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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  sc funmobile - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By lennyar - January 4 - 2:00 am

  my second sc430. turns heads everywhere. not a winter car in michigan. loads of fun in good weather with top down. sound system second to none

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  QUALITY & SMOOTHNESS TO THE 10TH POWER - 2002 Lexus LS 430
  By NATHANIEL DAVIS - January 4 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my LS430 since April 04 and during this time Ive continually thanked myself for selecting this particular vehicle. Its clear to me that the Lexus (Toyota) manufactures spent a great deal of time focusing on quality in this model. I must applaud their attempt. The have DONE IT!!!

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  lexus 430ls, the best - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By mikels430 - January 4 - 2:00 am

  best car for the money. very reliable, great service. I will never buy another Mercedes again

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  Quality Built - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Bob747 - January 4 - 2:00 am

  Quiet as a vault Build like a tank Quick for a vechile that is 5000lbs Rides just a nice as the LX, save $10,000 Lose 4" in the back 2" w more head room then most, commanding view of the road! blows away x5, mdx, Aviator,xc90, and the rest. No SUV is perfect, but this one comes close!

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  An ES 330 with lots of problems - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By smirror - January 3 - 1:23 pm

  I bought an Acura TL in 2002 and had a lot of noise problems. So when I needed to buy another car last year, I went for a Lexus brand with great reputation. But I was disappointed completely. The transmission hesitation made the driving so painful, in addition to many noise problems (rattling door, overhead, steering column and front passenger seat). In fact there are widespread complaint about the transmission problem in the Edmunds Forum discussions. My mistake was that I did not read them before buying the car. Still, I am surprised that the reviews here are pretty much all good. Go check out the Forum before you buy the ES. Dont make mistakes like mine.

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  A Dream come true - 2002 Lexus GS 300
  By spiderman - January 2 - 10:00 am

  An unbelievable automobile. I will never drive anything other than a Lexus again

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  My annoying GS300... - 2002 Lexus GS 300
  By Katherine - January 2 - 10:00 am

  Darn it! I keep getting pulled over. I bought my GS300 about 6 months ago and I cannot keep from driving 80mph on the freeway. I swear it feels like I am going the speed limit but twice now I have seen those flashing lights. This car is AMAZING! It is quiet, comfortable, responsive, fast, etc, etc. And my Mark Levinson radio cannot be beat.

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  A Miss - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Off the mark - January 2 - 10:00 am

  Give this one a miss. Cant hold a candle to the new Infiniti G35, Acura TL etc..

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  Smooth Jazz On Wheels - 1999 Lexus LS 400
  By lexpilot - January 2 - 10:00 am

  My 99 LS 400 5 speed is much faster than my 97 4 speed. Ive owned expensive cars for 20 years and this is my favorite. A usable hotrod. Perfect for trips. Concert sound going down the road. Quiet inside. The most restful car on a trip around. Room to put your luggage. In short a perfect long distance cruiser. No wonder there are a lot of high mileage LS 400s around.

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  Unique model with some minor shortcomings - 2013 Lexus ES 300h
  By jpallen01 - January 2 - 4:14 am

  My wife and I purchased this car 2 weeks ago and we have nearly 1000 miles on it already. We are generally very pleased with it. It has a ton of room in the front and rear seats. It is very quiet, the ride is excellent and the handling is capable. We anticipate the fuel mileage will be in the 40 range when we stop playing with it. Currently we are getting 36MPH in mixed driving. The controls are well thought out but the Lexus Enform and Navigation Tech is taking a little getting use to. I hope they will update the software with some better navigation of the menus. But the Tech is still very cool. The Hybrid system rocks! Changes from motor to battery with hardly a notice! Its a keeper.