Are Lexus Good Cars? What To Know


in Reliability
White Lexus SUV
Source: Pixabay

Lexus cars and SUVs have long enjoyed a solid reputation among luxury vehicle shoppers. Do the numbers and data back up this record? We’ll do a deep dive to seek an answer to the “Are Lexus good cars?” question.   

Here’s a model-by-model overview that relies on information from: 

  • RepairPal: reliability
  • Edmunds: cost of ownership 
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): safety
  • U.S. Department of Energy: fuel economy
  • Lexus: pricing

Unless noted otherwise, all references are for the recent base version of each specific model. The cost of ownership reflects projected expenses over five years with 15,000 miles of annual use. These expenses include financing (a five-year loan with a 10% down payment), depreciation, taxes and fees, fuel, maintenance, repairs, and insurance.

Sedans: Are Lexus Good Cars?

Lexus ES 350

The brand’s best-selling sedan has been part of the Lexus lineup for more than 30 years. 

  • Reliability: The ES scores a strong 4.0 (out of 5.0) rating for reliability which gives this midsize sedan a 4th place ranking among the 31 vehicles in its class.  
  • Cost of Ownership: It will cost an average of $9,015 per year (over five years) to own a Lexus ES 350.
  • Safety: NHTSA gives this Lexus an overall rating of 5 stars (out of 5). This sedan scored a Top Safety Pick Plus evaluation from IIHS (the organization’s highest rank).
  • Fuel Economy: The ES 350 is EPA-rated for 26 mpg (combined) and 22 city/32 highway.
  • Pricing: $41,875 is the starting price for the ES 350.

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Lexus IS 300

Lexus offers four-door practicality in a smaller package.

  • Reliability: The IS matches its ES stablemate when it comes to dependability (4.0 out of 5.0). But, it does drop to 9th place out of the 31 midsize premium sedans analyzed.
  • Cost of Ownership: Curiously, at $46,932 ($9.386 per year for five years), the IS costs more to own than the ES 350.
  • Safety: The IS gets 5 out of five stars (overall) in NHTSA’s most recent crash testing. IIHS gives the IS a Top Safety Pick Plus designation
  • Fuel Economy: EPA-estimated fuel economy for this Lexus is 25 mpg (combined), 21 mpg in the city, and 31 mpg on the highway.
  • Pricing: The IS 300 has a $39,850 beginning price.

Lexus LS 500

The brand’s flagship sedan is an industry leader in luxury and technology.

  • Reliability: A more complex vehicle means more things can go wrong. This is likely why the LS falls a bit in the reliability department. RepairPal gives it a 3.5 out of 5.0 and 10th place among 30 full-size luxury sedans.
  • Cost of Ownership: Expect to shell out $71,293 over five years ($14,258 per year) to own an LS 500.
  • Safety: There has been no recent testing of the Lexus LS by NHTSA or IIHS.
  • Fuel Economy: The LS 500 has a combined EPA rating of 22 mpg. Around town is 18 mpg and on-highway mileage is 29 mpg.
  • Pricing: Buying a Lexus LS 500 begins at $77,175.

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SUVs: Are Lexus Good Cars?

Lexus RX 350

There’s no vehicle more important to Lexus than the RX 350; it’s the brand’s bread and butter. 

  • Reliability: Like many other Lexus models, the RX ranks high (4.0 out of 5.0) for dependability. This Lexus is third out of ten luxury midsize SUVs.
  • Cost of Ownership: Owning an RX 350 will run about $9,885 per year ($49,426 over five years).
  • Safety: The RX scores 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA’s overall crash test ratings. IIHS gives the RX a Top Safety Pick rank (the group’s second-highest rating). 
  • Fuel Economy: The RX 350 gets an EPA rating of 23 mpg (combined) and 20 city/27 highway.
  • Pricing: $46,645 is the entry-level cost for an RX 350.

Lexus NX 250

The compact NX provides SUV versatility with a distinctive Lexus style.

  • Reliability: No surprise, the NX also achieves high marks for reliability (4.0 out of 5.0). It’s also ranked as the second-best compact luxury SUV (out of 11 models).   
  • Cost of Ownership: Typical five-year ownership costs for an NX 300 are $47,833 ($9,566 per year)
  • Safety: NHTSA gives the NX 300 a perfect 5 out of 5 stars for overall crash test performance. The car gets a Top Safety Pick Plus rating from IIHS.
  • Fuel Economy: The NX 250 is EPA-rated for 28 mpg (combined), 26 mpg in the city, and 33 mpg on the highway.
  • Pricing: The starting price for the NX 250 is $39,025.

Lexus LX 600

The LX is the long-serving SUV flagship for the Lexus brand.

  • Reliability: A review of the slightly older LX 570 reveals a Lexus with a modest drop in dependability scores (3.5 out of 5.0). It’s also rated 9th among 30 large luxury vehicles.
  • Cost of Ownership: A look at the LX 570 yields five-year operating costs of $84,006 ($16,801 per year).
  • Safety: Neither NHTSA nor IIHS has conducted recent safety testing of the Lexus LX.
  • Fuel Economy: EPA-estimated mileage for the Lexus LX 600 is 19 mpg (combined), 17 mpg in the city, and 22 mpg on the highway.
  • Pricing: The starting price for a Lexus LX 600 is $88,245.

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Final Thoughts: Are Lexus Good Cars?

There are other Lexus vehicles for which we didn’t provide a breakdown. For SUVs, there are the UX and GX models. For a sporty ride, Lexus offers the RX and LC coupes. 

Overall, you’ll see that all Lexus cars and SUVs enjoy above-average dependability(with some models better than others). And most Lexus vehicles are highly rated when it comes to crash testing. So, it’s easy to see that Lexus models are desirable when it comes to reliability and safety. Choosing one comes down to whether the operating costs, pricing, and fuel economy work for you.

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