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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  On my fifth ES - 2014 Lexus ES 350
  By Chris Dikme - May 30 - 4:01 am

  Bought my first ES way back in 1994. Loved the car then and still love the car. In fact, I have been buying and driving Lexus for more then 20 years and I have bought each one from the same dealership and salesperson! This 2014 ES has tons more features than my first one in 1994, yet really has not increased that much in price, compared to other inflated items. You get a lot more car for a little more money. You just cannot beat Lexus when it comes to quality of workmanship and support. Japanese reliability is second-to-none. The dealer network is unbeatable. I only have a couple of "complaints", the seats are just not comfortable for extended periods. Also, bring back radio buttons! The menu system may be "cool" but is clumsy and unnecessary. Now that we have owned and driven the 2014 for 18 months, my opinion of the ES has not changed too much. We did suffer a rear-end collision and I have learned that the Starfire Pearl (077) white paint is nearly impossible to match. Our rear bumper had to be replaced and we had to have it re-painted three times to get close to the factory paint. My only complaint with the car continues to be the frustration with the radio control. It is way too complicated. But, the car has an incredible ride and is buttery smooth and quiet. My best friend has a 2016 Camry and the difference between the two cars is substantial. The Lexus is a MUCH more refined vehicle.

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  Best Lexus ever made - 1999 Lexus LS 400
  By anna - May 30 - 1:30 am

  Best Lexus ever mAde. Best car money can buy you, no mechanical problems, no oil leaks. It mind bubling that germans cant make qualiy cars. I never see BMW, MB, VW or AUDI with 100000 miles and no leaks. But Lexus can go no problem to 300,000 miles without any issues. It is a tank-comfy one, looking good, very fast. If youre willing to pay a speeding ticket just hit the accelerator and in a heartbeat you get 155 mph. I did update my wheels to 18", that got me big improvement in handling and cornering, it was worth it. Car that you could trust, will not get you stuck.

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  A qualified great car - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By rick - May 29 - 8:26 pm

  I bought a used car with 12K miles. Have had it for 18 months and am very happy with three exceptions. The back up lights are terrible. I can hardly see behind the car when bcking into garage. I am going to try to install some aftermarket lights. The information center is good but trip miles and ET go back to zero when you turn off engine at a rest stop defeating the whole purpose of this information. When you start up again it starts at zero thus defeating the whole purpose of this feature. The high intensity headlights are great at first but you get a black cutoff line that really makes it hard to see far ahead. Mileage decent for this size. 28 highway at 60 mph. Tire wear fair.

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  Warden 1990 - 2000 Lexus ES 300
  By E Howard - May 29 - 7:13 am

  A great vehicle and extremely reliable.This vehicle is very quiet,looks like it belongs on the showroom floor. Very well maintained with all service records kept. The vehicle has been kept in a garage its entire life. One owner, has new high performance michelin tires on it. Has a sensational audio system.

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  Great Lux Truck - 2007 Lexus GX 470
  By Daniel - May 28 - 8:20 pm

  This is a great SUV. It has great off road ability and as such some of the on road ride/performance is sacrificed but if you take it off road or drive in weather you will appreciate it. If your primary use is on road and in clear road conditions, you may want to go with another option. But if you drive off road, in snow, heavy rain etc. this is a great choice. I also am evidently one of the few that like the swing out door. It makes loading heavy objects (luggage, mulch etc,) simpler because you dont have to reach over a lowered tailgate. I have encountered more issues with ceiling height (garage) interfering with flip up gates than the swing out. 30,000 miles, not one problem.

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  Great Hybrid SUV - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By faichu - May 28 - 3:40 am

  So far, Im very happy with the car. Its got about 1300 miles on it (mix of city and highway), and is averaging 26 mpg (in real life). Not quite the 31/27 reported by Lexus, but nevertheless pretty good when it comes to SUVs. My wifess GX only gets around 14 or 15. I have noticed that having the AC on during a hot day will tend to decrease the mpg. The car has all the nifty gadgets that you could want. The navigation is particulary nice, although it may be wrong on occassion. I would have liked a wood trim option instead of the aluminum trim (wood is nicer on the steering wheel). The automated engine start/stop takes a little getting used to, especially during hard acceleration.

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  Traded 05 RX 330 for 06 GX 470 - 2006 Lexus GX 470
  By CHRIS RAMSEY - May 27 - 1:23 pm

  Purchased this vehicle because of reliability, this is third Lexus purchased. We needed third row seats and wanted DVD for grandchild. GX 470 has ample power to tow heavy trailers and climb steep mountain roads. Gas mileage and ho hum agility are the only downsides but have IS 300 for daily use and it gets 20-26 mpg.

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  Perfect Sports Sedan - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By Jaytoez - May 27 - 2:00 am

  This car is the perfect balance of quality, value, style and performance. If you are looking for a 4-door that will turn heads but not break your wallet paying for options, the IS300 is the one.

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  is 300 5 speed - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By thepranqster - May 27 - 2:00 am

  love it. would like a little more power though, something to compete with the m3.

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  EXCELLENT SUV - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By coolmama - May 27 - 2:00 am

  I looked for 3 months trying to decide what SUV I wanted. Coming from a mid- sized sedan, I wanted an SUV that wasnt too big and handled well. I looked and drove everything from a Kia to a Lexus. I can honestly say this is the best SUV out there. It is worth the extra money.