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:

• 

  Outstanding - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By DarLee - February 28 - 1:56 am

  We were already a Lexus owner (2004 ES 330) and looking for even more luxury and performance. The GS 300 provided that and more in a beautiful red exterior (Matador Red) that turns heads!

• 

  Former BMW Devotee - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By daisyduke - February 27 - 2:00 am

  Am I the only one who bought the 5M? Most of these reviews are for the E- Shift, which I test drove but LOVE the five speed. This car handles better than my BMW 325 did, and has more power as well. I almost bought a 330i, but after test driving the IS300 decided it was a bargain, several thousand less and more basic equipment. Fun to drive through twisty turns!

• 

  Lives up to the Lexus name! - 2011 Lexus RX 350
  By Keith - February 26 - 10:26 am

  This SUV is everything you expect in a Lexus: comfortable, quiet and reliable. A couple of the features I really like are the steering headlights and the ventilated seats. The only real disappointment is the navigation system which only allows voice access when driving, which really limits what you can do with it. For example, you cant get it to look up a POI in a given city, it will only tell you POIs near you.

• 

  Not so quiet ride! - 2016 Lexus RX 450h
  By Marcos Villarreal - February 26 - 9:26 am

  Great luxury interiors Not enough sound suppression for road noise in cabin despite $55K plus price ticket Exterior front way too exaggerated design robs class to the vehicle

• 

  Well built & Comfortable but awful Tech - 2015 Lexus RX 350
  By Jim Weil - February 26 - 4:09 am

  This is a well built and comfortable car. However the technology, while outstandingly marketed, is absolute crap. Voice recognition is extremely inaccurate, complex and distracting to use. It is so bad I have almost completely abandoned it. My 10 year old Garmin portable GPS has better voice recognition and routing features but their is no safe or interfering place to mount it or I would be using it. Emails and phone calls to Lexus & Toyota have been useless. Poor dealer support for tech issues (multiple dealers). Map upgrades are infrequent, extremely expensive & must be done by dealer. Keeping other technology current is also very expensive. The ability to enter in addresses from a computer was a marketing feature but so complex and buggy that it made it time consuming and frustrating for the user. Subsequently that feature has been removed leaving address entry options to be a joystick on the screen keyboard or a complex entry procedure transfer procedure from a smartphone. The screen supported interface is very user unfriendly and is only controlled via joystick. This includes entertainment selection and good air management. Live assistance (extra cost) is often problematic. Some controls are difficult to access when driving. Some others are unneeded duplicates that adds confusion. Windshield has some built-in technology and likely very expensive to replace. Options were outrageously overpriced -i.e. Heads-up display from dealer was $1,000 but high quality from 3rd party was $89. Rear camera is affected by rain. Tailgate has enough force to knock you over before stopping if it hits you. Tech that works well includes Park assist (not automatic), blind spot sensing, and adaptive cruise control. Interior lighting is poor. Car is comfortable and runs well and has a lot of unneeded frosting that boosts the pricing. Good cargo space. Gas mileage is poor. In summary I do not recommend this car due to poor technology, low gas mileage and poor customer support. Based on this experience I currently have absolutely no interest in purchasing a Lexus or Toyota product again. Lexus marketed this vehicle as including advanced technology. In reality it is anything but. In my opinion attempting to use many to the technology features while driving, makes this car unsafe to drive. In retrospect I should have invoked the California Lemon Law.

• 

  Satisfied - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By DJ IMPACT - February 25 - 10:00 am

  The center console does not have an arm rest, fortunately those who purchased or plan to purchase the 2002 model will have the center armrest to enjoy.

• 

  2001 LS430 I love it. - 2001 Lexus LS 430
  By Tony vastola - February 25 - 10:00 am

  I got the car with the sports package so the car is just about perfect with its overall handling to ride. I love the car, but it seems Im the only one driving this car who is under 60.

• 

  Fantastic Car - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By Not Acura - February 25 - 10:00 am

  The quality, the ride, and the salesmanship of the this Lexus became the only reason why I purchase this vehicle. Owning this vehicle for less than 1 month, the enjoyment that I got from it is second to none. Perfect seat support, quiet and smooth ride, silky smooth engine (though it is only a 3.0L), center information panel (either you love it or you hate it), and the second to none Lexus service and salesman attitude. If I decide to buy another car, Lexus will be my first choice.

• 

  I Love This Car! - 2010 Lexus HS 250H
  By Bluesky74 - February 22 - 6:03 pm

  I have had my new wheels for almost a week and really like this car. I am a first time Lexus owner and so far i have been blown away by the service. I am getting an avg of 35mpg on my first tank of gas with equal city/highway driving. I have not been disappointed with power to get on the highway etc... The destination assist has already proven useful when traveling on the road. If you are looking for something upscale, green and cool then look no more!

• 

  First SUV - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Johnsinker - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Vehicle is an absolute dream! Only "negative" is some wind noise due to the large Rear View Mirrors and Luggage rack. Drives like a car, and feels safe. Not like many other SUVs that do not drive like a car. Expect Reliability to be excellant. this redesigned RX has so many features, I have not been able to find them all