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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  To start or not to start - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By Annie Keenan - May 28 - 2:22 am

  There is a technical glitch with this model that Lexus hasn’t come up with a fix for. Periodically, about 4 times a month, the car won’t start when first turned over. A message appears that states “ Braking power low. Pull off the road. Check owners manual”. Lexus says to keep trying, push the petal harder and the car will start on the second, third or fourth try. They claim the car is functioning normally. My other Rx’s never had this problem. Be prepared to face this surprise each morning!

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  Good car to hold on to - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By George - May 27 - 10:30 pm

  Purchased it in 1999, off a 3 year lease and 36K miles. Car runs well and accelerates well at high speeds. Body design has withstood the test of time. However, I did add a new transmission in 2004. Leather seat showing wear and tear. I would buy a new one.

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  A classier hybrid for distinctive taste - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Luvmy400h - May 27 - 8:40 pm

  The Lexus RX 400h is a dream to drive. The power is unbelievable. It is very comfortable. Easy ingress and egress. I drive it off road for 2 miles to reach my home. It is a very smooth drive on the dirt road. Flies up the canyons of Utah. Corners exceptionally well. Im averaging about 26 mpg, which is a substantial increase from my gas guzzling SUV. Im a heavy foot. A light foot will have even better mileage. Im sold on the hybrid technology as well as the Lexus brand.

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  A lot room for improvement as a "Luxury" vehicle - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By Camas John - May 27 - 10:24 am

  The front wind shield wiper makes annoying noise when the blade hits the left end. The newly designed rear wipers can not reach the lower left and upper right corner under raining condition and create blind spots. The acceleration peddle is very noisy when it is released and this should never happen to a "Luxury" vehicle. The discomfort seats give a feeling of riding on a cheap truck.

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  Love Love Love the car - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Kevin Carlin - May 27 - 10:07 am

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  Great ride - 2007 Lexus GS 450h
  By Dan - May 26 - 7:53 pm

  Wonderful car overall. I had owned an Acura RL and BMW 5 series prior to purchasing the Hybrid GS450 only about 4 weeks ago. Downsides are small trunk space and less than predicted fuel economy (so far, only one tank and I got 22 MPG...the vehicle rating claims are 24-28 MPG). I find the car to be a great combination of comfort and performance.

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  An excellent buy! Voice functions need improvement - 2011 Lexus ES 350
  By paddyz - May 26 - 11:48 am

  I bought my 2011 ES 350 a month ago at $6k below MSRP. I am happy with this car. It has a very smooth and quiet ride, lots of comfort features and is definitely a good value for the money.

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  The best of best - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By TedN - May 26 - 10:00 am

  I enjoy every mile I drive with it

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  Exelent Car - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By Danny-511 - May 26 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best Sedan out there for the money. I love it it has great power and very luxories

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  Great Value - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By GrantJ - May 26 - 10:00 am

  Great car! Great value for the price. Gas mileage is very good for a car of its size. I dont think the new design is as sharp as the old version 300 but when you sit down in this car you know its a quaility automobile. Dont think I agree with the decisssion to change the body style in 2003 and in 04 change the version from 300 to 330. I would expect Lexus to have changed the number when the body style was change,