Lexus: five used models averaging over 140,000 miles

Five used Lexus models keep surfacing when the question is which cars stay on the road, and Jalopnik has collected them in one place: the ES 350, RX 350, LS 430, GX 470 and IS 350. The reporting leans on The Car Care Nut, a Toyota Master Diagnostic Technician who explains used-car buys on YouTube, on iSeeCars' study of the vehicles most likely to hit 250,000 miles, and on owner threads at Reddit and ClubLexus. Two of the five come with model years to skip.

The averages, at a glance

iSeeCars' reported average lifespan for each, as Jalopnik lists them:

• ES 350: almost 142,000 miles
• RX 350: 174,200 miles
• IS 350: more than 184,000 miles
• GX 470: almost 205,000 miles
• LS 430: more than 228,000 miles

ES 350: the reliability pick

Jalopnik reports that The Car Care Nut calls the ES 350 "king for reliability." It sits on the Toyota Avalon platform rather than the Camry's, and its 3.5-liter V6 arrived with the fifth-generation ES in 2007 and stayed through the seventh-generation 2025 ES that has just been replaced.

Jalopnik reports that an r/askcarguys thread about ES 350s past 100,000 miles drew replies calling the car "pretty hard to kill" and "nearly bulletproof." CarBuzz's advice, also cited by Jalopnik, is to skip the fifth generation (2007–2012), particularly the first-year 2007 car. A sixth- or seventh-generation example with service records is the better bet.

RX 350: the same idea, taller

The RX 350 also arrived for 2007, and Jalopnik reports The Car Care Nut's advice to avoid that first generation because its power steering tends to leak. His recommendation starts at 2010, with proof of maintenance on the table, a caveat Jalopnik notes applies to any used car.

CarBuzz ranks the third-generation RX, sold between 2010 and 2015, as the most reliable version, and iSeeCars' list of the 20 longest-lasting cars for 2026 includes the RX in both gas and hybrid form. The 3.5-liter V6 stayed under the hood through 2022, and the RX rides on the same chassis as the Toyota Highlander.

LS 430: the flagship

Jalopnik reports that The Car Care Nut calls the LS 430 "the star of the show." The LS 430 is the third generation of the company's full-size sedan, sold for model years 2001 to 2006 against the S-Class from Mercedes-Benz and the BMW 7 Series, and it was the first Lexus with adaptive cruise control in the U.S.

ClubLexus members have called it "one of the most reliable cars ever made," Jalopnik reports, with some adding that "the car is just breaking in at 100k." Their caution: the optional air suspension is expensive to repair or replace.

GX 470: the truck-based one

The first-generation GX 470 ran from 2003 to 2009, and Jalopnik reports the SUV shares its chassis with the fourth-generation Toyota 4Runner and with the Land Cruiser Prado Toyota sold in other markets. The Car Care Nut calls its 4.7-liter 2UZ-FE V8 "one of the best engines Toyota-Lexus ever made," and Jalopnik notes the same engine powered the LX 470, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, Sequoia and Tundra.

HotCars once called the GX 470 "the world's most reliable luxury SUV," and Jalopnik reports its standing among r/LexusGX users is close to legendary.

IS 350: the sport sedan

Jalopnik reports that The Car Care Nut recommends the IS 350 over the IS 250, whose engine he says is prone to carbon build-up. Tires and brakes cost more to replace than they do on the ES or RX 350, Jalopnik reports, because this car is set up for performance. The 3.5-liter V6 has been in the IS since the second generation arrived for 2006 and is still offered.

In 2014, Consumer Reports named it the most reliable compact luxury sedan, Jalopnik reports, and r/Lexus members call it a "tank" while also mentioning the higher tire and brake costs.

What we'd do with this list

"These cars will outlive you as long as you do routine maintenance," a top reply in an r/askcarguys thread said of the ES 350, as Jalopnik reports.

Our read, resting on the figures above: the ES 350 and the RX 350 are the cheapest of the five to keep running, since the IS 350 goes through tires and brakes faster and the LS 430's optional air suspension is expensive to fix. The averages are averages. On any of the five, a documented service history and a pre-purchase inspection are worth more than the badge.

Four things the reporting supports before you shop:

• Ask for service records first. Every recommendation above comes with maintenance attached.
• Choose a sixth- or seventh-generation ES 350 over the 2007–2012 car.
• Look at RX 350s from 2010 on rather than the first year.
• On an LS 430, check whether the car has the air suspension before you get attached to it.

• iSeeCars
• Lexus
• reliability
• The Car Care Nut
• used cars