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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  Road trip - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By KJsIS - April 14 - 10:00 am

  I took a road trip from Texas to NY and back about 3 weeks after buying this Sportcross. I found that I had to use cruise control on long drives, otherwise the seat would become very uncomfortable for my gas pedal leg. Ive taken this trip before in a GTI VR6 and didnt experience any discomfort. Of course, this problem wouldnt be noticed during day to day driving, only on 600+ mile cruises. Besides that, the paint chipped much more than I expected for a premium car (GTI fared better). Other than those issues, Ive truly enjoyed the 2 months with this car.

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  Disappointed - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By Pathdoc - April 14 - 10:00 am

  Great handling. Needs more power. Disappointed by clunking noise when shifting 5 speed (District Operations Manager finally admitted a design flaw in dual plate flywheel) Quirky auto climate control searches for right cabin temp. Dealer service arrogant and indifferent. Not what I expect from Lexus! Now have a dashboard rattle

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  My Lexus RX 400 - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Salim - April 7 - 1:36 pm

  This is my 2ed Lexus RX. I have had this vehicle for more than 5 years and I give it an over all rating of 8 on a 1-10 scale. Just a few days ago, the cruise control just quit and I am told that the stick on the steering column is broke; $400 to replace. I am on my third set of tires and I do not speed or burn rubber. Other than that the car has been very reliable and still looks almost brand new ( It is always garaged, however).

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  A techies dream car - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By valrio - April 1 - 12:26 am

  I love most everything about this car. I say most because every car has its flaws. I live in Los Angeles and there are small hills that I travel daily which I think contributes to the lousy gas mileage that Ive been getting. I have about 1500 miles on the car and average 19 MPG in the city. I do mostly city driving thats why I purchased the car. Ive taken it to the dealership and they tested it and said their testing equipment indicates that I average 24 MPG in the city. How can they determine that by having the car for 2 hours. I fill it up and do the math...gallons vs miles driven and it always comes out 19 MPG in the city and I am not a lead footer. That is my biggest complaint

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  Ugly as hell ! - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By thejavagod - March 31 - 2:00 am

  This is one UGLY car! Interior is exceptionally luxurious! This car has zero driving fun...compared to my Acura TL Type S this ES300 feels like a big old boat!

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  very pleased - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By Bill - March 28 - 2:56 pm

  I have owned this car since it was new and still enjoy driving it as well as when it was new

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  Likeable but not Loveable - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By MJL - March 25 - 4:53 pm

  Ive had my ES 330 for a bit over 2 months. Traded in a 2002 Acura TL. While the Lexus has a more upscale interior (i.e. wood trim steering wheel) the handling is not nearly as nimble as the TL, nor is it as quick as the TL (notwithstanding that both cars have the same HP rating). I also find that the double-wishbone suspension of the TL makes for a slightly more comfortable highway ride that the rack & pinion ES. All in all a nice car, comfortable and competitively priced with the likes of Acura TL, Infiniti G35 and Cadillac CTS. That said, I find it a likeable car, but not a car that can be characterized as a "drivers car". Only averaging 23 mpg combined city/hwy using reqd premium.

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  First SUV - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Joyce - March 22 - 5:43 am

  I like the feel of driving it... it is a comfortable ride that feels more like a car than a truck.. as some SUVs do. Decent amount of loading space for most items.

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  Word of mouth! - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By oldgallis - March 20 - 10:00 am

  I knew it wasnt going to drive like a sports car (IS300).A sound quality system was expected(I30).After I drove my first Lexus in 1996 I thought I would never drive another luxury brand again.Now I am not so sure..In a few years when start shopping around I dont know.I just think Lexus should be trying to improve their proven winners,Instead of trying to bring new vehicles to market.Concentrate on their loyal following and we will convert the others if you treat us write.The best advertisment is word of mouth.

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  My Second Car - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By Drew P. - March 16 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for a little over a year now, and havent had any major problems, but being a college student its starting to become hard to keep up with the $100 repairs. I had to change the cv boots, o2 sensors, rear shocks, and the CD changer quit working. It is a great car though, but Im going to try another Lexus model after this.