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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  LOVING THIS CAR MORE AND MORE - 1998 Lexus GS 300
  By LEXGIRL98 - December 9 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car since for 2 years now and I am still psyched every time I get in to drive it...Even though its a 98, it looks, rides and handles like a brand new car...It is a mystery to me why it took such a hit on depreciation though, especially since the body style is still the same since 98 !!! But I plan to keep for another 5 plus years... FYI - not one thing has gone wrong and it has 69K miles and counting...

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  Purpose Driven - 2003 Lexus SC 430
  By dcmotivate - December 9 - 2:00 am

  No comparison to any other vehicle we have driven. Interior design is amazing, and the drive is the best. We even pick up our 7-year old from school and YES, she can sit in the back seat. The passenger seat just has to be forward a little. Does not drive, feel or sound like a typical convertible. We couldnt be more pleased with this choice.

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  great car - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By h.meyers - December 9 - 2:00 am

  this car is a driving wonder

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  Even Better Than the Last One - 2010 Lexus ES 350
  By Wilkins - December 7 - 9:26 pm

  I returned a leased 2007 ES-350 with a leased 2010 on 11-04-09. Ive driven it 600 miles as of this writing. The 2010 retains all the qualities of the 2007, but adds more. There are only minor exterior cosmetic changes, but they add to the look of the car. A better quality wood and judicious use of chrome have refined the interior appearance. The car rides pretty much the same as the 2007. Although no significant change has been made to the drivetrain, seems to accelerate much faster when you "punch" it.

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  1997 300E - Good Car - 1997 Lexus ES 300
  By V312155 - December 5 - 11:40 am

  Excellent car. Always quiet. I havedriven over 180,000 city miles. I did have a "smoking" condition around 90000 miles due to a faulty valve problem. Lexus paid the repair (100%), even though it was out of warrantry. This valve problem affected many of their cars with my engine (standard 300e).

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  like a real rock - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By tobyd - December 3 - 2:00 am

  My IS is a 2001 model. I have about 60000 miles on it. THis car is still Brand New.

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  Absolutely Solid - 1999 Lexus ES 300
  By bobsobi - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Bought mine off my lease in 2002. I was considering getting a new one, until I saw what they did with the ES exterior - how unfortunate! Plus, the ride got even softer, although the interior appointments were very impressive. This car is a great combination of reliability, comfort and utility. Plenty of cargo space, excellent gas mileage, snappy acceleration, an excellent sound system, quiet ride (although so quiet that side mirror wind turbulence is distracting at highway speeds), and many other features and refinements that out-class the other "entry-level-luxury" cars from the 99 model year.

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  Lexus for fun - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By pstein - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Craftmansship and quality are excelent, attention to detail is the best. I like the acceleration and handeling best of all! GPS is an added plus.

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  exellent - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By john harftsd - December 3 - 2:00 am

  it is a great and fun car to drive. there is only 1 problem i found with it and that is its not very fun to drive in the snow.

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  Most satisfying car Ive ever owned - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By zzzzzzz - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Has the power of my 66 vette, w/o the heartaches, far better mech. and electrical quality and reliability than my 01 tempermental kompressor Benz convertible, the superb dependability of my 03 LX 470, and a Lexus dealership that bends over backwards to please. Constant compliments from onlookers, snazzy comfort, super audio. Driven daily but usually for short hops-1-10 miles per day...best, most satisfying car Ive ever owned...david