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:

• 

  Sportcross 1 year review - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By JoeyL - August 11 - 2:00 am

  For a station wagon, it is at the top of its class. It hauls whatever I need it to and is comfortable for my whole family. Its too early to tell, but the reliability rating seems good, and Lexus was one of the best rated for this. I considered the BMW but too many friends have multiple problems with theirs. Reliability is my most important factor.

• 

  2000 rx300 - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By hn - August 11 - 2:00 am

  great vehicle coming off lease in 3 months. our 2nd lexus. will probably aquire the rx330.

• 

  the pursuit of mediocrity - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By joanna - August 11 - 2:00 am

  having bought a new 1999 es 300 that i found flawless, i traded it in on a 2003 es 300 that has brought nothing but heartache. the ride and lexus premium sound system qualities are diminished as well as the interior quiet while driving. its like a wind tunnel now. the sound systems midrange is tinny and thin while the bass booms with reverberation at normal volume. ive found no help from the dealer. my love affair with lexus is over.

• 

  Better than I expected - 2012 Lexus CT 200H
  By bob446 - August 10 - 10:51 pm

  I just retired, so I traded the LS460 for this economical hybrid. The adjustment hasnt been as difficult as I anticipated. The CT has sufficient power, many of the usual Lexus luxuries, and provides a warm feeling about saving the planet. I drive in the Normal mode, and after warm-up, frequently see the car running on only battery power when steadily cruising as fast as 40 mph. Although not as silent as an LS (but what is?), it is acceptably quiet except during hard acceleration.

• 

  M3 and C63 - 2008 Lexus IS F
  By s.park - August 10 - 1:10 pm

  I had 2 M3s and 1 C55 and I did test drive all new M3, C63, and IS-F. I bought this car b/c never had super sedan from Toyota (also I had modified supra). Advantage - ownership cost cheaper, better reliability, better fuel economy than M3 and C63. Disadvantage - resale value lower than M3 (not C63) even though "exclusive IS-F", M3 and C63 are more fun to drive, better build quality, and better handling than IS-F. No manual trans vs. M3 (not C63), slower than M3 and C63 (not much diff. but still)

• 

  Solid Reliability Lexus - 2011 Lexus RX 350
  By cyoulater - August 9 - 2:45 pm

  The RX350 is an Excellent Car/Truck. For the most part ride is compliant.. Over some bumps, it can be non compliant. Rides like a truck.. When the road is smooth, the ride is great !! Acceleration is brisk to be sure.. Stopping is good.. Visibility is great ! Plenty of room.. Reliable , more reliable than any Mercedes or BMW with out question. Former Mercedes owner here.. Many of them actually.. The appointments are not as good as Mercedes, and there is not as much Substance as Mercedes.. But... All that is outweighed by Lexus reliability.. This is our 2nd Lexus, and nothing ever goes wrong with any of our Lexus cars.. Except.. Every 4-5 years, you have to replace the battery..

• 

  Best Car in the Market at the Best Price - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By Mohammed - August 9 - 2:43 am

  Love this car to death. It is an unbelievable improvement by Lexus. Love the features. No problems with the navigation and blue tooth features. It is very easy to operate that is why they say read the manual.

• 

  for the love of lexus - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By 2005 lexus gx 470 - August 9 - 2:20 am

  This car is amazing. It has every feature you could dream of!! The smoothness of the ride makes make it feel more like a plane gliding along the road.

• 

  Mountain Gem - 2006 Lexus LX 470
  By amr001 - August 8 - 3:56 pm

  Lexus continues to impress with outstanding quality and luxury performance. The Land Cruiser base is solid as ever and delivers rugged reliability topped off with Lexus comfort.

• 

  This is car is great - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By dcminatl - August 8 - 4:46 am

  I have owned BMW, have a Mercedes in the garage for the wife and this is definitely the best built car I have ever driven. I bought the 460 short wheel base. Zero to 60 in 5.4-5.6 seconds is not too shabby compared to the BMW 7 and Benz S class. Interior ergonomics and technology is not even close, the Lexus is superior. The 460 SWB compared to the BMW 750i seems to have more rear seat leg room and the 460L seemed like a waste of money. The BMW may own the market for road feel, but its not enough to justify the extra $16k. I was a bmw bigot, but the 460 is definitely the king of the class. Gas mileage compared to the others is superior as well.