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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  BEST of the BEST - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By Good Man - March 30 - 10:00 am

  My best SUV/CAR I owned so far !

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  RX - A new standard for crossovers - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Dianne & Ash - March 30 - 10:00 am

  I bot the RX in 99 and at the time I thought it was the most well-rounded SUV out there. The new 330 is so much improved - I feel Im driving a completely different car. Having checked out the X5, FX45, MDX, XC90 - which are all top notch - I had to go with the 330 again since it does just about every thing so well.

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  Great! - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By c - March 30 - 4:03 am

  I am a Mercedes person so I did not know what to expect when I got my RX. I will never go back to Mercedes now. This car is incredible. It is fun to drive and I do not even feel like I am in a SUV. I cant wait to get the hybrid.

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  Best Balanced Car - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By E. Griffith - March 29 - 7:16 am

  I got married & was looking for a sedan to replace my Honda Prelude, but I didnt want to give up the quickness and great handling. The IS 300 weighs 300 lbs. more than the Prelude but certainly doesnt drive like it. I was not afraid to buy one with over 100,000 miles because my family has owned several Lexus models. They rarely need repairs. I had to replace a cracked wheel (previous owner abuse) and found $200 for a re-manufactured one much easier to swallow than $500 from Lexus. Someone installed metal brake pads and cheap Kuhmo tires. After switching to ceramic pads and Pirrelli P Zero tires, the car is back to its surprising potential.

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  Great Car - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Lev - March 27 - 8:33 am

  Love the nav, mileage, and performance. Highly recommend

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  Gets better the more I drive it - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By JM - March 26 - 6:42 pm

  Its simply the best overall car Ive had. Its quiet and comfortable. Soaks up bumps and pot holes like a champ, which is appreciated where the roads arent so great. Its not a performance car by any means, but its got plenty of get-up for my tastes. I love all the driver assistant technology (dynamic cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitor, heads up display, etc.) and parking assist functions. I think it looks great inside and out and I get a ton of compliments. I truly believe this is the best interior in its class, I opted for the bamboo and parchment and its really slick looking. My only major gripe is the navigation system which is basically garbage compared to Google maps. However, its still worth getting it because it comes with the awesome 12.3" inch screen and Mark Levinson sound system.

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  Great Car - 1999 Lexus ES 300
  By jblynn - March 25 - 8:21 pm

  12 yo, 142K. New noc & MAF sensors in 11th year @ about $1K. Alternator died at 52K mi, just out of warranty. W-pump died at abt 100K. Other than that, routine maint. White pearlcoat looks as good as it did in 99; few very small dings on hood - touch-up paint works. Beautiful car & design, IMO. Very difficult to develop a scratch on exterior. Leather wearing very well. Wood appliques on dash aged a bit due to moisture/cleaning. Interior dash boring; roomy in front; headroom bad in rear for 6 ftrs. Cup hldrs useless. Nakamichi superior. Good perf.; gas mileage 21/28. We all have good days and bad. No day is completely bad if I get to drive this car at the end of it. Great buy.

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  Great if its what you expected - 2013 Lexus LS 460
  By burnsideave - March 25 - 12:14 pm

  I have a high-pressure job & like my car to be a low-pressure, traveling sofa, so when I tested various cars (Audi A6 & A8, Mercedes 550, BMW 7 series) the LS 460 stole the show. My priorities are quiet cabin, smooth ride, great sound system and plush interior, so Im very happy with my choice.

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  New ES 350 - 2009 Lexus ES 350
  By lbaird - March 25 - 10:43 am

  I previously owned a 1998 ES300 and logged 154000 miles without a major problem. The amazing thing is that the purchase price of the 2009 was about the same with more equipment standard. If this car is nearly as good as my old Lexus, I will be more than satisfied. I have only driven it about 2000 miles but I am very impressed with the power, quality and economy of this car.

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  My sixth Toyota - 2000 Lexus ES 300
  By Matthew James Black - March 25 - 10:00 am

  Its not a second generation Acura Legend Coupe(the car the ES300 replaced), then again, neither is my wifes 2003 Acura 3.2 CL Type S. Its also much more enjoyable to drive than the buff magazines suggested -- suggesting that the car was being reviewed without actually driving it. Regretting my decision to trade-in my 1995 Legend Coupe, I intend to keep the ES300 at least 10-12 years, rotating the "second car" currently occupied by the 3.2CL.