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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  2013 Lexus LX570 - 2013 Lexus LX 570
  By redsix - February 13 - 10:55 pm

  Purchased this vehicle as CPO. This vehicle will definitely not attract most of the SUV lovers. Its fuel economy is not great and it holds too less for what it needs. As the review says there are many other options that have better features. The new HID adaptive headlights with the spindle grill definitely update the car to certain degree. If you want to buy a large, flagship SUV that has awesome "Lexus" reliability and descent maintenance cost that youll keep for a decade or so while treated welcome at the dealers, this is your car. Otherwise, go lease the European rides and return them as soon as your lease is up or get rid of them once the warranty ends.

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  In my opinion - 2001 Lexus LS 430
  By wyatt - February 5 - 2:00 am

  Great auto, but without sport mode, rolles on mt. roads. Throttle response not quick enough.

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  Excellent Quality with the Price Tag - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By BBGG - February 5 - 2:00 am

  One big problem: I left the car in the garage for my summer vacation for one month. It went totally dead. Dearler said it was not uncommon because of all the on-board computer features. Why put so many features if the battery cannot support it? Service consultants said I should have mentioned that I was a frequent traveller before making the buying decision. So you have to be able to afford to buy expensive car but no allowed to travel? The salesperson never told me that, and Mercedes and Porches did not give me this condition. 2nd question: noise started to appear after a year.

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  Saved my life - 2003 Lexus LS 430
  By Carolyn - February 4 - 7:43 pm

  Over all a good vehicle Saved my life Had an accident and all personnel at scene said I should have been dead. I rolled down a 20 foot embankment and took out 25 feet of concrete fence. I broke a finger nail and have bruises and a deep laceration on my right arm. A large animal ran out in front of me at night on a rural road. Instead of hitting it I swerved.

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  A Reliable SUV That Could Have Been - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By UKFan4Sure! - January 31 - 7:46 pm

  Wow! That was my first impression driving this beauty after having two Jeep Grand Cherokees before this. It is smooth and quiet with seamless acceleration that seems adequate but not stellar. Its body lines are magnificent and its interior is well appointed and very well crafted. It has 94K miles on it now and if I didnt tell you that, I could fool you into believing it had 20K. No joke. It does have some unexcusable shortcomings, though. Something you dont expect out of Toyota. I will list those below.

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  Great Car but no Bike Hitch fits - 2015 Lexus CT 200H
  By jtsport - January 31 - 2:24 pm

  Ive had my 2015 Lexus CT200h Fsport for 3 months and absolutely love it. The car and dealership were great. WARNING: I was told that I could purchase a bike rack hitch (the car is too little to pull anything) so I purchased the car and now find that no where is there a bike hitch that fits it. I just want to help anyone thinking of buying this car NOT to expect to be able to use it to haul their bikes. I tried UHAUL, Lexus parts and Lexus Customer Service for U.S. Im hoping if they get enough requests theyll make the bike hitch so we can buy it!!!!

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  Nice but not great - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By NCgal - January 24 - 5:06 pm

  Drove the MB M class and Acura MDX and settled on the Lexus. Acura has superior nav system...the delay after every verbal command from the Lexus nav is extremely annoying and time consuming, but great for folks who have trouble mastering the nav I guess. Had a major rattle within the first week, very disappointing at this price. Quiet secure ride but no one could ever call it a "fun" drive.

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  First Experience with my 2009 RX350 FWD - 2009 Lexus RX 350
  By Johnny Mack - January 24 - 11:00 am

  Purchased a 2009 RX350 FWD fully loaded with Mark Livingston sound system. I now have about 800 miles on it and so far we really enjoyed the vehicle. It is the right size for us and fun to drive. Took it to San Diego last weekend and great ride on I- 5 and off roads. Get in and out of traffic on demand. The salesman at the dealership is really professional and guide us through the leasing process in under 2-hours.

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  a nice "little" car - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By jeff b - January 24 - 10:00 am

  car is nice and drives great. back seats are really tight. i also hear road noise which im not used to.. coming out of a bmw 740il.. fuel economy is ok... it gets the same mpg ( almost ) as the lexus rx 330... the suv..... i get lots of comments on how nice the car is.... the sport package is a great deall good luck

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  Did I make the right choice... - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By Bignachy - January 24 - 10:00 am

  The ride quality is very good, but not as good as my 1998 Cadillac Concours. The appointments are top notch. I still have not read the entire owners manual, so there is still much to learn about the NAV system. The car is easy to manuver in tight parking spaces. The fit and finish is excellent. The only gripe is the seats are very stiff. I am used to a little more cushioning. I would suggest that Lexus think about who is purchasing the vehicle. Not a kids car. Im 50 years old and need a little more cushioning for my back. Would I purchase another one....not sure.