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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  rx300 review - 1999 Lexus RX 300
  By runner1 - November 22 - 10:00 am

  excellent vehicle. rates very high on power, comfort, quality. only bad point is less than anticipated gas milage, but still OK. 14-19 - city-highway.

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  Nostalgic for my 04 - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By Boris E. Meditch - November 21 - 4:30 pm

  I have owned two previous RX Lexus models and my new 2010 slightly disappoints in its rather wallowing ride and loose feel at highway speeds. It feels more bulbous and bloated and oversized. The nav system is vastly improved, but for my old eyes is buried too deeply in the dash console. The lack of any side door guard strips will surely lead to more dings and dents. Fit and finish appear to be excellent. The telephone book size owners manual is a joke - way over the top.

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  A fine Lexus - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By CW - November 21 - 11:20 am

  Comfortable for driver and passengers with important conveniences e.g. cupholders, multiple seat adjustments. Nav system pretty easy to figure out, rear camera great safety item. Smooth and reliable ride.

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  7 years later still up to date - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By toy4two - November 21 - 11:03 am

  I really think the RX 300 is the best deal going in used cars. I test drove a 2006 Lexus GS and I found out the only feature missing in my 2000 RX 300 is cooling seats to go with my heated seats. Everything else is there, and being a Lexus, its all in the same place, HomeLink, seat heaters, wonderful ergonomics, great leather. It did have an in dash CD changer which was also a nice add on. But for the money, my 00 AWD is basically the same. Power was close, smoothness, quietness. About the only upgrade would be more wood on the interior. This car is boring though, I wont lie, its rock solid reliable but its like a reliable washing machine or some other appliance, not exactly sporty.

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  More enjoyable than expected - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By HB - November 21 - 7:23 am

  More enjoyable than expected to drive. The pick-up power on highway is great. Rides well. Armrests and leather seats could be better. Negative is the lack of places/nooks for containing things - papers, pens, notepad, etc. the middle counsel quickly is used up and there are few additional utilization spaces. Woman designer needed for upfront interior space usage.

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  Great Car! - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By remiller - November 20 - 5:53 pm

  Safe, reliable, comfortable and fun to drive. The small turning circle is a great unheralded surprise. I have had absolutely no problems with this car.

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  Best choice I ever made - 2013 Lexus RX 350
  By snowman22 - November 20 - 8:54 am

  From day one I knew I bought the vehicle I always wanted. Everything is perfect with this vehicle. Looks,Ride,Comfort,quiet,refined and safe. Also lots of storage and plenty of room to haul just about anything when the back seats are folded down. Just fantastic. Plus-- the re-sale value is there when your ready for another quality vehicle from Lexus.

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  rx300 30,000 mile service - 2000 Lexus RX 300
  By dky - November 18 - 11:43 am

  30,000 service overpriced.ca car fun to drive

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  Chose it over a 3 series - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By CEB - November 18 - 10:00 am

  Nice smooth engine and crisp 5sp. transmission. Great brakes. Very solid feel and very well built. Smooth power with better low end than 330. Sporty interior. LSD a must. Great value compared to BMW and Audi.

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  GX470 is just ok.......... - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By karenm - November 18 - 10:00 am

  Nice vehicle but the steering vibration needs to have a fix and they still dont seem to have a handle on that problem. The back door that swings open is great! Nice concept there. This truck needs a center console that is higher up. I mean there is no where to put something on to write a phone no. on or write out a check. I really miss that. Its just too small and short. Overall I like the GX but buy another,probably not. Seriously considering trading for a Yukon Denali or something just a tad bit bigger. Had a Seqouia Limited that was paid for and had more room. What was I thinking. Should have kept it!