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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  Love it more each day - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By LIONLADY - October 29 - 4:53 pm

  At first I didnt like the performance, but after driving it for three years, it seems to know my heavy foot and quick response I need. Now, it suits me to a T and my husband (a BMW) owner loves taking the Lexus on long distances.

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  Fun to drive - 2013 Lexus CT 200H
  By john684 - October 29 - 1:56 pm

  This car is actually very slow. But it feels really fast! Perhaps because it is low to the grown and the suspension and steering is sport tuned. It is a very fun car to drive. Handles well. Cargo space is extremly limited and the tech package is out of date.

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  BabyLexus - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By Tony Santini - October 29 - 8:56 am

  I bought the IS300 5 speed back in June 2005. The experience so far is excellent. No complaints aside from the poor reception from the radio; specially when you turn the rear window defroster. The suspension makes this car to stick to the ground at higher speeds. Everyone has complimented me on the great looks of the car.

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  This car is all over the place.... - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By joem59 - October 26 - 2:33 pm

  Bought the car in 06. Needless to say Im very disappointed. The car has a nice looking exterior, great stereo and terrific gas miles (26 plus). That is where it ends. Since the first month I noticed paint chipping and scratches. I thought is was bad road luck. Then more started appearing along with blotching. I barely drive the car and never on dirt roads. Its garage kept. I have a Hyundai with 100k that gets driven every day and no front chips or scratches. The seats are very uncomfortable and feel like your sitting in a hole. I have always had rattles in dash and under carriage and door seat position buttons have always had problems and now dont work. Plus poor int lite + button design.

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  Best Car Ever - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By Luann Butcher - October 26 - 12:13 pm

  I have never owned a more reliable comfortable vehicle before. I would recommend to anyone.

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  Almost perfect - 2007 Lexus GX 470
  By Lexus Loyalist - October 24 - 10:43 pm

  After 4 RXs, I needed a change. Voila the GX. It is roomy, comfortable, sufficiently powerful, and beautifully finished. Only cars with the 3rd row seat were available, but I would rather skip that expense and get a cargo cover instead. The seats are stored, taking up room in my garage. After owning 10 Lexuses, I am surprised at some of the features missing from this car, e.g. HID swiveling headlamps and in-dash CD player. The RX is a much better equipped model for much less money.

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  Great machine! - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By Al - October 24 - 12:23 pm

  Have been most impressed by the GX470. Very solid feel, excellent performance and good safety features. Just the right size for me, kids grown with only grandkids to haul now. Would recommend this vehicle to anyone, usual Lexus quality, no problems after 9,000 miles.

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  Overpriced gas-guzzling clunky dinosaur! - 2018 Lexus LX 570
  By Anonymous - October 24 - 11:57 am

  One word to describe this SUV compared to others in its class would be: Overpriced. You are simply NOT getting anything worth it’s hefty tag of $100K! Let’s start with what it is LACKING that SUV’s 1/2 its price have.....NO Lane Assist, NO Panoramic Sunroof or Power Sunshade (manual only), NO Quiet Cabin (I clearly hear all road noise and the super irritating noise of the fans whenever the cooled/heated seats or cabin controls are on anything but low...(no excuse for this CHEAP design), NO Touch Pad screens, NO Color Changing Ambient Lighting, NO Choice of Engines, NO Keypad for phone dialing, NO Easy Interface (I am very good with technology but this thing is a joke), NO Rear USB ports, NO Digital Clock (only a hard-to-read analog one). In addition, it has poor leg room in the third due to bad floor design, Poor Cargo Space due to poorly designed folding seats, and ready for this one???!???...it comes with a car starter, but you only get to use it for ONE YEAR before they force you to pay for their Lexus Enform App to keep it going! NO yearly $300 App = NO Starter!! The drive is so clunky and tipsy around turns that I would compare it to navigating a tall cinder block on lego wheels. Oh, and the split truck is actually a big pain b/c they “forgot” to add power to the lower hatch, so if you have something heavy in your arms, you have to set it on the ground to manually open the dang lower trunk first! The controls are in horrible spots (coffee cups will block the single USB port and phone “cubby”, no other place for your phone. I have to constantly take my eyes of the road to try to navigate through the dinosaur limited options screen and buttons. Seriously, every question I have for Lexus on if there is something I might be missing, is met with a resounding NO! Unless you think it is ok to pay $100K for a vehicle that raises and lowers (no big deal since many other SUV’s do this too), and you’re OK with getting 10MPG b/c they didn’t bother to improve consumption, then save yourself from this headache and buy something else. Anything else.

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  lexus 430 - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By wavhgm - October 24 - 10:00 am

  Car is excellent..perhaps the best in the world

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  Never a problem - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By E.L. Dawkins - October 24 - 10:00 am

  This my fourth Lexus of this series. The first was a 1992 model. I have never had a reason, other than normal maintenance such as oil change, to have any of them put into a repair shop. Lexus continues to make improvements each year. My 2003 is the best yet.