Best Lexus Years to Buy by Model
The best Lexus years to buy: the 2014 RX350, 2015 ES350, 2017 LS460 and 2023 GX460 — the cleanest federal complaint records for each model. Years to skip include the 2008 ES350 and 2023 RX350. Based on 2,583 NHTSA owner complaints across 8 Lexus models, rated model year by model year.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, recall campaigns & service bulletins · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · How we rate model years
Best Lexus years, model by model
| Model | Best years | Years to skip | Years on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexus RX Hybrid | No standout year yet | None rated avoid | 6 (2020–2025) |
| Lexus RX350 | 201120122014 | 200820102017201920232024 | 18 (2008–2025) |
| Lexus IS 350 | No standout year yet | None rated avoid | 18 (2008–2025) |
| Lexus ES350 | 2014201520162017 | 2008200920102011 | 18 (2008–2025) |
| Lexus GS 350 | No standout year yet | None rated avoid | 18 (2008–2025) |
| Lexus IS 250 | No standout year yet | None rated avoid | 18 (2008–2025) |
| Lexus LS460 | 20162017 | 201320142015 | 11 (2007–2017) |
| Lexus GX460 | 20222023 | 201220132014 | 12 (2012–2023) |
Verdicts are each model’s own, rated against that model’s history; counts behind them are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
The cleanest year for each Lexus model
2014 Lexus RX350: 26 NHTSA owner complaints on record · all best-rated years: 2011, 2012 and 2014 · Best RX350 years →
2015 Lexus ES350: 16 NHTSA owner complaints on record · all best-rated years: 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 · Best ES350 years →
2017 Lexus LS460: 0 NHTSA owner complaints on record · all best-rated years: 2016 and 2017 · Best LS460 years →
2023 Lexus GX460: 0 NHTSA owner complaints on record · all best-rated years: 2022 and 2023 · Best GX460 years →
Years to skip, in detail
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Lexus years to buy?
By model: RX350 2011, 2012 and 2014; ES350 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017; LS460 2016 and 2017; GX460 2022 and 2023. Each matches that model's own best-years page, built from NHTSA owner-complaint and recall records.
Which Lexus years should I skip?
By model: RX350 2008, 2010, 2017, 2019, 2023 and 2024; ES350 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; LS460 2013, 2014 and 2015; GX460 2012, 2013 and 2014. The full breakdown is on the Lexus years-to-avoid page.
Which Lexus models have no years to avoid?
The RX Hybrid, the IS 350, the GS 350 and the IS 250 — no model year of these rates "avoid" in current federal data.
How are the best Lexus years chosen?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity, converted to a rate per year on the road and compared with the rest of that model's own history; the lowest rates among years with enough road time earn "best". Models not yet scored that way are ranked by combined NHTSA complaint and manufacturer service-bulletin volume. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.