Lexus cars are primarily made by Toyota Motor Corporation, the Japanese automotive giant that also produces Toyota vehicles sold across more than 170 countries.
Lexus is known for its whisper quiet cabins, exceptional reliability, and a relentless focus on craftsmanship that the brand calls Omotenashi, meaning selfless hospitality rooted in Japanese culture.
Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of Toyota Motor Corporation, founded in 1989 and headquartered in Shimoyama, Aichi, Japan, operating entirely separately from Toyota’s mainstream lineup.
Knowing who makes Lexus helps buyers understand the engineering heritage, manufacturing standards, and long term reliability record behind every vehicle in the lineup.
This article covers Lexus’s ownership structure, when the brand was founded, where its vehicles are made, its current lineup, and how it compares to rival luxury brands from other Japanese automakers.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Who Owns Lexus?
Lexus is owned by Toyota Motor Corporation, one of the largest automakers in the world by annual vehicle sales. Toyota operates Lexus as its dedicated luxury division, giving the brand full access to Toyota’s engineering resources, manufacturing expertise, and global supply chain.
Lexus maintains its own headquarters in Shimoyama, Aichi, Japan, separate from Toyota’s main campus in Toyota City. The brand also runs operational centers in Brussels, Belgium and Plano, Texas, reflecting its global footprint across more than 90 countries.
While Toyota provides the financial and engineering backbone, Lexus controls its own design language, model lineup, dealer network, and ownership programs. The two brands share platforms and powertrains but do not share vehicles or showrooms.
When Did Lexus Launch?
Toyota began planning a flagship luxury brand in 1983 under an internal initiative called Project F1, with the goal of building the best car in the world. The project took six years of development and more than 1,400 engineers and designers before producing a result Toyota was confident enough to launch.
The Lexus LS 400 debuted at the North American International Auto Show in January 1989 and immediately stunned automotive critics with its combination of performance, refinement, and a price point well below equivalent European competitors. The brand launched officially in August 1989 in the United States.
In 2025, J.D. Power ranked Lexus highest overall in its annual vehicle dependability study for the third consecutive year, confirming the brand’s reputation for long term quality has endured across three and a half decades of production.
Where Are Lexus Cars Made?
The majority of Lexus models are assembled in Japan across several dedicated Toyota facilities. The Tahara plant produces the LS, GX, LX, and RC. The Miyata plant assembles the IS and ES. The Motomachi plant builds the LC. The Kyushu plant handles the UX, and the Yoshiwara plant produces the LX.
Two models are assembled outside Japan. The Lexus RX and NX are built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada in Cambridge, Ontario, making Canada the first country outside Japan to produce a Lexus vehicle. The Lexus ES is assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky in Georgetown.
Every Lexus production line operates to standards that Toyota describes as monozukuri, the art of making things, with hand finishing and quality inspections at levels not applied to Toyota’s mainstream models.
What Models Does Lexus Currently Offer?
Lexus offers a wide range of sedans and SUVs. The sedan lineup includes the IS, ES, and LS. Performance coupes and convertibles include the RC and LC. The SUV lineup covers the UX, NX, RX, TX, GX, and LX.
The brand also sells the RZ, its dedicated battery electric SUV built on Toyota’s electric platform. Lexus has confirmed plans for a new electric flagship SUV called the TZ, expected to launch for the 2027 model year and assembled in both Japan and Georgetown, Kentucky.
Every current model and specification is listed on the Lexus official website. The brand sold its ten millionth vehicle globally in 2019 and continues to lead all luxury brands in J.D. Power reliability rankings.
Lexus vs Acura vs Genesis: Who Makes Each Brand?
All three brands are the luxury divisions of major Japanese automakers. Lexus belongs to Toyota. Acura belongs to Honda. Genesis belongs to Hyundai Motor Group. Each brand was created to compete in the premium segment against European names like BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Audi.
Lexus launched in 1989, the same year as Infiniti, and three years after Acura, which holds the distinction of being the first Japanese luxury brand. Genesis is the newest of the group, having launched as a standalone brand in 2015.
In terms of manufacturing, Lexus is the most Japan focused of the four, with most of its lineup assembled domestically. Acura builds most of its vehicles in Ohio, making it the most North American of the Japanese luxury brands.
Is Lexus Just a Fancy Toyota?
No. Lexus and Toyota share corporate ownership and some engineering platforms, but no Lexus model is a rebadged Toyota. Lexus has its own design studios, its own exclusive models, and its own dedicated assembly processes that do not apply to Toyota consumer vehicles.
The brand applies hand finishing to interior surfaces, conducts additional acoustic testing, and uses higher grade materials across every model in the lineup. The ES shares a platform with the Toyota Camry, for example, but the two vehicles share nothing in terms of interior, exterior design, or the level of refinement applied during assembly.
Buying a Lexus means buying a product that received significantly more attention during manufacturing than anything in Toyota’s consumer lineup. The brand’s three year streak at the top of J.D. Power’s dependability rankings reflects that difference in execution.
What Is Next for Lexus?
Lexus is expanding its electric vehicle lineup rapidly. The RZ electric SUV is already in production, and the upcoming TZ flagship electric SUV will be the brand’s most powerful and most expensive electric vehicle to date, assembled in Japan and at the Kentucky plant starting with the 2027 model year.
Toyota has committed to significant investment in electrification across all of its brands, and Lexus is set to be at the leading edge of that shift. The brand is targeting an all electric global lineup in key markets by 2035.
Lexus has also been expanding its presence in markets across Asia and the Middle East, where demand for Japanese luxury vehicles has grown significantly. The brand’s operational center structure in Brussels and Texas supports that global growth strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Who Makes Lexus
Is Lexus owned by Toyota?
Yes. Lexus is fully owned by Toyota Motor Corporation and operates as Toyota’s dedicated luxury vehicle division. The two brands share engineering platforms but maintain completely separate identities, model lineups, and dealer networks.
Where is the Lexus RX made?
The Lexus RX is assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada in Cambridge, Ontario. It was the first Lexus model ever produced outside Japan when the Canadian plant added it to its production roster.
When did Lexus launch in the United States?
Lexus officially launched in the United States in August 1989 with the LS 400 sedan. It debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in January 1989 to critical acclaim before going on sale later that year at 81 US dealerships.
Is Lexus made in the United States?
Yes, one Lexus model is made in the US. The Lexus ES is assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky in Georgetown. All other Lexus models are built in Japan or at the Toyota Canada plant in Cambridge, Ontario.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.