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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  Winter/Wet Driving - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By jtrock - April 27 - 2:00 am

  Being rear drive and very light this is the worst car I have ever had for snow/wet road driving. Even with the standard 16" tires the car would not move away from the curb in the first snowfall. I put Blizzaks on it and it is somewhat better but this vehicle is not recommended for northern climates. the TRACS system also sucks. It makes starting out on wet pavement chunky. It also seems to have a hesitation on acceleration at times.

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  Superior Vehicle with low maintenance - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By mjnincal - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Vehicle seems molds to your body. Ground design and center of gravity stable. 0 to 60 in less than five seconds is dynamic. Quiet interior. Makes you feel like you are in a jet aircraft.

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  Awesome Luxury Car - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By Duane - April 25 - 9:13 am

  I total love my Lexus 430! I have only had the car a month but it is hands down the best car I have ever owned. Just sold an Infiniti M45 haited the car. I have owned Mercedes and Cadillac but Lexus is hands down the best for the money. The Ultra Luxury package is awesome!!! You would pay 15K more on a Benz with the same equipment. I also got the Lexus warranty for 7 years and 100K! How can you go wrong! If you are looking for the best ride you have ever experienced for a reasonable price please look into the LS430. You cant go wrong!!!!!!!!!

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  Awesome Hybrid - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By PeterJ - April 24 - 9:23 pm

  I just got this great SUV, and I love almost everything about it. Quiet, comfortable, has great acceleration, and almost excellent fuel economy.

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  NAV system terrible - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By paul m - April 24 - 2:26 pm

  In Canada, do not waste your money on Nav system. I live in Toronto and have had no end of troubles. Canada is an after-thought and even Lexus Canada will admit that the Nav system is woefully inaccurate and incomplete. Often advised that "house number does not exist". Entire towns in the Maritimes do not exist (St. Andrews, NB). Rely on this system and you will get lost and stay lost. In Quebec you better know the french names. System frequently sends me down blind alleys and blocked streets in Toronto. Lexus says sorry but read fine print, NICE service, eh!

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  2005 GX470 with Sport Package - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By JLex - April 23 - 8:53 am

  This SUV is well worth the money. The interior styling, handling, and performance is flawless. I have the sport package with KDSS which may contribute to the excellent handling, and will say this thing definetly corners just as well as any car-based SUV in the market. Havent had a chance to offroad, but I have no doubts on its capabilities. It maintains excellent control in the snow & mud. Other vehicles I considered were the Acura MDX, BMW X5, and the Land Rover LR3. I am 100% satisfied with my choice.

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  RX 330 - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Clever - April 23 - 4:06 am

  You have to test-drive one to understand how great they are.

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  Im in love - 2016 Lexus NX 200t
  By Layne R. - April 22 - 11:19 am

  I thought I wanted the RX350, but after driving this gem, I fell in love. The handling of the car is sweet. I like the extra boost of the sport mode if needed, and the economy option as well. Was disappointed to hear they dont use real leather anymore, but the new car smell is there and hopefully the interior will last me over 10 years. There is, however, sometimes a glare from the sun on the silver part of the dash area and the steering wheel can get quite hot if car is in the sun. The AC not as cool as our Toyotas, but it gets the job done, love the fan in the seats, that is wonderful. I think the touch pad is just fine, kind of fun to feel the little pop as it moves to a designated area on screen. I like the navigation views of the current street driving on and the compass is awesome. The visibility is a bit less, but the backup camera with grid lines is very helpful. The size of cargo spaces are perfect for us now in this time of life. The seats are better than other cars, but sometimes I still add a lumbar pillow, cars arent designed for women with their hair in pony tails or buns, thats a shame. The push start took some getting used to, but nice to not deal with keys except to unlock my house, wish it was a push button. So happy for AWD, wasnt looking for it, but very glad we have it in case we travel to snow country.

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  An Excellent Vehicle - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By MichaelSkis - April 22 - 2:00 am

  Our family just bought a brand new black GX 470 - fully loaded. We love it. The comfort is more than we could have ever asked for and the ride....you might as well be on a plane, it feels like you are flying.

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  Its a great car but not a 3 Series - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By SantiB - April 22 - 2:00 am

  This has been a fun car to drive. Very reliable and solid.