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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  Poor Trade in Value - 2007 Lexus GX 470
  By Dana - December 21 - 3:26 pm

  Purchased my GX470 new in 2007. Very comfortable rise and fun to drive. Outstanding DVD and sound system. Multi-CD/DVD exchanger hard to reach. Arm rest on front seats are annoying as they keep locking in up positions. Poor gas MPG (18). Third row seating cramped. Worst complaint is depreciation value. Pd. $58,000+ new, 1 1/2 yrs later, trade in value is $27K - $31K. (27K - 31K lost in 1 1/2 yrs. Unbelievable!!)

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  plus excellent service - 1997 Lexus LS 400
  By Mr Neophyte - December 17 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle gives a very quite smooth ride

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  nice truck - 2003 Lexus GX 470
  By TB1 - December 12 - 10:00 am

  No maintenance problems. No noises. (Should a "truck" be this quiet?). Refined yet functional. Superb all round performance. Very happy with it.

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  Solid, Speedy, and Sporty - 2015 Lexus NX 300h
  By SusanG - December 11 - 6:27 pm

  My Lexus NX300h is a speedy, sporty little car and it is fun to drive. The car drives like a dream and handles well. The negatives for this car are the seats are uncomfortable for me, but okay for my husband. The car interior is noisy while driving and it has rough suspension. Wonderful on smooth roads, but you do feel the bumps on a rough road.

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  Very good car, but not perfect! - 1998 Lexus ES 300
  By pahd_MN - December 6 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car new. Overall a good buy. I had to have the brakes overhauled under warranty. I also had to spend money out of warranty to repair noisy tower strut parts on the front end. Maintenance by Lexus while under warranty was wonderful, but after warranty costs are expensive. Still, this has been a very comfortable and reliable car with enduring styling.

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  Solid SUV with a luxury car feel. - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Savona - November 29 - 9:16 pm

  At 32,000 miles the car drives like the day we bought it. Great value for the price which included third row seats, rear spoiler, side rails, sunroof. Overall a better ride and value than our previous BMW X5.

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  GX470 - 2004 Lexus GX 470
  By Colorado Jeff - November 23 - 2:00 am

  Outstanding fit and finish. Engine is satin smooth and builds power with additional mileage. Ive been averaging 18.9mpg with a combination of city(commute) and highway driving. Acceleration is strong but transmission shifts too soon (albeit very smoothly). Sports sedan type handling and a very tight turning radius, surprizing for a vehicle of this size.

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  Nostalgic for my 04 - 2010 Lexus RX 350
  By Boris E. Meditch - November 21 - 4:30 pm

  I have owned two previous RX Lexus models and my new 2010 slightly disappoints in its rather wallowing ride and loose feel at highway speeds. It feels more bulbous and bloated and oversized. The nav system is vastly improved, but for my old eyes is buried too deeply in the dash console. The lack of any side door guard strips will surely lead to more dings and dents. Fit and finish appear to be excellent. The telephone book size owners manual is a joke - way over the top.

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  A fine Lexus - 2005 Lexus RX 330
  By CW - November 21 - 11:20 am

  Comfortable for driver and passengers with important conveniences e.g. cupholders, multiple seat adjustments. Nav system pretty easy to figure out, rear camera great safety item. Smooth and reliable ride.

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  More enjoyable than expected - 2007 Lexus RX 350
  By HB - November 21 - 7:23 am

  More enjoyable than expected to drive. The pick-up power on highway is great. Rides well. Armrests and leather seats could be better. Negative is the lack of places/nooks for containing things - papers, pens, notepad, etc. the middle counsel quickly is used up and there are few additional utilization spaces. Woman designer needed for upfront interior space usage.