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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  happy w/my new GX 470 purchase - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Lexus 470 owner - July 22 - 10:00 am

  Excellent vehicle, everything as promised and more. 0 complaints, dealership made purchasing quite painless and Im very picky.

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  Homework & test drive only - 2014 Lexus CT 200H
  By Paul R - July 21 - 1:41 pm

  Nice car with the Toyota reliability and the Lexus luxury. Did a lot of research on-line and thought this was the car for me. Although I was looking for a sporty, economical commuter car, the Lexus CPO warranty sold me. Decent car but with extremely small back seat and leg room. Except for an infant in a car seat or a small child, I dont think may larger kids or adults would be comfortable. I liked that hatchback feature although the storage area is small. Nice features and really like the estimated mpg. Decent interior features and accessories that you would expect with a Lexus. After test driving the 200h, then the 300h, ended up buying the 300h for the extra luxury and comfort on my 100 mile/day commute.

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  Tons of fun - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By snaik1 - July 19 - 2:00 am

  For the money this is a great car. Lots of fun. I have the tickets to prove it.

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  My GX 470 - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By CKB~ - July 18 - 11:06 am

  I love Lexus! This LUV has a great third row seat that helps hold a total of 7 cheerleaders and one mom! It has all of the luxeries you could want and more! I have the pearl white and the paint is just awesome! I really enjoy this vehicle and I do drive it alot. It was the only midsize LUV with the extra seating room. It is stylish and practical all at the same time!

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  okay car - 1999 Lexus RX 300
  By dake - July 18 - 12:36 am

  this is a nice car. the dealer dave mungenast is not a good dealer. the car milage is wrong. we all exepet that love our lexus rx300.

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  Good enjoyable car - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Harish Patel - July 12 - 6:57 am

  It is very pleasent automobile, I wish price could be little better. Harish Patel

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  Smooth ride? - 2013 Lexus RX 350
  By larouse - July 12 - 12:01 am

  Have our 2013 Lexus RX 350 for about a month. It has all the bells and whistles. Over all, I am happy with the car so far. However, I do not agree with those who say it has a smooth ride. This car has a very stiff ride, and I can feel every bump on the road. Unless I am driving on a very smooth surface, the ride is bumpy. Also, I find the seats rather tough. We have a 2011 Honda Accord which is smoother than this car! Maybe, it has something to do with the bloody Dunlop tires. Can not tell about reliability yet.

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  Luxury Yes - SUV Yes - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By Paul J. - July 8 - 10:38 pm

  I’m a Lexus fan and this is my 3rd. First SUV. Getting into the SUV market wasn’t easy for me. I loved my GS 350 and it had low mileage. The one and only reason to go to a SUV was so I could see around the one in front of me. Congested freeways in Southern California requires one to see brake lights several cars ahead in traffic. Ever been in a freeway which turns into a parking lot? It happens here. Anyway the majority of vehicles on the road are SUV’s it seams. So I got one simply to have a better view of the road ahead. Here is the review. 1) this is a luxury vehicle with a soft, quiet comfortable ride. If you live on or frequently windy roads, do you want a soft ride? For my tast it is too soft. 2) acceleration is OK but nothing like my GS 350. Since both the GS and RX have 3.5 liter engines I expected similar acceleration. Disappointing that isn’t the case. On the other hand driving slower and being more patient isn’t a bad thing but I miss the fun factor. 3) braking? No problems but I do believe my sedan was more responsive and would stop in a shorter distance. That is a feeling since no actual comparison was made. I may have been happier with the Lexus RX 350 Sport model as I was accustomed to a sportier vehicle.

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  Great ride; cheap paint - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Texmom - July 7 - 7:43 pm

  Im at 68000 miles on my RX 400h and have been very happy with the cars overall drive. It has NEVER broken down or needed repairs. The interior finishes (especially the silver/aluminum finishes) scratch VERY easily, as does the exterior paint. Ive replaced the tires twice - you have to get the kind that are rated for the extra weight of the car. I love the Nav system, and the one button push to close the rear door.

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  Best vehicle ever owned - 2000 Lexus LX 470
  By regreigg - July 3 - 10:00 am

  Bought this vehicle one year ago with 72000 miles on it. Now has 81000 miles. Wonderful trip ride. Great capacity to carry stuff. All around great vehicles. Drove through 12 inches of snow with it last winter. Goes anywhere. Dealers have great service. Only issue with it is CD changer died. $600 to replace. Oh well, even Lexus isnt perfect!