Editing Lexus (section)

===1990s: Growth and expansion===
[[File:Lexus.RX.300.jpg|thumb|1998 [[Lexus RX (XU10)|RX 300]], first Lexus crossover SUV|alt=Front quarter view of an SUV.]]
In 1990, during its first full year of sales, Lexus sold 63,594 LS 400 and ES 250 sedans in the U.S.,<ref name=d139>{{Harvnb|Dawson|2004|pp=139–41}}</ref> the majority being the LS model.<ref name=d139/> That year, Lexus also began limited exports to the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada and Australia.<ref name=ed/><ref>{{Harvnb|Long|2001|pp=41–42}}</ref> In 1991, Lexus launched its first sports coupe, the [[Lexus SC|SC 400]], which shared the LS 400s V8 engine and rear-wheel drive design.<ref name=dw141/> This was followed by the second generation [[Lexus ES (XV10)|ES 300]] sedan, which succeeded the ES 250 and became Lexus' top seller.<ref name=dw141>{{Harvnb|Dawson|2004|pp=141–46}}</ref> At the conclusion of 1991, Lexus had become the top-selling premium car import in the U.S.,<ref name=msntl>{{cite web|url=http://autos.msn.com/browse/Lexus.aspx|title=Overview: The Lexus Story|year=2008|publisher=MSN Autos|access-date=25 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209104808/http://autos.msn.com/browse/Lexus.aspx|archive-date=9 December 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Long 2001, p. 51">{{Harvnb|Long|2001|p=51}}</ref> with sales reaching 71,206 vehicles.<ref name=d139/> That year, Lexus ranked highest in [[J.D. Power and Associates]]' studies on initial vehicle quality, customer satisfaction and sales satisfaction for the first time.<ref>{{Harvnb|Dawson|2004|p=75}}</ref> The marque also began increasing U.S. model prices past those of comparable American premium makes, but still below high-end European models.<ref name="Long 2001, p. 51"/> By 1992, the LS 400's base price had risen 18 percent.<ref>{{Harvnb|Long|2001|p=57}}</ref>

In 1993, Lexus launched the mid-size [[Lexus GS|GS 300]] sports sedan, based on the Toyota Aristo using the [[List of Toyota platforms#S|Toyota "S" platform]] from the [[Toyota Crown (S140)|Toyota Crown]], which had sold for two years prior in Japan.<ref name=dw141/> The GS 300 was priced below the LS 400 in the marque's lineup.<ref>{{Harvnb|Long|2001|p=73}}</ref> That same year, Lexus became one of the first marques to debut a [[certified pre-owned]] program, with the aim of improving trade-in model values.<ref>{{Harvnb|Dawson|2004|p=149}}</ref> The marque introduced the second generation LS 400 in 1994.<ref>{{Harvnb|Long|2001|p=89}}</ref> In May 1995, sales were threatened by the U.S. government's proposal of 100 percent [[tariff]]s on upscale Japanese cars in response to the widening U.S.-Japan [[trade deficit]].<ref name=tar>{{cite news |url=https://www.autonews.com/article/20071029/ANA03/710290340/bold-moves-halt-tariff-stalemate-save-lexus-brand |title=Bold moves halt tariff stalemate, save Lexus brand |first=James |last=Treece |work=Automotive News |location=US |date=29 October 2007 |access-date=2 February 2009 |archive-date=3 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803090816/https://www.autonews.com/article/20071029/ANA03/710290340/bold-moves-halt-tariff-stalemate-save-lexus-brand |url-status=live }}</ref> SUVs were exempt from the proposed sanctions.<ref name=d160>{{Harvnb|Dawson|2004|pp=160–61}}</ref> Normal sales operations resumed by late 1995 when the Japanese auto manufacturers collectively agreed to greater American investments and the tariffs were not enacted.<ref name=tar/>

[[File:1996-1999 Lexus ES 300 (MCV20R) LXS sedan (2011-10-25) 01a.jpg|thumb|left|[[Lexus ES (XV20)|ES 300]] was the best-selling Lexus sedan in the 1990s.|alt=Front quarter view of a sedan.]]
In 1996, Lexus debuted its first sport utility vehicle, the [[Lexus LX|LX 450]],<ref>{{Harvnb|Long|2001|pp=105–07}}</ref> followed by the third generation ES 300 sedan, and the second generation GS 300 and GS 400 sedans in 1997. The marque's plans for developing an SUV model had accelerated during the U.S.-Japan tariff discussions of 1995.<ref name=d160/> Lexus added the first luxury-branded [[crossover SUV]], the [[Lexus RX|RX 300]] in 1998. The RX crossover targeted [[suburban]] buyers who desired an upmarket SUV but did not need the LX's off-road capability.<ref name=d172/> It was particularly successful, eventually becoming the marque's top-selling model ahead of the ES sedan.<ref name=d172>{{Harvnb|Dawson|2004|pp=171–72}}</ref> The same year, Lexus made its debut in South America's most populous country when it launched sales in Brazil.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.estadao.com.br/suplementos/not_sup342035,0.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730212042/http://www.estadao.com.br/suplementos/not_sup342035,0.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 July 2012|title=Em busca de notoriedade|work=Estadao|language=pt|access-date=8 June 2009|date=20 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://diariodonordeste.globo.com/2000/03/19/050002.htm |title=Tecnologia é destaque no Lexus ES 300 |work=Diário do Nordeste |access-date=8 June 2009 |language=pt |date=19 March 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728075351/http://diariodonordeste.globo.com/2000/03/19/050002.htm |archive-date=28 July 2011}}</ref> In 1999, the [[Lexus IS|IS]] was introduced, an entry-level sport sedan. Lexus also recorded its 1 millionth vehicle sold in the U.S. market,<ref name=msntl/> being ranked as the top-selling premium car maker in the U.S. overall.<ref name=d172/>
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