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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  Perfection - 1999 Lexus LS 400
  By parvez - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Nothing wrong with this car. Maintenence isnt frequent, but if it hits, be prepared to break out the check book. I have 75,000 miles on it without a single serious problem. If your looking for luxury, comfort, speed, and value, this is your car. Get the prestige, the resale, and the true smoothness. Destroys BMW and Mercedes in the way it drives. Best family luxury car bar none.

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  Lexus- My Way - 2004 Lexus SC 430
  By Joseph Inzerillo - July 17 - 10:00 am

  My SC430 is model year 2002...the first year it was introduced. I purchased the SC430 as a retirement gift to myself and drive it every day. It does not sit in the gararge. I have driven it from Virginia to the Florida Keys a few times and have taken many other trips.

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  BMW/Mercedes Killer - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Bruce Pietsch - July 17 - 10:00 am

  I have owned a BMW325ic and a Mercedes ML320 and this car is so far superior to both that it is astounding. I lost a head gasket on the BMW from chronic overheating and the ML320 electrical system failed 5 times and was almost a grand for brakes. The Lexus does not have the road feel of BMW but it is meant to have a luxury feel and is silent. You cannot tell if you are going 50 or 100 which tends to cause speeding tickets. No more repairs for me, Lexus is the best. Do not buy DVD aftermarket and IRA Lexus is a shoddy dealer,sold me after market DVD for 2 grand when factory one cost 1500! Did not do my homework on accessories.

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  Happy Camper - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By yoyodyer - July 17 - 10:00 am

  I love my car. Its an affordable luxury car. Steps to the next level. Beautiful Car Inside and Out. The fuel sucks. But it is 2.49 a gallon. But I love the car. Im a Happy Camper!

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  I love It - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By LB3 - July 17 - 10:00 am

  We have been very satified with this SUV.

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  Amazing machine! - 2004 Lexus RX 330
  By John Burtlano - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Traded my 1999 RX for the 2004 RX, I have only excellent things to say about this car! Woo Hoo!!!! John...

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  Finally! - 2004 Lexus LS 430
  By JDK - July 15 - 5:03 pm

  Ive wanted one of these since 1990 and finally was able to purchase one. Its everything and more than I had hoped for and I found out rather quickly that Ill never be able to settle for a lesser car! Seeing sneak pictures of the 2007 LS460 simply proves that the flagship will only get better with each model year!

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  Clost to perfect car - 2007 Lexus RX 400H
  By stevemiller4lv - July 15 - 11:43 am

  My 2007 RX 400h has 76,000 trouble free miles. Two aux. batteries, two sets of tires, one factory recall handled in an hour by dealer. Otherwise, no problems. I change the oil every 10,000 miles, get an avg. of 25 MPG on regular. I plan to keep this vehicle until a plug in version with lithium battery is offered.

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  As compared to the Acura TL - 2008 Lexus ES 350
  By btiger14 - July 15 - 9:16 am

  We just leased an ES 350 coming out of a Acura TL. We have found the electronics, including radio and bluetooth to be inferior to the TL. Disappointing. Also some of the features like keyfob by driver (1 or 2) is not available on ES 350 as it is on TL. Very disappointing that satellite radio was not included nor did the dealers stock cars with the option. Had to have dealer add satellite radio at an exorbitant price. Acura TL has this standard. A car in this price range should have an excellent radio; excellent bluetooth; and include satellite radio. Could be the first and last Lexus.

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  Rattle, rattle, rattle - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By sanfoja - July 15 - 7:13 am

  Love the RX300 EXCEPT for the rattles, have been plagued with these since about 1500 miles. Dealer has tried and tried but cannot fix the rattles, more just appear. Gonna trade this one in which is a shame because, otherwise, it is a great little ON-road SUV (also own a GMC Yukon 4Dr, 4WD for serious duty). The fuel mileage is a bit disappointing too, but it is AWD so I wont say it is awful (18 city 19-20 highway).