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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  Love the ES 300 - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By asmithba - February 8 - 10:00 am

  I have taken my Lexus ES 300 on two ling trips now, and can say only one thing. Love the ES 300.

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  Expedition Downsizing - 2016 Lexus GX 460
  By Ron - February 8 - 5:15 am

  We have been a Ford Expedition family for years and they served us well hauling boats, kids to sporting events, vacations, moving, weddings etc. We were looking for a new expedition and noticed that the power options were limited to 6cyl eco boost. Apparently Ford decided to do away with 5.4 V8. Too bad. We looked at all of the other domestic Suvs and nothing really hit us. By chance we stopped into the Lexus dealership and noticed the GX460.Granted its not as big as the Expedition but the kids are all married. The ride is firm solid yet refined and in, many ways better that my exp. Fit n finish is excellent . The overall driving experience is second to none. Acceleration is strong and reliable.We still tow the Whaler and it does it with ease and I have no regrets. After 1000miles we re getting 21.8mpg combined while getting 23 highway. We have not seen or experienced the concerns/issues of prior reviewers. Its an excellent Truck!

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  Great - 2005 Lexus GX 470
  By Roger108 - February 7 - 4:16 am

  The vehicle is the best! I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a comfortable ride in a SUV. THe interior and exterior are very nice!

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  Passionate pursuit of imperfection - 2000 Lexus LX 470
  By amanthin - February 6 - 5:03 pm

  Had this SUV for a long time now, and the quality of the vehicle is terrible. Too many issues and too many costly repairs. I have under 100k miles on this. Issues: 1 CD.. Disks get stuck in the player 2 Ignition went out, and it cost me $1200 (non-dealership) to fix it. I was told that Lexus placed the starter in such a position that it takes a min of 4 hrs to replace. A similar replacement on American cars take less than 1hr. 3. The Antenna doesnt go down. Didnt fix this. 4. Shock are leaking oil and needed replacement. $2500 5. Recently the ignition switch actually broken when turning the key. What a crappy engineering using cheap metals. $1200. The dealer says it is normal.

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  Lexus engine - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By Eric Rodriguez - February 6 - 12:22 pm

  I purchased my 2001 Lexus about 9 months ago with 180,000 miles now I have 208,000 miles. I havent had any issues the last owner was a family friend that took care of the maintenance very well. My question is what is the average life of the engine how much more miles can I get out of it? I been taking care of the maintenance on car since got it.

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  Love my Lexus - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By 2007 Lexus LS 460 L - February 6 - 2:13 am

  This car sets the standards. Definitely the King of the road.

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  Step up - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By psl - February 4 - 10:00 am

  The car is fun to drive, extemely quiet and very comfortable for long trips. I have put over 20,000 miles on mine since Dec. 1 and enjoyed every mile. Service has been outstanding. I was blasted by a sanding truck over the winter and when I went in for service they offered to repaint the front end at thier expense... I guesss thats one reason to buy a luxury car!

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  2004 RX330 - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By guywsapp - February 4 - 10:00 am

  I previously owned an RX300. I liked it enough that I traded for the RX330. The 330 has a tighter turning radius and is much steadier on interstate driving (no darting about) The additional power is very evident. The interior is really about the same. At this point I would move into another RX when a new design is brought out. I do like my RX.

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  6 months on the road 400RH - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By RX400 H fan - February 3 - 2:50 am

  I average 28 mph with about 60% highway driving compared to 17 - 18 mph with my 2001 RX 300. Moves well in highspeed traffic on the beltway and in heavy traffic.

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  Incredible car - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By NightRider - February 2 - 10:00 am

  This is definately my favorite of all of the cars I have driven. It is loaded with too many features to list, has a very powerful engine, exceptional handling, and is very roomy. Notable gadgets include auto-latching trunk lid, gps navigation, Mark Levinson audio system (VERY nice), 6 disc indash CD changer, adjustable seatwarmers, pretty much powered everything, dark spots at night inside the car are lit up a little, and a myriad of other goodies to discover when you go to testdrive it. Very quiet, VERY smooth, sharp interior. Excellent automobile.