaks and a snow gear, but good luck if you live in an area with even small hills. Rear wheel drive clearly makes driving interesting in snowy conditions. Yet, would I have purchased the car if I had known about this beforehand? Still a definite yes!

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  This car is a no brainer - 1996 Lexus LS 400
  By gallen - June 11 - 2:00 am

  Ive had one and only one problem in the entire time Ive owned this car, which I purchased used with 22,000 miles on it. As of Feb 03 its got 79,000. Lexus has a well deserved reputation and the car is bulletproof. The car has always started, still has the original battery and I changed the brake pads once, north of 50,000 miles. Im a fairly aggressive driver too, so getting that kind of brake pad performance on a 2 ton car is telling. Overall - Id buy a used Lexus over a new "anything else" every time. Reliable, bulletproof and great ride all in one.

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  An oustanding car - 2002 Lexus SC 430
  By Hot SC - June 11 - 2:00 am

  I highly recommned this car it is one of the few cars that you dont serve, it serves you, making sure you are as comfotable as possible at all times. Get one.

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  SC 430 - 2008 Lexus SC 430
  By bill - June 7 - 6:00 pm

  This is a great reliable car. Workmanship is excellent. Our last car was a 2005 Corvette and it spent many days at the repair shop. This car has never had any repair problems and it has 36,000 miles on it. I would strongly recommend this car.

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  Electronic Issues - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By David - June 7 - 10:30 am

  I used to drive a lot for business. Problems started when the warranty expired. It was like clock work! First the cruise control went dead. Took it to the neighborhood Lexus dealer. They kept my car for a 4 hours and could not find the problem. They were going to charge me $400.00 ($100 per hour) for diagnostics. Naturally, I didnt. Then the speedometer went crazy, going back and forth to not working at all, the car wouldnt shut off. Then nothing, everything would work fine the next day. The dealer told me its a sensor problem and would cost $ 2000.00 + to repair!

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  The Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By Thom - June 5 - 2:53 pm

  Ive had this car for about 2 years and I still look forward to the next time I get to drive it. I enjoy how the footlights and interior lights glow when I approach the car at night. The keyless entry is great. I just have to grab the handle and the car unlocks. The ride is so smooth and refined. The brakes are great. I especially like the feature that notices if you jam on the brakes and gives you an accelerated braking response. The Mark Levinson sound system is like a home theater. The DVD capability of the nav screen is nice if you have to wait in the car for someone. The engine idles so quietly and smoothly that once in the while I need to check the RPM gauge to see if its on.

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  Second RX300 Proof Positive - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By Norm Kutz - June 5 - 10:00 am

  This is my second RX300. Owned a 1999, and liked it so well, bought the 2003. Small improvements since 99 make it even better. It continues to be my favorite looking and driving vehicle.

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  ES 300 analysis - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By Tony Bass - June 5 - 10:00 am

  our 2003 Lexus ES 300 is one of the worst riding cars we have ever owned. Its suspension system doesnt even small bumps making it very uncomfortable to drive/ride on all roads other than highways.

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  Comfortable around town cruiser - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By V - June 3 - 7:16 pm

  I bought the LS430 for family and guests to have something to drive around town in comfortably and safely. If you want a real comfortable and sports sedan buy the Audi S8!