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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  Everything good but transmission - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Kelvin - March 5 - 10:00 am

  I love everything except the slow- respond, not-smooth transmission. This is not what I expect from a Lexus. Sometimes its getting so annoying that I hate my car. Other than that, everything else is soooooooo nice.

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  Would buy another one in a heartbeat - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Rocky Mountains - March 4 - 5:40 am

  Wonderful car. 40,000 miles, never needed service except for oil changes and regular maintenance. Rides extremely comfortable like you are floating on air but still handles extremely well off-road. Considered a Lexus LX470, RX350, Infiniti FX45, BMW X5, Land Rover LR3 and VW Toureg.

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  Great ride in 07 RX 400h - dead battery - 2007 Lexus RX 400H
  By 07RX400h - March 2 - 8:56 pm

  I just picked up my 07 RX 400h on 9/11. Im still trying to get used to no engine starting when I turn the key. Very quiet and smooth ride. Fuel economy is avg. around 24-25 mpg over the first 100 miles (about 50/50 hwy/city) -- I have a little bit of a foot, but have been going pretty gentle on the pedal. I have made a couple of individual 5-10 mile trips in city with up to 32 mpg. Im happy with 25 mpg compared to my Lin. Nav at 10 mpg. Had an issue this morning with a dead ICE battery. Lexus sent out AAA who didnt know squat about hybrids, so I ended up reading the owners manual to the tow truck driver. A quick jump start and everything was fine -- I hope.

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  I wanted so bad to like this car! - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By mjf - March 2 - 4:20 pm

  Where do I start… I have had this car at the Lexus shop 7X in the past year for numerous rattles & squeaks which still aren’t fixed. I have had the clutch on the AC replaced, the AC/heater fan motor replaced, the heating/AC control unit replaced, & the sunroof track system replaced. I wanted so bad to like this car but it has been nothing but a pain. Performance wise, it just OK. The 5-speed manual shifts hard & the traction control is bad, kicks in when taking off or cornering hard & then stays activated too long causing lack of power. The car handles well on dry & wet pavement, however, its downright scary on any remotely slippery roads. I wished Id bought a BMW again.

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  Driveable Livingroom - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By D Norman - February 28 - 1:30 am

  This is my second LS series. This is by far the most comfortable automobile I have ever driven and I have driven hundreds. I purchased the Ultra Luxury Package this time and the amenities and ride are absolutely unsurpassed. My wife and I drove to Florida last summer, 2700 miles in all and the level of comfort could not have been better. There are copiers, i.e. the 07 Big Mercedes and BMWs,but they dont quite compare the the ride, reliability and comfort of the LS 430 Ultra. Superb motorcar.

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  Fun to drive - 2008 Lexus ES 350
  By AT - February 27 - 5:03 pm

  Very nice car. I will buy another one. The ride is extremely smooth and the gas mileage was surprisingly better than advertised for highway driving. It took me a while to get used to the push button start, I have caught myself a few times just leaving the engine running while trying to exit the vehicle, the engine is that quiet. The memory seat and steering wheel settings dont set, every time I get in the car after my wife drives I have to move the seat back before I get in. Roofline should be higher, I often have to adjust my seat to avoid touching the interior ceiling.

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  Smooth Ride - 2006 Lexus RX 330
  By candy - February 27 - 3:33 am

  The Lexus 330 is a luxury vehicle. The ride is extremely comfortable. The interior is very roomy. The vehicle handles well in inclement weather conditions. I really enjoy driving my Lexus.

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  We like our ES - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By Romer - February 26 - 9:00 pm

  My wife had never heard of the ES300 model. She had her mind set on a C class Mercedes. We test drove the C class and she was all disappointed. Took her down the street from the Mercedes to test drive the ES and it was love at first test drive. For a car that sells for under $35K, it is better equipped than some of the other MFRs that have their models for 10K more. The ride is amazingly comfortable. Everything is automatic. The seats are great and the sound system - even the base system - is awesome. The power is not great which they took care of in the ES330 model and the transmission seems to have a mind of its own. The CVT tranny takes the fun out of driving it.

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  A tank - 2016 Lexus GX 460
  By Gil - February 26 - 10:41 am

  I dont get this. Why is this truck not getting 5 stars in every review . I traded a 2014 VW Touareg TDI for the Lexus. I got tired of the running that the dealer give me. ( Is normal is a German car, is build for performance). Well, in my eyes , the most important thing is to get me where i want to go without having to call a tow truck. Lexus , please dont pay attention to all these spring journalist that think , they know what and how a truck should perform. Please keep making this truck the way it is. I would love to have that 2.8 diesel engine that is been sold everywhere around the world but <<<< for now i will settle for this silk smooth 4.6 engine . Maybe a little turbo ??? next generation ?? in about four years .

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  33 year old view - 1999 Lexus LS 400
  By esanjose - February 26 - 2:00 am

  I narrowed my new car choice to the Infiniti G35 Sedan. However, the dealer had a 1999 LS400 on the lot. After test driving the G35 and the 1999 LS400, I was hooked on the LS400. My wife even agreed that the used Lexus felt more secure than the new G35 Sedan. I would label it a european sports sedan with top ratings in comfort, security, handling, and acceleration.