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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  Annoyances - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By fussy - July 22 - 1:26 pm

  There are a few annoying features about this vehicle. Little things like the drivers side floor mat will not stay in place - the hook and grommet system just doesnt work. No. 2 is the turn signal that wont cancel, particularly when coming off a ramp in a sweeping curve, after going straight ahead the right signal doesnt cancel. Lexus service says they work fine! Last, and probably most important, the glare off the dash when driving into the sun makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to see anyone or thing at the roadside - polarized sunglasses help a bit. Other than theses issues, its a great car.

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  love it - 2005 Lexus ES 330
  By robinsutom - July 22 - 4:16 am

  I have had my lexus for only 2 weeks and I love it. Everything about it says luxury. I had a Buick Roadmaster for 12 years and was looking for a car with the same smooth ride the roadmaster had. The ES330 out did all my expectations. Bumps in the road are hardly felt.

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  Lexus is our choice - 2010 Lexus ES 350
  By Jack C. - July 22 - 12:56 am

  We researched several automobiles since coming off our lease for a 525 BMW. The 525 was nice but the dealership wasnt great. We wanted something similar to the BMW but did not want to be in the $50k category. We looked at the La Crosse (impressive) and the Ford Taurus (equally impressive. Both terrific cars with all the bells and whistles but the Lexus appeared to be the industry standard for luxury, comfort and performance. Dealership is also over-the-top for service (I bought and RX there)and sales. Helped me get out of my lease early too!

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  Probably the Most Reliable Ever Built! - 1998 Lexus ES 300
  By Sim - July 21 - 8:46 pm

  Drove confidently from NV to IL with just under 199K purring like a kitten (and still purrs). Had to replace front struts and control arms, thats about it. Went through over 3 dozen new and used cars (BMW, Acura, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, GM, Dodge, Mazda, VW, Saab), but none, NONE like the ES300. This is car is ultra reliable and it can probably go for another 100K. This is really why many are loyal to the Toyota/Lexus brand. Its hard to beat its quality and reliability combination. The engine will most often outlast the body and suspension. If there is a need for used car, this is the best one to get.

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  It was a tough decision... - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By BuckeyeChuck - July 21 - 10:00 am

  Struggled with our choices upgrading from Maxima SE. Owned miriad of sedans (Avalon, Accord, Camry, Legend) liked move towards sporty sedans. Wanted to stay sporty - looked long and hard at the Infiniti G35; it was sporty and roomy. Unfortunately, build quality was not up-to-par and Infiniti does not have the Lexus reputation (yet). We decided to put our "driver enthusiast/performance" mindset on the shelf for now and go with the undisputed champion of the near-luxury class, the ES300. So far, weve not been disappointed.

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  Not Impressed - 2006 Lexus GS 300
  By John - July 21 - 1:20 am

  Purchased a 2006 GS AWD new - quite a let down from my 1999 GS which I loved. While the car handles well, it initially rode like a truck due in part to the run-flat tires that came with the car (a "standard" option). With new tires, the car rides better - but still nothing like my 1999 GS. I also feel Lexuss quality has slipped. The car has been recalled no less than 4 times and, to this day, still has rattles in the dash and seat belt pillars. The dealership dampened these quite a bit over many visits, but theyre still there. (In recent a consumer test, I see one of 2009 GS test models had a dash rattle, telling me Lexus hasnt corrected the problem in 4 model years).

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  Perfect Car - 2010 Lexus LS 460
  By ikeb - July 20 - 8:26 am

  Ive owned 3 jags prior to this car and this car is the best I have ever owned. Feature after feature and a great smooth ride make this car great. Handling is almost perfect. Have had the car for a month and all is perfect.

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  This Car is so good, I just ordered 2 new ones - 2012 Lexus RX 450h
  By Willard Fee - July 19 - 8:30 am

  This is a smaller SUV than the larger LG series

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  Not bad for 52K - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Julius - July 18 - 2:20 am

  I had my GX for almost 2 years. If you are looking for the car with excellent reliability, this is the one. Also the fit and finish inside is great. The only problem Im still having is a sun roof, that makes a rattling sound when passing an uneven pavement. Its not a horrible noise but you would expect not to have anything like that for this sticker price. They were not able to fix it so far. In general, this is a good headache free SUV. Go LEXUS.

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  Lexus saved our lives!! - 1999 Lexus RX 300
  By lexusluver - July 17 - 10:15 pm

  Owned a 1999 Lexus Rx 300 for five years. Three weeks ago my husband and I was hit from behind by a full sized pick up while sitting at a stop light,then pushed into another SUV in front of us. The police report said that the driver of the pick up never even noticed us and never slowed down and hit us doing 45mph. Although we received back/neck injuries, we feel that because we were driving our Lexus, it saved our lives. A police officer and a fireman both called our Lexus a "little tank" and told me that we were lucky to be driving it. we were told it could have more serious. We are definitely purchasing another Lexus as soon as we settle with insurance co. Miss our Lexy!