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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  GREAT car... poor utilitarian features - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By Wayne - January 27 - 2:56 pm

  This car replaced a RX-300 which was the best car I ever had. The RX-350 is fun to drive, comfortable, and handles well. Again Lexus has hit a good spot in the smaller SUV market. The utilitarian features on a scale of 0 to 10 are about a 0, since something lower is not available. The problem is that many features qualify to check off a box, but are not really useful. Note that this car comes only in a non-smoking, "funny spare" configuration. While I am not a smoker, the lack of a convenient power outlet and ashtray for change is annoying. A "funny spare" on a $40+ car is just plain cheap. I love the car, but a prospective buyer should carefully examine the interior.

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  Dont Keep for Long - 1999 Lexus RX 300
  By Nikki - January 16 - 11:36 am

  The car is good as long as you get rid of it after the 5th year. I had to purchase a new transmission during the 6th year and 2 new cylinders.

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  One of the Best Cars Ive Ever Owned - 1999 Lexus ES 300
  By LCD44 - January 16 - 1:56 am

  Ive driven nothing but Toyota products for over 30 years; and to me, the ES300 is one of the very best cars ever built. The only thing better than an old Toyota is a new Toyota... so ten months ago, we traded in our old Camry for a Lexus RX 400h, and 10 years from now, I am likely to be here praising it also.

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  Impressive but ...... - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By cdyang - January 11 - 2:00 am

  The interior design is beautifully done. Sitting in it, you felt you probably spent more than $50K although most likely you spent significantly less than $40K. The exterior design, though, is quite dull - almost indistinguishable from a Camery. The acceleration is significantly improved compared to the 3.0L version, but still significantly deficient compared to SAAB 9-5 or Lincoln LS V8, both are only slightly more expensive. It is a very comfortable and very quiet car to ride, although driving it for long distance can put you into sleep qucikly. The fuel economy though, is a bit disappointment: I registered about 20 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on highway.

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  Im satisfied - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By bigtoot - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I test drove the IS and the 3-series BMW. The IS was crisper handling, but the BMW seemed to do the "little things" better, particularly quality of materials. But by the time you got them comparably equipped, the BMW was $4-5000 more expensive. While I think that the BMW is slightly better, its just not $5000 better! Ive been driving the IS since last August and even now I still havent found any annoying flaws. Count me satisfied.

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  ecs comments - 2002 Lexus RX 300
  By chin - January 10 - 10:00 am

  The passanger seat needs a 6 way adjustment. The front part of the seat is too low which allows the passanger to keep sliding off the seat which is not comfortable. The turning circle is also too large. The smell of the leather is not too pleasing at times.

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  Good but had to trade it - 2004 Lexus ES 330
  By Jay S - January 6 - 3:13 am

  We bought the ES a little over a year ago and traded it over a week ago for a sportier car. The ES is an excellent sedan built for comfort and rolling isolation. I just had a change of taste for something sportier and more fun to drive.

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  RX 330 - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By Kirk - December 26 - 7:43 am

  Steering is what I would say is over responsive and can cause a swaying sensation when traveling on a straight road. I dont like the response of its acceleration at times. I notice this most when I am traveling at approximately 40 mph and I want to speed up fast, I feel a noticable loss of power, before acceleration begins.

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  Excellent! - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By Jaymie - December 25 - 10:56 pm

  This car is very reliable. The power liftgate and navigation systems are great. They do need a 3rd row seat however, so that more people can ride.

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  Value question - 2006 Lexus RX 400H
  By Carter - December 24 - 9:50 pm

  This is my third Lexus, but first SUV. Brought the vehicle primary for the advertised mileage of 31 mpg combined. Im getting currently after 11,000 miles about 19.4. Most driving off freeway. Very disappointing. In addition, unlike other models, it has not kept its value. MSRP has dropped over $2,000. since I purchased it in April of 05. Inquires to Lexus have not been responded to concerning the mileage problem. Hate to say it is not worth the price.