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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  Stopped Leasing to Enjoy luxury - 2017 Lexus NX 300h
  By Dolores Ann Gonzalez - December 22 - 6:22 pm

  I used to lease every three years decided in retirement to treat myself to luxury ---- Excellent decision.

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  Rush Hour? Who cares! - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By KingKelly - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Im sitting in rush hour traffic, but Im enveloped in quiet luxury and beautiful sound supplied by a Mark Levinson sound system. Heated AND cooled seats provide comfort in any weather. Couldnt be happier!

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  Excellent Car, Small Aggravants - 1995 Lexus LS 400
  By dwity - December 22 - 10:00 am

  The car is beautiful to drive, exceptional to ride, powerful and smooth as silk. It does everything well. My car has a few small, annoying and very expensive to fix problems: drivers side heated seat never worked, lcd on radio is moody - it will work flawlessly sometimes and work very poorly sometimes, the front suspension "creaks" when changing directions. Outside of these aggravants, this car is virtually perfect. It is faster than 90% of the vehicles out there, looks like a grandpas car and even at 8 years old, appears brand new. At emissions a few months ago, the guy thought it was a brand new car.

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  Nice machine with some funny quirks - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By Larry Pope - December 22 - 10:00 am

  We started looking at ML320s but liked the styling and ride of the RX better. The RX is built on a Camry frame while the ML is a truck and it feels like it. Besides, an MB built in Alabama? Please. I only have one complaint with this car. The brakes sound like a locomotive trying to stop. I started complaining about them at 10,000 miles. The dealership "adjusted" them and supposedly changes some parts. Finally at 36,000 miles, they put on a kit that quieted them down. The new kit only has a few hundred miles on it and so far so good. A $40,000 car shouldnt have that kind of flaw. (In their defense, all the brake work was done under warranty.)

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  Great automobile - 2005 Lexus LS 430
  By JKROME - December 21 - 10:40 pm

  This is my 6th LS and each one has been even better than the last. This is a very smooth riding and handling car. Very quiet ride and the service has always been excellent.

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  Best car Ive owned - 2007 Lexus ES 350
  By bggas400 - December 21 - 7:33 pm

  The car is sturdy, fast, reliable, and comfortable. I love that I never have to use the keys with the push button ignition and sensors that unlock the door when you grab the handle. The only issues Ive encountered are the transmission seemingly skipping around 40 mph but I guess thats the intuitive response. The other thing is I dont believe that the paint job is the best. It seems to chip easily. The nav system is great but it at times will take you on some strange routes.

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  Fun to Drive - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  By Happy - December 21 - 4:30 pm

  I have read the magazines review for this car, but they get a little picky in my view, If it does a quarter mile in 5.6 or 5.4 seconds, this car is quick!! It really responds on the highway, like when you are going 80 mph and you give it a little gas and you are going 100 mph in an instant. This car is fun to drive, it is a luxury sports car. I test drove the Benz and the BMW, I dont know what the magazines are talking about, they do not hold a candle to this car, especially in value. Drive one for you yourself, you will see!!

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  Ultimate Comfort - 2008 Lexus LS 460
  By APAXCGI - December 20 - 8:26 am

  I just bought my 2008 LS and am extremely impressed. The two things that absolutely stand out are the following: interior styling and fit and finish, and the smoothness/quietness of the ride at any speed. Clearly Lexus is well known for both of these attributes but on a daily basis they continue to impress. I shopped the 7, S550, A8 and all of them are very fine cars but none of them though outdo the LS is the aforementioned categories. AND - the LS is 20k less than all three of those models. Bottom line : An extremely fine vehicle in every sense that tries not to scream "I am rich".

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  Good car, except for the rattle - 2008 Lexus RX 350
  By Mary - December 19 - 9:10 pm

  I have had my Lexus for over a year now, and it is a great vehicle. Very powerful, nice looking, and nice interior. But I just started hearing a rattle on the passenger side window that is very annoying. At first it seemed like it was just on bumpy roads, but now its getting worse. I am going to ask the dealer about it. Other than that a very nice car.

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  Love this Vehicle - 2008 Lexus ES 350
  By LOVE THIS VEHICLE - December 18 - 1:43 pm

  Just purchased the 08 ES 350. Have driven it about 3 weeks and put over 1400 miles on it. Great car. Very quiet and comfortable. I also own an Acura TL which I love, but there is no comparison to the comfortable ride in the ES. Great car. I read all the reviews for the 07 and decided to wait for the 08s before I bought. I have not experienced any of the problem with down shifting reported in the 07s. Be careful with the remote in your pockets against other keys. It could accidentaly let the windows down.