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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  Overall good car - 1997 Lexus ES 300
  By Lexus Es 300 - July 1 - 12:40 am

  Purchased this car in 2002. It had 59000 mi. on it. Now the odometer shows 98000. No major problems, except with the radio system. The LCD screen is unreadable. It is very annoying. The dealer wont admit that this is a recall. Also had to replace a gasket seal due to a leak. Regular oil change and the car is fine!

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  Bought Used and saved on this Lexus - 2005 Lexus GS 300
  By H Janke - June 27 - 12:26 am

  Bought this 05 about two months ago. Saved from the sticker price about $12k. Nice car, ride with standard stock tires is a bit noisy. Suggest a smoother riding factory tire. Interior needs in dash 6 CD, currently in glove box. Needs sunglass holder over head. Very comfortable interior ride over 30 mph. Solid feel and lots of room inside and also in trunk. Gas mileage averages about 18 mpg in town and 22 mpg highway. Nice sound system, leather seats very comfortable, lumbar support very good. Dash instrument panel easy to read. Solid all around vehicle.

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  Good SUV - 2003 Lexus RX 300
  By Brant - June 25 - 9:45 pm

  I bought my RX 3 months ago as a pampered one owner with 102K miles an excellent maintenance history. I have owned several Toyotas so was attracted to the quality and reliability of the Lexus brand. We also have a 2009 Nissan Rogue with 117K miles so I will use that car as a comparison. My RX is based on the Toyota Highlander and drives like one. The ride is smooth but a bit "trucky" on back roads with bumps. The turning radius is wide compared to most cars. The transmission is a 4 speed which is outdated by todays standards. At 62" I could use a little more front leg room - wish the seat had more travel (a body shop could fix this for a few hundred dollars). This is a very good car with a lot of features and I would buy it again. Compared to our 6 year newer Rogue, the RX is not competitive as far as handling, gas mileage, and suspension refinement. The car does exude quality though and even the under carriage is really clean for a 13 year old car. No evidence of body rust or rusted out brake lines like a friends Chevy truck. Toyota/Honda/Nissan must use more alloys as none of my cars have issues with under body rust. October 2016 and the Lexus is still bullet proof and all is well. Just routine maintenance.

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  The little lexus that could - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By radardodger - June 23 - 3:13 pm

  This car is a blast to drive! It feels so light and nimble on twisty back roads its just plain fun! It never feels like its going to get away from you, even when the front tires are pushing into a turn. Little "step outs" from the rear end are easily corrected on dry roads. The only thing this car needs to be the ultimate entry level "luxury sport", in my mind, is another 50 hp. Very quiet inside, even with 19s. The tiptronic auto works well, although 2nd gear could be a bit taller. Traction control is a bit intrusive, but does its job, even if it stays on to long when it kicks in. The motor, although lacking power, is silky smooth! And thats an understatement.

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  suspension system - 2000 Lexus LX 470
  By lexus lx 470 - June 21 - 3:36 am

  Purchased new in April of 2000 .I drive this Lexus very little, has been garaged all its life. Now has 79,900 miles. At 66,780 suspension went out,,cost to repair $2600 + in 2005. Now after 13123 miles suspension went out again (Feb 2010).Service department says this is going to happen about every five (5) years no matter how few miles it has been driven (13123). Cost to repair now $3350+. It looks brand new inside and out but now rides like a gravel truck, this will be my last Lexus

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  Radio and CD - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Diane - June 20 - 3:00 pm

  My Lexus only has 20,000 miles on it, but the CD player is already going out. I can only play one CD instead of the 6 that are available. I took it to a place I know is reliable (they work on car sound equipment) and he said it is almost gone. Other than that I love the car..

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  Some major problems - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By Karen - June 19 - 6:06 pm

  While I love driving my Lexus, I have had some major concerns with design problems and one significant safety issue with my rotors. Twice it was necessary to machine my rotors because of warpage from overheating and which caused significant and uncontrollable shaking of my steering wheel. Also, if only a rear window or sunroof window is opened, an intense vacuum is created in the interior which hurts my ears. I must open my drivers window to eliminate this vacuum -- very poor design! I have also had problems with my rear window spoiler weatherstripping, several scratches on the exterior finish, intermittent unworkable power rear door, and transmission surges and jerks from shifting.

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  Lexus rx - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By billy joe - June 18 - 11:13 pm

  A great SUV. Interior little small for six footers or over. Gas mileage sensitive to speed. Would purchase again because of quality and reliability. Can put up with minor inconveniences in the "cockpit", e.g., the big hump in the cener that bumps your knee when you enter the vehicle and in the way of your right knee when driving.

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  Great Car, Disappointing Mileage - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Robert - June 18 - 12:40 pm

  The vehicle is a delight to drive -- great acceleration, quiet, comfortable, reliable and more. The only two negatives are mileage much lower than advertised and I wish the body style was different than the RX 330.

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  You Must Drive This Car - 2013 Lexus ES 350
  By wofat - June 17 - 4:21 pm

  I spent several months researching vehicles before finally making a purchase. I was focused on a mid to large sedan that would be very comfortable for my long commutes, that would get at least 25 MPG, FWD or AWD, and that would LAST for at least 200K miles. The final list was the 2013 Audi A4, 2013 Hyundai Azera, 2013 BMW 328xi, and the Infinity G37x. After driving and pricing, the G37x and BMW were eliminated. They were simply under-equipped compared to the others at the same price point. The BMW especially was bare bones unless you dropped another 10K. The Audi was eliminated for reliability (big issues with burning oil). After driving the ES350 I was in love. Not squishy at all.