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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  ES 350 - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By Stan - February 2 - 8:33 am

  A smooth, comfortable ride, without sacrificing too much in the way of handling. Coming from a BMW convertible, I miss the sharp cornering, but I love the smooth quiet ride. Much better on the freeway. The premium stereo is all anyone needs. Plays mp3 disks, so with 6 disks, you can load about 1000 songs at one time. Nav system works like a charm.

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  SC 430 - 2006 Lexus SC 430
  By dkempf - February 2 - 7:40 am

  Visibilty of the nose and rear end drops off when parking. There is a lack of any bumpers on doors to avoid dings. The paint quality on the exterior is not as good as it should be. I am MOST disappointed in the exterior paint. After purchase I had some zinc oxide rub off on the interior arm rests. Lexus was completely at a loss as to what to do. I am sure other people buying a Lexus convertible will also use sunscreen and have a similar problem. It is very quiet and does not beat you up when the top is down.

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  No Satellite Radio? - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By agroveton - February 2 - 6:36 am

  Love the new European styling on the new RX330... great head-turner! Cant wait to tryout HomeLink with a new bluetooth cellphone. Navigation system and Lexus sound system is adequate but not wonderful. The automatic rear passenger door is great. Mileage is exactly what was promised. Only complaint is that satellite radio should have been an option as on the larger Lexus SUVs.

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  No Satellite Radio? - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By agroveton - February 2 - 6:36 am

  Love the new European styling on the new RX330 ... great head-turner! Cant wait to try out HomeLink with a new bluetooth cellphone. Navigation system and Lexus sound system are adequate but not wonderful. The automatic rear passenger door is great. Mileage is exactly what was promised. Only complaint is that satellite radio should have been an option as on the larger Lexus SUVs.

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  Only 500miles comments - 2016 Lexus NX 200t
  By Jerry - February 2 - 12:30 am

  Only 500miles, hard to say but so far I have comments below: engine power enough if drive in city or on freeway; a little noisy if compared my Lexus es350; front driver seat is comfortable; exterior good looking. Overall I will give 4+ stars.

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  RX400h a mixed bag - 2007 Lexus RX 400H
  By Robert - February 1 - 2:03 am

  The navigation system is impossibly complicated - and Im a PhD Professional Engineer! It is simply illogical. The cargo space is disappointingly shallow. The screen is unreadable in bright daylight. But the performance is good and very reliable. However, as a Mercedes S-Class person, Lexus is outclassed!

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  Best of the AWD cars - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By joe - January 31 - 7:06 pm

  Bought car in Feb. 05 - took all other AWD cars for test runs (several times) -- Audi a6, Infiniti M, Acura RL-- there was no comparison in comfort and handling. May not have the power of the M or RL but there is plenty there. had previously owned an A6 - good car but nothing like the GS 300. Articles say not a fun car to drive? Cant believe this -- maybe because its so quiet - but this car handles great on a country roads plus its stylish.

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  RX Hater - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By fiziks7@gmail.com - January 30 - 4:33 pm

  Bought a 2016 RX350 fully equipped. Loved it at the onset. Unfortunately, it quickly developed a harsh noise and vibration around 20 to 30 mph. The entire cabin vibrates and shakes. I took it to the dealer and they told me Lexus was aware of the problem and did not have any remedies. I filed a complaint with the NCDS (National Center for Dispute Settlement) and Lexus. After about 6 weeks, I was told that my claim can’t be honored because I failed to prove that it is a manufacture’s defect. Thoroughly drive this car to ensure it does not have the same problem. Check recalls.gov for complaints that have been filed with the same problem. 2016 and 2017 models are affected. Lexus will not fix this problem because they claim it does not affect the safety of the car. Look elsewhere!!!

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  little black car - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By shelly - January 30 - 6:43 am

  AWESOME is all I can say. I will never buy another make again.

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  I would not own any other car - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Barbara Roth - January 30 - 3:56 am

  I have owned a Lexus since 1992 and have not had one problem with them. However this is my first SUV and I absolutely LOVE this car, I will probably purchase it after the lease. I have turned all of my friends onto them.