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Lexus Remains Benchmark in Revised J.D. Power Quality Survey

4 June 1998

Lexus Remains Benchmark in Revised J.D. Power Quality Survey; LS 400 Tallies Best Score of Any Model

    TORRANCE, Calif., June 3 -- Despite major changes by J.D.
Power and Associates to its Initial Quality Study criteria, the Lexus LS 400
and ES 300 swept the segments for Premium Luxury Car and Entry Luxury Car,
respectively.  In addition, the LS 400 sedan achieved the best score of any
vehicle in the study, an honor it has earned five out of six years.
    Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., has been a
consistent leader in customer surveys of product quality, customer
satisfaction and product appeal.  Since its inception in 1989, Lexus has
captured more than 75 percent of the J.D. Power awards for which it has been
eligible.
    "With this year's redesign, comparisons with last year's results are not
possible," noted Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager Bryan
Bergsteinsson.  "The revised survey reflects changing automotive technology as
well as subjective measures of design and performance.  It goes beyond
strictly quality-related issues.  Regardless of how 'quality' is redefined,
we're pleased to see our customers recognize Lexus as the industry's
benchmark."
    In addition to these latest honors from J.D. Power and Associates for
Initial Quality in the luxury segments, Lexus also is the number-one nameplate
for Customer Satisfaction, the number-one nameplate for long-term Vehicle
Dependability after five years of ownership, and the ES 300 sedan was rated
the most appealing entry luxury car in J.D. Power and Associates APEAL Study.