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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  Whats next? - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By DMC90025 - June 1 - 2:00 am

  I drive alot! 2-3K per mo. Heavy LA traffice or flat out on a freeway. Car handles both very well. Got 21K on the clock. New Yokohamas to replace the crap Potenza tires that are over rated, at 20K. In summary, the biggest beef I have is the ability to adjust the drivers seat to my needs. Nada! Beef #2, as the trans shifts in to 2nd under kickdown , acceleration goes flat! Paint finish is not to the standard of the other Lexus cars, ie lots of rock damage, paint readily nicks down to the metal. Suggest new buyers put a small bra on the nose when they first get it.

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  cruiser - 2013 Lexus LX 570
  By ice10 - May 28 - 4:49 pm

  THis is a huge cruiser with a great ride quality. I drove the Infinity QX, Benz GL, BMW X5, and Range Rovers/ Land Rover. LX 570 did not have the best acceleration, handling, or looks. But it did have the best ride quality and reliability. I heard horror stories about MB GL and Range Rover/Land Rover. The dealers make more money on fixing these cars than selling them. I havent heard too many horror stories about the BMWs. At the end of the day, I wanted my wife to by the porsche SUV. Porsche is the only car that I am willing to forgive for less than a reliable history. If you ever drove the porsche, youll know what I am talking about. AS always, my wife won so we got the Lexus LX.

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  Lexus or a compact car? - 2016 Lexus RX 350
  By Maggie-M - May 21 - 8:20 pm

  This is the third RX I have owned. My first 2004 then a 2010. Love the new exterior of the 2016. That being said there are a few things I do not like. I chose the F-Sport because of the grill and over-all sporty look. When you accelerate the noise of the transmission is not smooth, but very loud. It is a noise as if you are in a compact car, not a Lexus. Another feature I miss may not be of much importance to most, but is one have become accustomed to. The driver side cup-holder in the dash is gone. I am averaging 17mpg but I have been using the s sport mode so I expect it to not be as good.

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  The Best Lux_SUV... If you dont compare - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By Bill91367 - May 19 - 12:33 pm

  One of the main reason for the purchase of this car was the handling; Its really drives like a car thats been raised by about 8 inches off the ground. Wind noise is excessive at freeway speeds for a luxury car.

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  Touring Package Option - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By tricky73 - May 14 - 9:00 am

  It would be more helpful if posters identify their specific model; my take is there is a noticeable difference between SWB, LWB, and the Touring Package. I am very apprehensive at the moment re reliability; I had a rather simple electrical problem which seemed to baffle service personnel. The Parking Assist accessory borders on fraud by Lexus as it relates to the owner; it is complicated, flakey, and poorly supported with useful instructional material. All 460L models I have seen have this option, and when even my dealership couldnt get it to work reliably, they advised "just dont use it."

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  winter mileage drop - 2010 Lexus HS 250H
  By Anonymous - May 12 - 2:00 am

  When I purchased this car in February, I was getting 37mpg. I live the Chicago area and with the winter cold, it has dropped to less then 30. I took it to the dealer who said it was normal due to the engine running more for the emissions. Seems like too big of a drop to me. the car itself is fun to drive, handles well, although the grunt of the engine turning on does seem to be a little underpowered. Trunk space is diminished due to the batteries and the stereo is not what I consider top of the line for a Lexus, particulalry in the back seat. I also wish there was a wee bit more headroom in the front and the center console does intrude.

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  very nice car, but crappy service - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By whatsnext - May 7 - 10:00 am

  cons: interior materials are poor quality. My steering wheel leather started cracking after a couple months. THe oem tires were terrible and blew up on me. one blew up after a couple thousand miles. Another one blew up later on. The tire recall didnt help either since they killed the new tires which I bought to replace my old tires. My center console plastic started fading. pros: very solid car. great handling. bottom line: dont expect to be reimbursed for any parts that are built below standard. Be prepared to shell out quite a bit of money to fix little things like interior parts, paint chips, tires, and so on.

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  Disappointing - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By Jerry Kaye - May 2 - 10:00 am

  I am a little disappointed in the car. Ive had to replace the ignition switch, and now the check engine light comes on. Some say its an O2 sensor, another shop said it was an exhaust leak. I did however, detect a leak when it was on the lift.

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  Inferior - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By LHB - April 28 - 10:00 am

  This is our third RX. and it might be our last, It does not have the quility of our previous RX300s, wind noise and road noise is excessive.

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  Good car but not for me - 2008 Lexus RX 350
  By holltol - April 17 - 8:10 pm

  Its a good car but not for me. Seat is not comfortable at all (6ft tall) too small seat and gave me backpain even had lumber support. Useless armrest. Not good air filter for cabin. I would only recommend this car for the driver who would enjoy smooth driving, superior customer service, clean dealership and smaller height person.