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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  A pleasure - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By raftmaster - March 24 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car for my wife last weekend. Shes been out of town on business and I had occassion to drive it on a "local" business trip (100 miles each way). The car is a drivers dream, comfortable, responsive and insulating. The premium sound system rocks! We had no need of the navigation system, so this vehicle has the standard premium upgrade. How much better the Mark Levinson system could be, I cant imagine. No complaints at all after the first road trip in this car. Wonder if my wife will mind taking over my Accord?

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  EARLY EXPERIENCE WITH LEXUS - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By STAR - March 24 - 2:00 am

  ONLY OWNED APPROX. THREE MONTHS, BUT SO FAR, NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM. VERY COMFORTABLE AND RIDES AS WELL AS MY 2003 LINCOLN TOWNCAR. ONLY POSSIBLE COMPLAINT IS THAT THE DASHBOARD IS LOADED WITH BUTTONS THAT A WHILE TO GET FAMILAR WITH.

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  It makes my driving a lot better - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Miltoro - March 24 - 2:00 am

  The seats are very comfortable and sit high over the road for maximum visibility. I dont get tired after a ong drive. Living in Maine, I find that the heated seats in front are most welcome.The rides is very smooth.I feel extremely safe in this car. The manufacture has done everything possible to make it the safest SUV.I recommend it highly and will plan to replace it eventually with another one just like it.

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  2016 Lexus NX F sport 500 mi review - 2016 Lexus NX 200t
  By Albert Kam - March 23 - 9:08 am

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  lexus - 1998 Lexus LS 400
  By Doug Fromhold - March 22 - 10:00 am

  Great car! Have driven other makes and models and there is no comparision. Love this car!

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  Outstanding Vehicle - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Donaldd - March 22 - 10:00 am

  The car is smooth and responsive. Just got it 3 weeks ago but so far it has been outstanding. This is the first Lexus I have owned. I have had Caddys and Acura Legends but I think the ES300 exceeds them.

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  Not quite the quality I expected - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By LLRinCO - March 19 - 9:20 am

  For a fairly new Lexus, mine had some little quirks - squeaking by the back seat, radio speakers working intermitently, twice it did not start the first time I turned the key. Other then that a nice vehicle, great in snow, navigation well worth it.

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  Dependability & Reliability - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By woodpecker - March 18 - 7:43 pm

  I have only had this vehicle for a short time however it is typical Lexus quality-build. Gas mileage is not the best but better for an engine of this size and class of SUV, something I realized when buying. The sound system is excellent and optional sport edition adds an extra flare each time I get inside. Lexus dependability/safety/durability/peace of mind is something that comes standard with the MSRP...

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  Caros 99 Lexus RX 300 - 1999 Lexus RX 300
  By caro - March 18 - 2:13 pm

  This is a great vehicle if youre looking for a "tall car". It is the size of a sedan, just higher off the ground. One major design flaw which I understand has been fixed, if the rear windows are down but the front arent, there is a horrible wind-suction noise. Other than that, it is a smooth, luxury ride. Very nice interior leather, comfortable seats and a nice car to drive around town and short distances. Wouldnt recommend for a long drive, particularly if youre stuck in the back seats. Low maintenance, in my experience.

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  Disappointing - 2016 Lexus LS 460
  By ruben zagagi - March 18 - 12:46 pm

  Loved my 1998, thought upgrading to get new technology would be an improvement. But so many things have been disappointing. The navigation system is a disaster with the remote mouse. BMW/Mercedes/Audi iDrive like are much easier to use. Forget about voice control. Doesnt work. Keyless entry sometimes works, sometimes doesnt. Impossible to debug because it is intermittent. Have the F Sport, where the front seats are very uncomfortable -- back is too narrow unless youre a very small person. Both BMW and Mercedes have adjustments. Lexus doesnt. Also so many features that the german cars have and Lexus doesnt in this flagship car- massage front seats, contour seats, self parking, surround cameras.